Wannabe

I see a lot of threads devoted to wrestling DVDs. What is the allure? This is a legitimate question and not a criticism.

I occasionally see wrestling on tv and it seems like it is a scripted sports drama blended with a soap opera. It all seems rather corny. Admittedly, I don't get it.

My question is: What makes it so entertaining to those who collect it?

demonio

newsflash: 98% of the stuff you see on TV is scripted.

I could go ahead and ask some of you "Why do you watch crappy shows like Friends?" but I don't cause I don't care.

as for the dvds, you got me there.......I'm a huge wrestling fan but I just tape the ppvs and thats that, I'm sure I'll dvdr em whenever I get a recorder but having the clearest picture on wrestling is a little different than movies.

fumanstan

Like you said, its scripted sports drama and soap opera. It's really no different then watching a television show. While some of the action is over the top and obviously "fake," even those skeptical will probably find a few sequences that impress them. And once you see a few storylines of interest, people begin to become fans of particular wrestlers. There's so much history and so many possiblities that its fun to see what happens with old and new wrestlers.

As for myself, i lost interest a few years ago but i wouldnt mind owning a few of the dvds. For many, a lot of people grew up watching wrestling and rewatching some of the classic storylines and matches are still exciting. It's no different then buying TV Shows on DVD.

Tarantino

I don't watch current wrestling, haven't since probably 2001. I buy older wrestling DVD's because, well...

THEY'RE ENTERTAINING.

Rypro 525

thats why I buy em also.

kedalto1

Because DVD is the greatest thing to happen to wrestling in a long time. Now we can get sets with 10, 15, maybe even 20 matches of our favorite wrestlers through five companies now.

I love Ric Flair, so his DVD was a must have because unless you were taping things back then (which I wasn't), you can't get the things on that set anymore.

I watch wrestling and collect wrestling DVDs for the same reason that you watch and collect any DVD that you do. I enjoy them. As a wrestling fan I have just decided that my love doesn't really need justifying or explaining to people who aren't fans because no amount of explaining will ever make them see the light of day. I could sit here and ramble on and on about athleticism, sportsmanship, the psychology of a great match, but you aren't really going to care because you're not a wrestling fan.

It's something on a DVD and we buy it. It's no different than watching anime, really. It's a niche genre that works well on DVD, and you have to like it to "get" it.

Wannabe

Actually, I do care...otherwise, I wouldn't have asked. But you have brought up something that I was wondering about...is it the personalities or personas of the wrestlers that make it interesting or is it the action? I accept that there is a huge amount of atheleticism involved, but doesn't all of that choreography make it seem less interesting knowing that the outcomes are predestined?

Brian Gentz

The outcome of movies are predetermined.

asianxcore

I have only 1 wrestling DVD, an ECW one and I think its great, its a nice watch here and there. I just grew up watching wrestling and as uncool it is now to watch it, I don't remember anyone disliking it that much way back when.

El-Kabong

I cant speak to why people might buy wrestling DVDs, but I just got back into watching it from time to time (a friend does pay per view about once a month).

Sure it's all scripted. Sure it's all over the top - but at the very least, fake or no, these guys have to be quite the athlete to do what they do. It's fun to watch acrobats at work.

fumanstan

It's a combination of both the personalities and colorful characters as well as the action. Knowing that much of the action is choreographed and the outcomes predetermined doesnt really change anything, because even though its scripted, you still don't know how it ends or how it'll play out. Just like a movie.

Oh, and thanks for asking in a polite manner. I think some of the replies here seem to come from people that have delt with one to many "ITS FAKE!!!" comments

Qui Gon Jim

Trolls: Their posts and why do we read them?

Braddok

Just because they know who is going to win does not mean that I do. (Archie Bunker)

KnightLerxst

I don't get the allure of collecting every freaking Criterion release, maybe I will start a thread on that myself.

Damage

Although I've stopped watching recently, because WWE has been sucking for the past year or so, I was a wrestling fan for quite a while and own two WrestleMania DVDs. My friends and I would watch for the over-the-top action and hillarious overacted stories. Yes, we all know it's fake. It's just an entertaining hour or two for the guys to get together and have a few laughs.

Some wrestling DVDs are better than others. That Ric Flair DVD in particular looks pretty good and I'll eventually be picking it up as it has some classic fight footage.

JestersTear

A common theme in this thread seems to be "I used to watch it, but now it sucks"

Very true, Vince McMahon has screwed things up badly.

Every Wednesday night, NWA:TNA puts on a great PPV for $10. My friend and I get it every week, and we feel that we get more entertainment out of 4-5 shows a month at $10 a pop than we do out of one $30 or so a month PPV from the WWF.

Check it out sometime. Not only do you have a few of the great wrestlers that the WWE misused and let go, but you have some great up and coming wrestlers like Michael Shane (cousin of Shawn Michaels), Julio DeNiro and CM Punk (protoges of Raven), Chris Sabin, Low-Ki, and the man that should be in the big time (but I'm glad he's not, because Vince would ruin him), the "Fallen Angel" Cristopher Daniels.

Tomorrow's show will include an 8-man cruiserweight tounament, NWA vs. AAA of Mexico. If it's anything like the last tournament, it'll be well worth the $10.

kedalto1

What I meant by this was that no matter how much I try to explain it, you really won't understand because you're not a wrestling fan. There's no one thing that makes me like it. I love the psychology of a great wrestling match. A good match is like a good book, or a great movie. It makes you care about who is in the ring and it makes you get behind them. When they're getting beat, you're screaming for them to get to the ropes. When they get their second wind, you're jumping up and down. It draws you in.

I also like the athletic innovation of pro wrestling. You see things in it that you never see other athletes do. You don't see Warren Sapp doing a 450 Splash, and you don't see Michael Jordon inventing something like the Storm Cradle Driver.

But, mostly I like it because I do. That's another reason that I say I really can't explain it to you. It's something that I really got into and devote a good chunk of my time to. I just love it. Enough to be planning on entering it myself in the next few months.

So, I didn't mean that you didn't care about why we like it, just that you wouldn't understand because you don't care about [i]wrestling[/]. You basically have to get it to get it, ya know?

boston george

While I am no fan of wrestling (not that theres anything wrong with liking it) but i do love Kung-Fu films. And to me one of the main appeal of them is the amazing choreography. With the wrestlers doing this live I can see how it can appeal to some people. And if you like something, why not get the dvd? I buy all the stuff I like.

Shagrath

I don't buy a lot of wrestling DVDs, but I do pick up a couple ROH titles whenever there's a sale, or I have the extra money to order them. This is a fed that's not on TV where I'm at, and in my opinion, has some of the greatest wrestlers and matches I've ever seen.

I do have quite a few WWF/E dvds that I got when they first came out, and a couple I got at Walgreens over the holidays for $5 or so, but to me, WWF/E is too much storyline, and not enough actual wrestling, and that just doesn't do it for me anymore. When I was a kid, I was totally into storyline and who was good, and who was bad, but now that I'm an adult, I just like to see a good match, no matter who's in it.

Shagrath

Jackskeleton

I only buy a few, and I buy them cheap. Why do I buy them? Cause I like to be entertained for a while and though you might not think that it will have to much rewatchablity, I can't watch Mick Foley jumping off the top of a steel cage enough. I like those moments.

It's something I enjoy. That's why I buy these. Now could you give me a list of your dvd collection so I can create a thread asking why anyone would buy and own ______(insert title here)____ and why?

Wannabe

Hey, my question was legit and I thank the people that took their time to give a thoughtful and informative answer. When I posted this thread there were 3 current threads for wrestling DVDs. I didn't ask anyone to justify the ownership of wrestling dvds.

eXcentris

I watched wrestling 30 years ago, when guys like Edouard Carpentier and Johhny Rougeau actually did wrestle. Are these guys on DVD?

n0fear88

not that big a list lol

Matthew Zolton

I warn you, when you question anyones enjoyment on this forum, you will get a TON of people that are WAY to touchy.

I agree with Knight, I don't understand why people buy every Criterion or Superbit, when half of the movies produced are crappy. Same thing with wrestling, I think that most of the matches are REALLY bad, but every couple of years I tune back into wrestling because of some of the GREAT characters and hilarious story lines and when there is a good match I find them VERY entertaining.

Also, I'll go with the grow up factor, I haven't bought any myself, because I'm a poor Grad student, but I would like to see those old matches with the Ultimate Warrior (he was my favorite when I was younger).

-Z-

Static Cling

He wasn't that inflammatory with his opening post, and there's really no need to make it personal like it's becoming. ("Oh yeah? What do you like?") The thread isn't about Wannabe, it's about wrestling... let's keep it that way.