What are you watching?

[Dylan Waco]

Random question for Dylan: why do you capitalize lucha? Is it because you hold it in Christlike reverence?

Long time habit probably because in my mind it feels like a proper noun even if it isn't. Either way it's neither here nor thear

 

Why do you capitalize Christ?

[ButchReedMark]

Lucha's a type of Wrestling though isn't it? So it should surely get upper case importance, due to it being important in a Wrestling place.

[khawk20]

An old Reslo VHS recorded off S4C (Guessing the year, probably about 1994)

 

A ladder match between Fit Finlay and "Doink" The Clown. Lord knows who is Doink on this. But it's fucking rancid. Really, really, shocking.

Those Reslo tapes have their moments. Every once in a while you get something from the States that never aired.

 

But some of it is "eeek"-worthy, to be sure.

[ButchReedMark]

I've recently done a clearance of my mum's attic, and it's full of Reslo VHS, complete with Welsh language commercials. One I watched yesterday had Otto Wanz trying and failing to rip up phone books on it and Bryn Fon not knowing what to do. One of them will probably have William Regal on it as STEVE JONES Y CAERDYDD (of Cardiff) on it bumping for Orig Williams to clean up. Unfortunately a lot of them appear to be damp damaged though.

[MJH]

S4C re-ran a lot of them fairly recently (as in the shows would've been recorded on DVD not VHS), or have those generally been searched and uploaded already?

[goodhelmet]

5557841[/url]']

5557837[/url]' date='Aug 21 2013, 09:42 PM']Please do the lucha set Matt just so I can print out your reviews and bind them as a book like I am considering doing your AWA writeups if the 80's section gets recovered.

My condition is that if I do the lucha set my reviews have to be read with Yakety Sax on in the background.

 

I read what Will said as "You know, I don't think your money is worth putting up with you for three months," as kindly as possible.

 

Alright, here's my compromise. If someone promises to do what khawk did over at DVDVR putting stuff into context, then I will absolutely do the set. I'd assume that'd be who? Phil?

 

My post was not meant to discourage but I don't want you suffering either. If you aren't going to have fun watching lucha, what's the point in participating? I forget who it was at DVDVR years back who was shitting on every Texas match on the set and I thought to myself "this guy is a troll or is just torturing himself."

In terms of context, you'll have Alfredo and Kris Z to give you context. I'll also do viewing podcasts with Kris as historian giving background and pointing out who the guys are.

[Dylan Waco]

Worth noting that there are plenty of good Lucha (there I go again!) articles online if you know where to look.

[WingedEagle]

Any quick links to some of them? Eager to delve into them, but not quite so eager to distinguish the good from the poor.

[NintendoLogic]

Here's a compilation of stuff from lucha guru Steve Sims.

 

http://z11.invisionfree.com/wrestling_ko/i...?showtopic=2331

[WingedEagle]

Awesome, bookmarked and ready to peruse along with a pre-dinner drink. Love vacation!

[Matt D]

5557841[/url]']

5557837[/url]' date='Aug 21 2013, 09:42 PM']Please do the lucha set Matt just so I can print out your reviews and bind them as a book like I am considering doing your AWA writeups if the 80's section gets recovered.

My condition is that if I do the lucha set my reviews have to be read with Yakety Sax on in the background.

 

I read what Will said as "You know, I don't think your money is worth putting up with you for three months," as kindly as possible.

 

Alright, here's my compromise. If someone promises to do what khawk did over at DVDVR putting stuff into context, then I will absolutely do the set. I'd assume that'd be who? Phil?

 

My post was not meant to discourage but I don't want you suffering either. If you aren't going to have fun watching lucha, what's the point in participating? I forget who it was at DVDVR years back who was shitting on every Texas match on the set and I thought to myself "this guy is a troll or is just torturing himself."

In terms of context, you'll have Alfredo and Kris Z to give you context. I'll also do viewing podcasts with Kris as historian giving background and pointing out who the guys are.

 

If nothing else, I am excited about the chance to learn about a topic I know so little about. It's a bit tricky to me. Narrative is so important to how I watch wrestling but people argue that this is something with its own set of conventions and, basically its own reality. Dylan doesn't but other people do. If that's the case, I should be mindful of that. By that logic, though, there's no reason why we shouldn't look at all wrestling that way and then I should be a lot kinder to indy spotfests that aren't very mindful of narrative and I can't quite manage that. I think I might be able to with 80s lucha since it's more esoteric? I have no idea though.

[Dylan Waco]

I think Lucha does have it's own conventions and in a sense it's own reality, but I also don't think it's anywhere near as "different" as it is often portrayed

[Loss]

If nothing else, I am excited about the chance to learn about a topic I know so little about. It's a bit tricky to me. Narrative is so important to how I watch wrestling but people argue that this is something with its own set of conventions and, basically its own reality. Dylan doesn't but other people do. If that's the case, I should be mindful of that. By that logic, though, there's no reason why we shouldn't look at all wrestling that way and then I should be a lot kinder to indy spotfests that aren't very mindful of narrative and I can't quite manage that. I think I might be able to with 80s lucha since it's more esoteric? I have no idea though.

The good news is that for the most part, the wrestlers will teach you what you need to know.

[JerryvonKramer]

1. Lucha is a common noun not a proper one, so strictly speaking shouldn't be capitalised. Christ (being a name) is a proper noun and so gets capitalised.

 

2. From a purely selfish point of view, the prospect of reading Matt D's comments after my own watching through AWA added at least 25% fun to the whole process.

 

3. He has got me a bit worried. I've often said that I'm not a "sophisticated" fan. My mental image of Matt D on his bike, whether rightly or wrongly, is being the wrestling equivalent of this chap.

 

 

That's that Wahoo vs Manny match right there.

 

What worries me is if there's something he's not getting in these "Impressionist" lucha matches, what hope is there for me?

 

I'll almost certaintly be getting the set though and will try to keep pace for once.

[ohtani's jacket]

Lucha matches have narratives, especially the type of matches that made the set. They have more of a narrative than Demolition matches or WWF squash matches.

[Matt D]

Lucha matches have narratives, especially the type of matches that made the set. They have more of a narrative than Demolition matches or WWF squash matches.

This is PWO and we have a higher standard of avoiding personal attacks here than elsewhere so I shall mostly take the high road, but I think this seals the deal.

 

For a very reasonable amount of money and the time it will take to watch 100 matches, I will be glad to participate. On the one hand, if I really find a lot that I like and broaden my views on an entire culture of wrestling, great, excellent. That's why I hang out here, right? A year and a half ago, I hadn't seen any Portland or AWA at all really.

 

On the other, if I absolutely hate it and spend two months completely and honestly shitting on stuff that this grumpy dude right here loves? Hey, I can live with that too.

 

Win, win.

 

I'm in.

[ohtani's jacket]

It's not a personal attack. I don't know you well enough to make any sort of personal judgement and even if I did I'm not attached to wrestling opinions enough to attack you personally. It's just my opinion. Lucha hair matches and lucha title matches are rich in history, rich in character and rich in narrative. I don't see how there's any more basic a narrative than rudo vs. technico and then when you add a set of rules and conventions you have the grounds for some pretty basic storytelling.

[JerryvonKramer]

Just in case there's any doubt in these sensitive times, my post wasn't intended as an attack either -- quite the opposite.

[Matt D]

Don't worry Parv. I had a nice response about how we are occasionally on the same wavelength in some unexpected ways but I didn't think it had enough substance to actually post at the time. I'm looking forward to your opinions on the set, certainly.

[Johnny Sorrow]

I'm pretty much a Lucha novice, but when Will visited me here in Colorado a few weeks ago we watched some stuff that was nominated for the set and I fucking loved the best stuff. So I'm looking forward to it. Dandy is a beast.

[WingedEagle]

This afternoon I watched the LA Park vs. Dr. Wagner Jr brawl from the May TXT. Initially it feels like a top 5 MOTYC but I'll know that for sure once I look back on some of NJ's best with a fresh perspective. I'm not comfortable putting it above either main event from Summerslam, but I'll be damned if this wasn't a sick, violent spectacular brawl.

 

I'd encourage anyone who hasn't checked it out to do so. I don't keep up with lucha regularly, basically catching some of the more highly touted matches as they pop up, and can confidently say that you can go into this one cold and it shouldn't impact your ability to enjoy it at all.

 

Beyond that, I need a little help from folks on the finish -- Black Terry clearly awared the third fall and match to Park, even after counting him down. What's the story here? Is it building to something with Terry/Wagner? A tag with Terry/Park vs. Wagner/Santo or something similar? I recall talk about a mask vs. mask match at one of the big bullring stadiums, but haven't checked back in the WON yet to see where that stands.

 

Either way, KrisZ or somebody, hook me up -- I need to get involved in anything else going on with this!

[JazeUSA]

Im watching Bricks wwf superset, the early years, great stuff thus far!

Once Will ships the Lucha set Im sure Ill be spending the next month watching EVERY match on that

[JazeUSA]

If this doesn't need it's own thread, feel free to merge but I watched some really cool stuff this weekend and wanted to write about it somewhere.

 

Lawler vs. Snowman worked-shoot Mid South Colosseum match from June 1990

 

Phil's review:

 

Jerry Lawler v. The Snowman USWA 6/11/90-GREAT

 

Totally bizarre spectacle. This is set up by a shoot angle with Snowman coming out of the audience at the TV studio and interrupting a Lawler interview. He accuses Lawler of ducking him because he is Black and they have a really frenetic pull apart. That leads to this match and it was one of the most realistic "guys aren't cooperating" matches I have ever seen. Lots of wild swinging awkward punches and cool Lawler takedowns, there are parts where both guys are going for the eyes which is kind of what you would expect in a racial tinged street fight. Crowd is totally electric, you get the sense they really got the crowd to buy into the whole angle. Reminded me of a Southern Fried version of Onita v. Aoyagi. Match is pretty short (about five minutes, although the footage maybe clipped) and that keeps this from the Epic pile, but it is definitely worth seeing, and something unique for Lawler.

 

--------------

 

Fucking amazing find by Loss. I think everyone is pretty familiar with the Snowman/Lawler angle, but to find this match and have it be great is what makes the current age of DVD trading so awesome. Loss told me this was a PWFG style match in Memphis. That description is just about perfect, as it feels very organic, your typical Fujiwara versus Olympic Russian wrestler 7 minute match. I was compiling my personal ***** matches list this weekend and the fundamental flaw with star ratings is how do you rate something this awesome, but compare it to regular 15 minute matches or epic 30+ minute matches?

 

On my short list, this has to be one of the greatest sub 10 minute matches. Right there with MX/Fantastics (Clash I - though that might be 10:30, close enough); Windham/Luger vs. Tully/Arn (Clash I), Jindrak vs. Basham (Velocity), etc.

 

More later on some other stuff I watched --- including Juventud vs. Perro Jr. from 7/15/95, Santo vs. Espanto 4/10/88 (which I now believe is the greatest of the 3 singles matches we have available on tape), Damiancito/Pierrothito vs. Cicloncito/Dragoncito from April 1997, and Gotch vs. Yoshimura from JWA in 1961.

is this match on any of the released sets, yearbooks, or comps?

[Tim Evans]

Should be on the 1990 yearbook.

 

 

Been watching some USWA 1994. I'm up to March 1994 when Lance Russell and Dream Machine return. It's such a shame Dream Machine wasn't around in the late 80's early 90's. One of the best promo guys every. Also Jerry Lawler and Brian Christopher are feuding with the Gilberts and new Moondogs. Lawler won Eddie's mothers van while Eddie has the Unified title and Lawler's Lord of the Ring ring. They also feuded over Sam Bass's jacket for a while.

[Smack2k]

Been watching some USWA 1994.. Lawler won Eddie's mothers van while Eddie has the Unified title and Lawler's Lord of the Ring ring. They also feuded over Sam Bass's jacket for a while.

That line right there makes me want to watch USWA from 94 as soon as I am done with my Canadian / Japanese jaunt....Feuding over a Van / Title / Ring / Jacket...THAT is how you do it!......