Survivor Series (1988) (TV)

Release Date:

24 November 1988 (USA)

Tagline:

Teams of Five Strive to Survive.

Plot:

Randy Savage, Hulk Hogan, Koko B. Ware, Hercules & Hillbilly Jim vs. Ted DiBiase, Haku, The Twin Towers & Red Rooster...

Plot Keywords:

World Wrestling Federation | Wrestling

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Hulk Hogan	...	Himself
Randy Savage	...	Himself (as Randy 'Macho Man' Savage)
Ray Hernandez	...	Hercules
Jim Morris	...	Hillbilly Jim
David Ware	...	Koko B. Ware
Ted DiBiase	...	Himself
Tonga Fifita	...	Haku
George Gray	...	Akeem the African Dream
Terry Taylor	...	The Red Rooster
Raymond Traylor	...	Big Bossman
André the Giant	...	Himself
Rick Rude	...	Himself
Harley Race	...	Himself
Curt Hennig	...	Himself (as 'Mr. Perfect' Curt Hennig)
Adolph Bresciano	...	Dino Bravo

Also Known As:

WWF Survivor Series (USA) (promotional title)

Runtime:

180 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Filming Locations:

Richfield Coliseum - 2923 Streetsboro Road, Richfield, Ohio, USA

Trivia:

Mr. Fuji turned on Demolition by opening the rope causing Smash get counted out. When Ax confronted Fuji he took his cane and whacked Ax with it. Demolition then beat up Mr. Fuji becoming faces. After Demolition left the Powers of Pain helped Fuji and placed him in their corner becoming heels. After the match they put Fuji on their shoulders.

Movie Connections:

Followed by Royal Rumble (1994) (TV)

Another solid one

I gave this one a 7, because I love the opening tag teams' match, but the 2 mid card matches were edited severely for VHS. About 3/4 of those matches were cut!

The tag match was great, because all teams were exceptional, even the Bolsheviks. The Powers of Pain, however, weren't. This is another example of their mediocrity. They survived the match, but all they had to do was beat the Conquistadors! The real story of this match was Bret Hart, who made 2 eliminations, although one was overturned. And the face turn of Demolition wasn't handled right. This is true because the fans didn't react the way they were supposed to. I'd like to know how Demolition was able to make the turn successfully.

Hacksaw Jim Duggan continued his tradition of eliminating himself and not caring, while Tito Santana was decent. Jake the Snake did surprisingly well when he was left alone against Andre, Rick Rude, Mr. Perfect, and Dino Bravo (I just realized that all four men have passed since then). His elimination of Rude was the highlight of the night.

Hulk Hogan was mediocre again in his second Survivor Series, eliminating Haku, someone who no one doubts he can beat. The real hero of this one was the Macho Man, who got rid of Terry Taylor (I loved the angle of him losing all the time and Heenan kicking him out for it) and Ted DiBiase. This match was good but could have been better; they used the Mega Powers-Twin Towers feud here for the sake of spectacle rather than substance. Did anyone want to see the Twin Towers blatantly get themselves disqualified?

No feuds were settled, except maybe the one between the Young Stallions and the Bolsheviks. But the role reversal of Demolition and the Powers of Pain was good for historians. And the matches were solid.