ohtani's jacket

I'm not necessarily talking about special effects. Mankiewicz wasn't the most visual director. Every shot was framed for dialogue and his films were often overly long and overly wordy. He didn't make use of the visual language that existed in the 50s let alone the techniques that have been developed since. We're just about to wrap up the 50s film poll at DVDVR and I can tell you there were better directed films in 1950 alone. Which isn't to say that All About Eve isn't a great film, because it is, but it's a writer's film and an actor's film. The directing is in the performances and the DOP was there to give it a certain tone. There's a lot of people who only like to watch modern day films. There are a lot of people who are adverse to black and white films and older acting styles. I'd wager that there are only a handful of 1950s films that the average film watcher would consider classics. People who watch 50s films either grew up on them, are lovers of old movies, or obsessives like me. If you're not part of those groups, you're probably going to view them through 2014 eyes. I don't think Meltzer is wrong on that point.

Is that what is meant by standards in this case, though? All About Eve is black and white, dialogue heavy and shot on set (apart from some establishing shots filmed by the Second Unit and using stand-ins.) The same script shot in 2014 would look dramatically different.

Assuming that the standard for what makes a good match is universal (and I'm not sure it is), then perhaps the basic concepts of structure don't change, but the content certainly does. When people watch older matches are they really judging the structure or are they judging the content and aesthetics? If people expect a certain type of aesthetic and a certain type of content from modern wrestling then is that not a standard? Is there even a set standard among fans or are we just talking about personal standards, and what's the dividing line between personal standards and tastes? You only have to look at modern lucha to see that the structure has changed and the fundamentals are less important than they used to be. There's a new standard in lucha where an apuestas match doesn't even look like an apuestas match anymore. The content has changed, the aesthetics have changed, the structure's changed, and if you're going to enjoy it then either your standards need to be flexible or your tastes have to change.

I'd echo similar thoughts to tim. I think it only becomes an issue when you have matches which were considered innovative at the time that are no longer considered good, or matches that were unknown or unappreciated that people now want to say were better than more famous bouts. If a bout is psychologically sound and you want to say it's a classic that's not really the same as doing a 180 on popular opinion. I suppose there's two ways to look at it. I can watch the early AAA stuff and think "this is shit, it doesn't fit my perceptions of what good lucha is," or I can look at it from the point of view of it being successful at the time and historically important. I'm not a historian so the latter holds no real interest to me, but it's a matter of how critical you become. If you dismiss something outright you're going to upset people. It's not difficult to understand why people who have no interest in revisionism are upset by revisionist ideas. I don't think it's a matter of standards changing in the sense that the holds or moves are getting better and therefore older wrestling is outdated. If that were the change then we'd all be singing from the same page. What people want to see in their wrestling changes. Some folks stay the same, some change, and in between is the gap between the Meltzers and the PWOs.

If you're new to lucha and looking for a place to start, you should follow Matt's columns on Segunda Caida.

A further note here: The first time they're referred to as CSG appears to be on the first Summer Action Series, specifically in the 7/12 six man and especially the 7/17 six-man. In the 7/12 match they're called a couple of different names, but in the 7/17 match they're called CSG throughout the match. So, if the Chiba camp was of any significance whatsoever, and if the August date is correct, then it's for a different reason than those listed above.

Anton Tejero vs. Walter Bordes (8/29/67) Man, this was awesome. The matwork here was fantastic with both guys really working an aggressive hold style where everything has a bit more leverage behind it. Tejero was pretty sensational for a guy who had the look of a heavy, and Bordes was supremely athletic. I loved the way they inched their way towards the striking and needling as neither man could get an advantage on the mat, and I also loved the technico style victory that Bordes pulled off with his athleticism. Phil called this a worthy addition to the canon and I couldn't agree more.

I didn't claim anything was EARTH SHATTERING IMPORTANT~! The commentator made out that it was EARTH SHATTERING-LY IMPORTANT~! The Chiba pictures have been reprinted again and again over the years. They were reprinted when Misawa died and again when Kobashi retired. The main picture was included in the 1998 Tokyo Dome Show program. Perhaps it's a story that's been repeated again and again and grown over time. Perhaps it wasn't important at the time... except that's a hot entrance in the match you posted, Taue tagging with Jumbo is either explained or acknowledged during his introduction, and AJPW began producing Cho Sedai-gun merchandise at some point after August. I don't know any more details and I'm not prepared to put any more time and energy into researching about it since a) it's not very important, the timeline is only off by a few months either way, c) I don't think anybody here cares, and d) you wouldn't believe it anyway. The lack of any mention in the WON or the JWJ is, to me, inconclusive since there are so many Japanese sources that refer to it, particularly the Misawa obituaries. I've never seen the JWJ. I don't know how he usually reported news or what he said about the Summer Action Series II. I was more interested in whether he reported the formation of CSG earlier in the timeline, but since he doesn't appear to mention when they officially formed then the JWJ simply doesn't provide any information about it. Why didn't he explain the Taue situation? From what you're saying it doesn't appear that he explained the kayfabe reason. What does he write about the opening night of that series? Because something's up with that entrance. That isn't a normal entrance. Why is the commentator so emotional? It's just another Misawa & Co. vs. Tsuruta & Co. trios that you and your colleague had been following for two series. It can't be that it's the first time that Misawa has wrestled Jumbo since Budokan since they had wrestled each other at least six times before the opening night of Summer Action Series II, including three times on television. What is this new start comparable to the beginning of All Japan 18 years before? How is this trios different from the July version? Anyway, here's another pic of the Chiba camp that somehow manages to float around 24 years later despite its irrelevancy.

I think it's technically Fighting Spirit Three Musketeers, but I don't think anybody wants to go around calling them that.

That's not the match where they wear their new attire. It may not have been important, but I'd just like to reiterate that it did happen. Here's the picture from the Chiba training camp: And here's a picture of Misawa's group from a telephone card. The kanji says Cho Sedai-gun.

The research that was in the news most recently was this -- http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2013/06/130614-soccer-heading-concussion-brain-injury-science/# Soccer players pick up concussions, but not from heading the ball.

Lenny Hurst vs. Pete Roberts (9/1/83) This was a nice solid bout from Roberts and Hurst. Pretty much what you'd expect from Hurst vs, Roberts in his prime. Lenny wasn't really the type to have great matches, but when you put him in with a guy who could work the match was usually pretty good. And Roberts now I pretty much regard as one of the super workers of the era, charisma be damned. Keith Haward vs. Lenny Hurst (6/5/85) Solid draw. If you were looking at it from a booking perspective, it doesn't make much sense for Haward to be drawing with a veteran like Hurst if Haward is supposed to be one of the wrestlers with great potential, but so much of British wrestling exists in a stand alone sense and therefore you just have to buy that Haward wasn't having the best of days. That's actually how Walton puts over the match, as I guess he noticed that Haward wasn't working full bore. Mick McManus vs. Lenny Hurst (12/7/81) Mick was washed up at this point. I'm not sure what the point of him continuing past '77 was. He was only ever pinned a couple of times on television, but he at least lost here. Then again, what's the point in losing to Hurst? John Elijah vs. Lenny Hurst (10/11/83) This was a match with huge potential, but it ended with a bullshit injury finish in the second round. Dunno why they bothered airing this on The Wrestling Channel. Disappointing. Little Prince vs. Keith Haward (12/11/85) This was really good. I liked this. I'd say it was easily the best Little Prince bout I've seen. He kept attacking throughout the bout and really pushed the tempo. Haward got annoyed with him after a while, and it broke down into a big of a chop fest. I didn't realise the Prince had such great chops. The finish was a bit soft, but this was a nice bout with good intensity.

Mark Rocco vs. Mal Sanders (6/18/81) Rocco, for all his faults, was a big match worker, but this Wembley Arena bout was not one of his more memorable fights. Perhaps it was because Sanders was replacing Sammy Lee, who all the hype had been built towards. But we saw how good Rocco was the following year when Kung Fu pulled out at the last moment. This was just average from Rocco.

I got a replacement copy of this, but it's really a nothing match to set-up the 500 pound challenge.

Sorry, didn't see this until now, Without watching it again, I'd say it's almost definitely from Arena Mexico. We don't have a date for it, but I'd wager that it was from before the Anniversary Show. I know Atlantis drew with Satanico at Arena Mexico on 9/13/85, but the only way to get accurate dates for this era is either a poster or a magazine and we haven't got the date for this yet.

This was a good, high energy match, but the finish was so bad. As a wrestling fan you accept that the title can't change on a disqualification, but to have it end with an over the top rope DQ from a sleeper counter is stupid. Lawler might as well throw Hennig over the top in the first five minutes. I also thought Hennig looked more like Mr. Perfect here than pre-WWF Hennig. Some of those bumps off Lawler's punches were pretty outrageous and he didn't bring as much offence as n previous matches.

Gilbert Cesca/René Ben Chemoul vs. Anton Tejero/Inca Péruano (3/12/65) This was pretty fabulous. The early arm rolls were faster and more exaggerated than the Euro stuff I'm used to and almost felt like lucha, and the Peruvians rudo team worked Cesca and Chemoul over like Los Infernales working a rudo fall. Modern rudos should copy the spot where one of the Peruvians gets tied up in the ropes and the face slingshots the other Peruvian into him. The booking of the falls and overall structure wasn't up to scratch with what you'd expect from Southern style tag wrestling, but the work was great, and I love how the commentator spends the whole time chuckling like he's watching a two-reel comedy.

You mean the sport where you need to be able to headbutt a soccer ball that's traveling at a high rate of speed? Heading the ball doesn't cause concussions. Heading the ball incorrectly can lead to accidents that do. Most kids don't do headers anyway

Awesome. Grey has the best body of work of any WoS worker in my opinion.

Steve Reeves? Arnold Schwarzenegger? Lou Ferrigno?

There's no need to post match results that can be found at the touch of a button, but if you have any extra details you can pass them along. The commentator talked about vets because Tsuruta was tagging with them in the matches I checked. Specifically, in the match that according to the uploader was supposed to be the first Tsuruta-gun vs. Cho Sedai-gun match, but which the commentary only mentioned Misawa and Kobashi having new ring attire. Maybe the commentary is bad. As I've said before, Fukuzawa wasn't people's preferred commentator.

I've seen a lot of people expressing this sentiment, but I think more time off will only be a bad thing for him. Circumstances do suck, but all the time off he's had to take recently has really hurt his momentum, and more time off will only hurt him even more. I think he can come back and still be one of their top guys, but his chance at being thee top guy has come and gone already. Austin was able to stay hot while he was out after Summerslam '97. It depends on how they book him, I guess.

These are for the Rudge completists: Terry Rudge vs. John Savage (9/3/85) Stone Cold Terry Rudge squashes John Savage. Savage is on the list, and that's Terry Rudge's list. Terry Rudge vs. Dave Bond (3/19/88) Man, 1988 TV is sad. They tried to spruce the show up when World of Sport ended, but it was just so lame. I hate the voice over guy who opens the show and the ring looks as garish as Brian Crabtree's wardrobe. I didn't realise Bond got himself back into shape during the final season. He looked even better than in the 70s. It's too bad they threw this out on a disqualification for no good reason. Terry Rudge vs. Steve Logan (12/16/87) Another annoying thing about the stand alone show is that they seemed to edit out every second round. The match would skip from round one to round three without any fall. They were usually pretty good at it, but when you notice it makes the match feel choppy. Rudge was still a great worker at this point, but even in a draw with one of the more capable "blue eyes" he didn't get to show his wares. Germany was where the better wrestling was at this point. Terry Rudge vs. Mohammed Afzal (5/4/88) Best of a bad bunch of matches. Rudge brought his usual dickish temperament to the bout and really needled Afzal unnecessarily between rounds, and in a match that felt destined to go to points, Afzal came back strongly in the final round and did an awesome amateur ride on Terry. Terry went through on points, though, because of his trusty uppercut.

I'm happy if I can watch one match a day.

I'm just relaying what I've been told. Wrestling Classics was kind of a minor thing. The subscriber base when it aired would have been fairly small.