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[The Headliner]

Hollywood superstar Nicolas Cage is currently in negotiations to star in an independent drama titled "The Wrestler." The entertainment trade journal lists the following about the movie:

"The movie tells the story of Randy ''The Ram'' Robinson, a 1980s-era pro wrestler who has become a burnt-out shell of his former self. After he has a heart attack during a small-time match, a doctor tells him he could die if he fights again. He moves in with an aging stripper and takes a job at a deli, but then decides he can't pass up an opportunity to return to the ring and fight his old nemesis, even if it means risking his life."

It's hard to tell whether this would be presenting wrestling as "real" or not.

Would you be interested in seeing the film?

[Kraul]

Would you be interested in seeing the film?

Seeing that I am both a fan of pro wrestling and Nicholas Cage, yeah. I plan on it. I don't know if I'll see it in the theater, but I will at least watch it on DVD.

I hope it's from a real life angle and not kayfabe, though I'd be cool with either really.

[Blue Lightening]

Yeah, I'll catch up with it for sure. I've not seen any Nicolas Cage movie so far, but I'm a big fan of pro wrestling movies. Actually I've watched just one such movie so far, Ready to Rumble, but I liked it very much. Though it was a comedy, and 'The Wrestler' sounds to be a more serious and realife portrayal about a wrestler's life, so it'll be interesting to see.

By the way, can anybody name some more nice pro-wrestling movies ?

[Kraul]

By the way, can anybody name some more nice pro-wrestling movies ?

The only movies that aren't documentaries that come to mind right now are:

-No Holds Barred
-Body Slam
-Nacho Libre

The quality (or "niceness") can be debated for No Holds Barred and Body Slam, though.

[The Headliner]

You could possibly count Mr Nanny, in that (as I recall) Hulk Hogan's character is a retired wrestler who finds himself targeted by old enemies from the ring. That was really just a backstory though, as there wasn't much about wrestling in the movie.

[Phenix]

That sounds good, I like Nicolas Cage and i'll definitley watch it on DVD. 

[The Headliner]

Well Nicholas Cage was separated from the movie a long time ago, but it seems to be doing very well regardless:

Marc Schulz sent this in: I want to mention that the movie "The Wrestler" scored big at the Venice Film Festival, the oldest in the world. The Wrestler earned a Golden Lion - meaning the highest recognition - for best film at this years festival. That means that "The Wrestler" is the only movie in wrestling history to win a major industry award in cinema. In the movie is also Ernest "The Cat" Miller of WCW and WWE fame and some Indie wrestlers.

Provided Links:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/7602107.stm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wrestler_(2008_film)

MV sent this in: Mickey Rourke was also going to win the Best Actor award, but by the rules no film can win more than one award.

[Kraul]

I saw pictures of how they look.

Rourke actually looks convincing, even if his tights (the few I saw) would probably fit better in the early to mid-90s.

BTW Headsauce, the Wikipedia link doesn't work.

[The Headliner]

It should work now that I've put link tags around it. Sometimes when the board turns a plain URL into a link automatically, things like brackets (which you wouldn't normally get in a "proper" URL) get missed out.

[Hazzy]

http://www.slashfilm.com/2008/09/10/interview-darren-aronofsky-part-1/

http://www.slashfilm.com/2008/09/11/interview-darren-aronofksy-part-2/

Interview with the director of the film. I've only read part one so far but its really interesting, if you're interested in wrestling and films, which I am. I say "really" interesting. Its at least worth reading, talks about how the idea came about and why he got Mickey Rourke to play the guy. Also, if you go to the part 1 page theres a link to the review this site gave the film, and thats pretty good too.

If I remember i'll link to part 3 tomorrow.

EDIT:

Part 2 actually is really interesting.

[Kraul]

Damn fine interview.

And it's great to finally know why Cage stepped down. I thought he was disinterested or maybe intimidated by the physicality of it (although he's not a puss by any means).

[Illusion]

Can't wait for this.

[The Headliner]

Director Darren Aronofsky's new film "The Wrestler" starring Mickey Rourke has been getting rave reviews and winning awards left and right. The recent movie premiere brought out a number of pro wrestling legends, including Ric Flair, Rowdy Roddy Piper, Gret Valentine, Brutus Beefcake and others. With all the attention the film is receiving, WWE chairman Vince McMahon contacted Darren Aronofsky and requested a private screening of "The Wrestler". So, what did Vince think about it?

Whatever Vince told the director to his face remains a mystery, however a source close to the WWE boss says, "the word negative isn't strong enough to describe Vince's reaction. [This is] no surprise because Vince's vision of the 2008 image of wrestling and even fading stars directly contradicts what The Wrestler accurately portrays." Others in Vince's close circle knew going into the screening that this was the kind of movie he was going to despise.

Vince shouldn't take it personally. He's not in the wrestling business, he's in the entertainment business, right?

[Kraul]

That's just because Vince is unable to see anything outside of WWE.

[Hazzy]

I've watched it now, and it's awesome. I'm gunna get it on DVD when it comes out to watch it again, but I think it could be one of my favourite films.

Anyway

Rourke Interview Thing

“If someone asked me if wrestling is fake, after all of that, I wouldn’t even answer the question.”