Heart_Wrencher Reviews

AWA All-Star Wrestling (1972–1990)

Just before it went under.

[18 January 2005]

I caught the tail end of this show on ESPN at 2 or 2:30 just before it went under. I was ten at the time and just started watching the WWF religiously and here was this AWA show. In a way it was better that WWF programing b/c you had well established superstars fighting each other instead of prelim jobbers getting squashed. Granted their superstars during this time were just the fat left over from one of Vince McMahons talent raids but they were well seasoned and talented wrestlers none the less. Here's a list from what I recall: -Greg Gagne getting his leg splashed by Kakina Maximus(Yokozuna) outside the ring thus loosing the chance to become tag team champions w/ Paul Diamond(Max Moon). Gagne was out w/ an injury and the Destruction Crew (Beverly Bros.) won the tag straps. -Paul Diamond was looking for a new tag partner and found the Trooper (the Patriot) -John Nords (Berzerker) gimmick was a lumberjack who carried around an axe called Bessie or Bertha. -Diamond and Trooper beat Sato and Tanaka (Orient Express) for a shot at the tag straps. -some wrestler called the Unknown Soldier. -World champ Larry Zybisko(sp.) was to fight the Unknownn Soldier but it turned out to be Mr. Saito under a mask. -Wayne Bloom would never let Mike Enos talk during promos. -I also caught the tail end of the Team Challenge Series. I remember Mikman Millman helped the team win and he kept going on and on about it.

The little bit I saw during the early 90's was enough to leave an impression on me. The product was nothing like the glitz and glamour of the WWF. It was a no nonsense, pure wrestling at its finest. Very traditional right down to the mic work. I'm still trying to find old AWA tapes. If you're sick of the current product the WWe is dishing out. Get ahold of some classic AWA or NWA. You won't be disappointed.

G.I. Joe: Valor vs. Venom (2004 Video)

We were spoiled as kids.

[3/10 · 29 November 2004]

Yep. Those of my generation who grew up watching those old Sunbow cartoons were spoiled. The 80's Joe tune was one of the best cartoons in the history of television. Well written stories, well developed characters. Granted it was nothing more that a glorified toy commercial but it definitely helped carry that toy line. Fast forward almost twenty years later and enter Valor vs. Venom. The animation was average at most. The movement of the characters seemed to jerky and puppet like. The movie felt more like a Small Soldiers sequel than a story about a special military force. Then we have character development or lack there of. Dusty likes to be all Dusty? Slice and Dice like to do things together? What? Did the writers take a writing course on how to develops characters with the depth equivalent of Jar Jar Binks? As for the story. I like a bit of Sci-Fi. But that whole concept of turning soldiers into a mutant army has been done to death in the Joe universe. Mega Monsters or Toxo-zombies anyone? But I give the creators credit for trying to make the fan boys happy by having martial arts action every 10 minutes. I'm not a huge fan of SE and SS but I did like the fight scenes between the two. If you can appreciate VvV for what it is you will enjoy it. I admit to not being able to appreciate VvV as I should. Again everything Joe gets compared to what ways done in the 80's, and honestly nothing will ever compare to the glory days of GI Joe. If you can appreciate VvV for what it is you will enjoy it.