Author Archives: Jonathan Williams

Georgia Wrestling Now welcomes Rev. Dan Wilson and Casey Kincaid

Things have been known to get a little weird on Georgia Wrestling Now, but a dark storm brewed (literally and metaphorically) when Team All You Can Eat’s Matt Hankins and Wrestling with Pop Culture took to the air this week. First we heard from the Rev. Dan Wilson, longtime manager of the Devil’s Rejects and the Hate Junkies at NWA Anarchy, NWA Chattanooga, Dragon*Con Wrestling and other promotions, and host of the Midnight Black Mass pop culture radio show. Then we talked to Empire/Platinum Championship Wrestling’s Casey Kincaid about his transformation from the masked Phantom to the latest winner of the prestigious Platinum Classic. Hankins recounted ghost stories with “Rowdy” Roddy Piper at Days of the Dead in Indianapolis, and we discussed recent and upcoming events in Georgia’s wrestling scene and more.

Casey Kincaid (formerly the Phantom) recently picked up a lot of momentum in Empire/PCW by winning he Platinum Classic (photo by Harold Jay Taylor)

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Cult favorite “No Holds Barred” finally released on DVD

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In 1989, the World Wrestling Federation Champion was Rip, a musclebound competitor whose blonde hair and handlebar mustache were in vivid contrast to his suntanned skin. His all-American ideals made him the hero of the wrestling world, and made the network that aired his matches a lot of money. If Rip sounds like another top wrestling star of that era, that’s because he’s played by Hulk Hogan (pretty much playing himself) in the cult favorite No Holds Barred, being released on DVD by WWE Studios for the first time today.

Following his appearance as Thunderlips in Rocky III a few years earlier, No Holds Barred features Hogan in his first starring role in a movie that is basically his own Rocky, with a touch of Road House. For those who haven’t seen the movie (or who may have forgotten it), it hasn’t gained a cult following because of the great acting or intriguing plot. In fact, it’s so unintentionally comical and clichéd that you can’t help but enjoy every second of it.

No Holds Barred was not only WWE‘s first foray into producing its own films (Vince McMahon and Hogan are both listed as executive producers, and longtime WWE music composer Jim Johnston created the movie’s score), but it was also a way to introduce a new in-ring adversary to Hulk Hogan in Zeus (Tiny Lister), an enormously intimidating black guy with crossed eyes, a weird unibrow thing and a shaved head (aside from the letter Z on each side). In the movie, Zeus is dominant in a bar brawl fight club wrestling league that takes place in a dive bar filled with cartoonish caricatures of the dregs of society (including a tobacco chewing monster played by Stan Hansen and a midget in a cage).

Brell (Kurt Fuller) tries to convince Rip (Hulk Hogan) to join his network in "No Holds Barred" (photo courtesy WWE)

When Rip refuses an offer by a rival network executive (played with comedic simplicity by character actor Kurt Fuller), a competing show called Battle of the Tough Guys begins airing and Zeus quickly becomes its star. And when Rip declines to face Zeus in the ring, the baddies resort to nefarious tactics such as beating up his younger brother (Mark Pellegrino) and kidnapping his love interest (Joan Severance). And as you might expect given the formulaic nature of the story, we eventually see Rip and Zeus face off in a no holds barred match that is in Zeus’ favor from the outset.

Zeus gets the upper hand early on and dominates Rip, who is distracted by trying to save his girlfriend before time runs out. But with his brother in the audience (and in a wheelchair following the assault), Rip finds the will to Hulk up and rally back in much the same way Hogan was known to do in the ring at the time. But even after his battle in the ring ends, he still has some fighting to do before he truly saves the day.

Rip (Hulk Hogan) takes on Zeus (Tiny Lister) in the finale of "No Holds Barred" (photo courtesy WWE)

No Holds Barred basically plays out like a long episode of The A-Team, with an equal mix of action, comedy, drama and suspense. But some of that comedy is clearly unintentional, which is one of the things that has garnered such a following for the film. Thankfully (and surprisingly), WWE seems to be having fun with its promotion of this re-release, focusing on the haphazard hilarity of the film rather than trying to make it out to be an action classic. And wrestling fans will recognize cameos from a lot of old favorites like Hansen, Bill Eadie (aka Ax from Demolition), Jesse “The Body” Ventura, “Mean” Gene Okerlund and Howard Finkel.

Aside from the new digital transfer, there aren’t a lot of bonus features (barring a photo gallery of scenes from the movie). But given the simplistic nature of the movie, one need not expect much more. Now if WWE can get us a DVD set of the Hulk Hogan’s Rock ‘n’ Wrestling animated series from earlier in the ’80s, those of us who appreciate wrestling’s somewhat absurd forays into mainstream pop culture will be that much happier.

No Holds Barred. Directed by Thomas J. Wright. Starring Hulk Hogan, Tiny Lister, Joan Severance and Kurt Fuller. Rated PG-13. www.noholdsbarredmovie.com.

Georgia Wrestling Now welcomes Matt “Sex” Sells and Mr. Pump Yo Brakes

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We had some proverbial fireworks on this week’s pre-holiday edition of Georgia Wrestling Now as Team All You Can Eat’s Matt Hankins, “The Human Hand Grenade” dany only and Wrestling with Pop Culture spoke to to The New Tradition Pro Wrestling‘s Matt “Sex” Sells, who had a special announcement following the events of last Sunday’s show. We also talked to Empire/Platinum Championship Wrestling’s Mr. Pump Yo Brakes. And we heard from some tag team calling itself the Windy City Sweepers. The Jagged Edge called in to challenge only at PCW’s Revolutionary War Games on July 4. We also discussed recent and upcoming events in NWA Anarchy, TNT Pro Wrestling Empire Wrestling, PCW and more.

Former TNT Pro Wrestling Heavyweight Champion Matt "Sex" Sells

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“The Amazing Spider-Man” spins a somewhat darker new web for Spider-Man mythos

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Spider-Man (Andrew Garfield) reveals his secret to Gwen Stacy (Emma Stone) in "The Amazing Spider-Man" (photo courtesy CTMG./ImageMagick)

Though it does seem odd to already be re-spinning the Spider-Man web, there’s not much else to complain about in The Amazing Spider-Man. In theaters July 3, this reboot retells a familiar tale, focusing on different aspects of Peter Parker’s past to give it an entirely different feel than the Sam Raimi trilogy from just a few years ago. And while the origin story is mostly the same, director Marc Webb (whose last name alone could have qualified him to direct this film) seems to be more interested not only in who Peter Parker is, but why he does some of the things he does and, more importantly, why he becomes Spider-Man.

The new Spider-Man is The Social Network‘s Andrew Garfield, whose gawkiness makes the teenage Peter Parker’s awkwardness all the more apparent. But Garfield’s take on Parker is more of a rebellious outcast than a social one. He stands up to the hallway bully, he rides a skateboard and he catches the attention of the equally dorky cutie Gwen Stacy (Emma Stone). The nervous tension between the two is quite adorable, and it only gets more strained when Gwen learns of Peter’s secret.

Dr. Connors (Rhys Ifans) doesn't realize the side effects of the otherwise positive results (photo by Jaimie Trueblood)

But perhaps the most interesting difference between Raimi’s and Webb’s take on Spider-Man is how he comes to acquire his powers. In The Amazing Spider-Man, Parker is trying to find out why his parents left him with his Uncle Ben (Martin Sheen) and Aunt May (Sally Field) at a young age, and why his father’s past is so mysterious. A science wiz himself, Peter uncovers a secret formula his father had come up with that could be incredibly positive or devastating, depending on who else possesses this knowledge. In order to find more answers, Peter tracks down Dr. Curt Connors (Rhys Ifans), a prominent Oscorp scientist who once worked very closely with Peter’s father. It is upon a visit to Oscorp that Peter is bitten by a genetically-enhanced spider (also the result of his father’s previous research). Though Connors seems like a trustworthy person to reveal his father’s secret to, Connors’ interest is not purely professional as it could result in the regeneration of his missing limb. And when Oscorp decides to shut down Connors’ research efforts (while claiming all of his progress as its own), Connors resorts to drastic measures that result in a Godzilla-like rampage through New York City.

Stylistically, The Amazing Spider-Man is just as impressive as Riami’s interpretations, but in very different ways. Spidey’s costume has a more sleek appearance (thanks to Cirque du Soleil designers) and even though there’s no wrestling match against Randy Savage like we saw in Raimi’s first film, Peter’s decision to wear a mask is inspired by luchador imagery. Though all of his powers aren’t genetic this time around (Peter actually makes the wrist-worn web slingers, as was the case in the original comic book story), it is interesting to see Spider-Man’s behavior and mannerisms becoming more and more like those of an actual spider. Webb continues to play on the natural tendencies of spiders, as well as Connor’s lizard-like traits, as much of the action takes place in subterranean sewers (a natural urban habitat for spiders and lizards). But whether it’s underground, on street level or high above New York skyscrapers, The Amazing Spider-Man has some, um, amazing stylistic shots, including some very Nosferatu-like shadow play in the sewers.

Spider-Man's luchador-inspired look was designed by Cirque du Soleil (photo by Jaimie Trueblood)

To make Parker/Spider-Man’s journey for self discovery all the more complicated, it turns out that Gwen’s father (Denis Leary) is also the police captain who thinks Spider-Man is a menace rather than a hero. But despite Captain Stacy‘s attempted smear campaign, the rest of New York recognizes Spidey’s heroism and rallies behind him in his final battle to save the city (and Gwen) from the Lizard’s evil plot to turn everyone into monsters like the one he has become. Such an empowering gesture is not lost on Peter, an outcast not used to having the support of so many people, especially when he’s dressed in a skin-tight outfit and swinging from skyscrapers and cranes.

The Greek-like comedy and tragedy that have become woven into the Spider-Man mythos remain intact here, and Webb really seems to have fun with the interaction between the characters and Peter’s attempts at understanding and harnessing his newfound powers. None of the characters are completely good or evil, which adds a sense of realism to the otherwise appropriately comic book-y tone. And with a closing-credits hint at who Spider-Man’s next opponent will be, it seems that a new Spider-Man franchise has been born (at least until someone decides it’s time for another reboot or whatever).

The Amazing Spider-Man. Directed by Marc Webb. Starring Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Rhys Ifans and Denis Leary. Rated PG-13. www.theamazingspiderman.com.

Tumbler Tour offers a close-up look at Batman’s vehicles

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Unfortunately we still have to wait a few weeks before we see Batman take on Bane and Catwoman in The Dark Knight Rises. But in the meantime you can see the intricate details of the actual vehicles you’ve seen in Batman Begins and The Dark Knight as they visit cities across the country on the Tumbler Tour. And given the technologically-advanced nature of the Tumbler (the tank-like vehicle commonly known to fans as the Batmobile) and the Bat-Pod (the Tumbler’s motorcycle-like escape pod), it takes a special person to operate these vehicles. Wrestling with Pop Culture caught up with Jim Johnson, the transportation manager for Wayne Enterprises, on a recent tour stop. But as you might expect from someone who works for a reclusive billionaire like Bruce Wayne, Johnson wasn’t willing to reveal too much about the vehicles, the new movie or any possible connections between Bruce Wayne and Batman.

As the only authorized driver of the Tumbler and the Bat-Pod on the Tumbler Tour, how did you become qualified for such a job?

I work in the transportation department of Wayne Enterprises. The vehicles were built by Wayne Enterprises and Batman uses them for fighting crime.

That implies that there may be a connection between Batman and Bruce Wayne, and there’s already some speculation as to who Batman is. Do you have any thoughts on that?

Nobody knows who Batman is.

These vehicles appear to be military in nature, which means operating them probably isn’t very simple. What was your background prior to being hired by Wayne Enterprises that led to you being chosen to operate these vehicles?

I’ve always been in the transportation field. I drive everything and we’re just taking them on tour to promote the new movie.

I understand the original intended use of the Tumbler was for bridging for military purposes…

Yeah, it was originally designed for the military to bridge open areas and to cross large distances. It’ll jump about four feet high.

As we saw in The Dark Knight, the Bat-Pod was originally inside the Tumbler for use as an escape pod. Since they are being displayed as individual vehicles, does that mean we will see both of them used separately in The Dark Knight Rises?

We just want to show them both on the Tumbler Tour. He uses the Bat-Pod to escape from the Tumbler when he needs to. It’s more agile for moving around the city. But I have not seen anything about the new movie and I’m very limited about what I’m allowed to say.

How often do you actually talk to Bruce Wayne? What is he like?

I’ve never talked to him. Wayne Enterprises is a big company and he’s a very busy man.

For more information, go to www.tumblertour.com.

Cirque du Soleil immortalizes Michael Jackson with music, theatrics

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As is the case with any significant artist or musician, the spirit often lives on long after the person is no longer with us through the music and images he leaves behind. And when you’re talking about someone as eclectic as Michael Jackson, you should expect nothing less for his remembrance than the elaborate costumes and unique circus performers of Cirque du Soleil. Having started in Cirque’s home town of Montreal last October, Michael Jackson: The Immortal World Tour features MJ favorites like “Beat It,” “Ben” and “Man in the Mirror” while Cirque dancers, aerialists and acrobats add to the costumed spectacle seen in his iconic videos. Having performed in more than 60 North American cities since October, the tour continues through August before heading to Europe for the rest of the year. With a three-night stand in Atlanta starting tonight, tour spokesperson Laura Silverman talks to Wrestling with Pop Culture about The Immortal Tour‘s spectacle.

This isn’t Cirque du Soleil’s first show based on a particular pop musician. For those of us who have yet to see MJ, how does it compare to other Cirque du Soleil performances?

Aerialists perform to “I Just Can’t Stop Loving You” in “Michael Jackson: The Immortal Tour” (photo courtesy OSA Images)

This show is much different from any other Cirque du Soleil show, including the Beatles and Elvis shows. It’s very much Cirque du Soleil meets rock/pop concert whereas the other shows are much more theatrical. This one really feels like you’re at a Michael Jackson concert. It’s taking Cirque du Soleil elements that people know the company for – contortionists, aerials, acrobatics and all of that – and pairing it with Michael Jackson’s music, his iconic dance moves and the flashy costumes that both Michael Jackson and Cirque du Soleil are known for. So it really has a high-energy concert feel to it as opposed to it being a theatrical show.

Was Michael Jackson creatively involved with the show before he passed away?

Unfortunately this specific project didn’t come about until after his passing, but he was a fan of Cirque du Soleil. He saw one of the very first big top shows in Santa Monica in the 1980s and he visited our international headquarters in Montreal in 2004. So there had always been a mutual respect between Cirque du Soleil and Michael Jackson. Cirque du Soleil is always trying to outdo itself coming up with new ideas for its shows and costumes and technology, and Michael Jackson was the same way. He was always thinking ahead of the curve, always coming up with ideas for things you couldn’t even do yet. In that respect, I think that partnership was natural.

Since the focus of this show is on the music and you said it is more like a rock concert than a typical Cirque du Soleil show, are most of the performers dancers or does it have the different types of performers we might see at any other Cirque du Soleil show?

A somewhat macabre seen from Cirque du Soleil’s “Michael Jackson: The Immortal Tour” (photo courtesy OSA Images)

We have a great mix. There are 61 total artists in our show, so that breaks down to about 12 musicians, 26 acrobats and 23 dancers. We have our duo aerial artists, a man and woman swinging and flying together in the air; we have a contortion act; and there’s a pole dancer act and she’s a two-time world champion in pole dancing, so she’s just phenomenal. There’s a Japanese acrobatic team that does a really amazing number to “Sream.” And there’s aerial stuff interjected into the dance numbers, too. So for “Thriller,” for example, you’re going to see our dancers doing the signature “Thriller” moves that most people will recognize, but you’re also going to see our acrobats flying through the air.

Speaking of “Thriller,” is the show a collection of interpretations of his songs and videos or is it more trying to capture the overall spirit of Michael Jackson, or maybe a little bit of both?

It’s definitely a little bit of both. The idea of the show is to pay tribute and celebrate everything that Michael Jackson left to us, from his music, his voice, his dance moves, his costumes, his messages and the overall idea of his spirit. So in the numbers where there are iconic Michael Jackson moves or costumes, we’ve paired those with Cirque du Soleil. So with “Thriller,” there are not only werewolves and zombies, but our artists add mummy costumes to the “Thriller” dance and we also add acrobatics to that. And with “Smooth Criminal,” for example, you’re going to see that iconic lean move, but we have pyrotechnics involved in the number. It was easy to coordinate this because there were a ton of choreographers that worked on the show, many of whom had actually worked with Michael Jackson for many years. So they were able to take moves that Michael Jackson was known for and sort of elaborate on that.

Has this show changed or evolved very much since it started last fall?

Cirque du Soleil recreates the “Smooth Criminal” lean in “Michael Jackson: The Immortal Tour” (photo courtesy OSA Images)

With any Cirque show we’re always working to make things better and evolve it as necessary. Nothing has changed in the show, but we always consider our projects sort of a work in progress and tweak things to make it the best it can be.

Once this tour wraps up in Europe next year, are there plans to do another Michael Jackson show that might incorporate some of his other songs?

There’s nothing like that planned for this show, but there is a completely different show planned to open in Vegas next year. But I’m not sure if that one will include different songs. It will be at Mandalay Bay sometime next year.

For more information, go to www.cirquedusoleil.com/en/show/michael-jackson-tour.

“Magic Mike” reveals more than just hard bodies and party lifestyle

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Tito (Adam Rodríguez), Big Dick Richie (Joe Manganiello), Adam the Kid (Alex Pettyfer), Dallas (Matthew McConaughey, Magic Mike (Channing Tatum), Tarzan (Kevin Nash) and Ken (Matt Bomer) offer a unique salute in “Magic Mike” (photo courtesy Warner Bros. Pictures)

If it seems like Channing Tatum was made for the role of Mike Lane in Magic Mike, it’s because he was. Before he was the charmingly chiseled star of chick flicks, dramas, comedies and action movies, he spent some time on the stage of a Tampa strip club. And since this ultimate girls-night-out indulgence is about an exotic dancer starring in a male revue at a Tampa strip club, this truly is the role Tatum was meant to play (mostly because he already has).

But as is the case with most strippers (male or female), dancing is just a means to an end for Mike, who hopes to utilize his talents as a furniture designer to get out of the club world before it’s too late (and before he’s too old). And when he meets Adam (Alex Pettyfer), a good-looking kid struggling to secure an income while freeloading off his sister (Cody Horn), it seems like it’s only a matter of time before Adam replaces Mike (already in his 30s, which is ancient in this world) as the star of the show. It looks like one big cheesy cliché, and it is in many ways. But somehow it’s not as gratuitous as it seems, with intriguing characters and plot that have depth while remaining superficial enough for those looking for a bachelorette party without needing a stack of ones.

Mike (Tatum), Brooke (Cody Horn) and Joanna (Olivia Munn) have an awkward moment in “Magic Mike” (photo by Claudette Barius)

What I didn’t realize before seeing Magic Mike is that it’s directed by Steven Soderbergh, who previously worked with Tatum on 2011’s Haywire (read my review here). And just as he’s done with the Ocean’s Eleven series, Traffic and other films, he handles this ensemble cast (Matthew McConaughey, Matt Borner, Joe Manganiello, Gabriel Iglesias, Adam Rodríguez, Kevin Nash) rather adeptly. But given the subject matter, Magic Mike strikes a balance between comedic ridiculousness and the grim realities of a man who works odd jobs by day, but whose professional life (and social/sexual escapades) revolves around a dangerous and empty lifestyle.

That being said, Magic Mike never falls into the typical stripper movie trappings of getting too depressing. Sure, Adam (usually referred to simply as “The Kid”) gets caught up in the lifestyle while also becoming the favorite of Dallas (McConaughey), the former dancer now running the show. And while Mike’s charm allows him to work such magic as the occasional threesome with his regular booty call (Olivia Munn) and working roomfuls of horny women into a frenzy, he struggles to maintain any meaningful relationships or achieve his real creative passion. But we’re still talking about male strippers here, so even if seeing a guy shave his legs for the first time and put on a patriotic thong wasn’t funny enough on its own, Soderbergh and his cast deliver such scenes with enough lighthearted comic relief to counter the otherwise depressing reality of it all.

Kevin Nash as Tarzan in “Magic Mike” (photo courtesy Warner Bros. Pictures)

Not that most people will be paying much attention to him, but Nash‘s performance here is about as good as his last few in-ring showings (which is to say that he has a hard time keeping up with the moves of the much younger and more athletic guys around him). But given his character Tarzan’s obvious age difference and his predisposition for an occasional overindulgence, Tarzan’s tear-away pants fit Nash pretty well. And as the layers are gradually peeled off the nervous chemistry between Tatum and Horn, we see that opposites really do sometimes attract, especially when they realize they actually have similar interests (and not just a love for breakfast food). So don’t let Magic Mike‘s outer appearance fool you; once you see what’s underneath it’s a lot more than just hard bodies and fast living.

Magic Mike. Directed by Steven Soderbergh. Starring Channing Tatum, Alex Pettyfer, Matthew McConaughey and Cody Horn. Rated R. magicmikemovie.warnerbros.com.