Grunt! The Wrestling Movie (1985)

Why so much hype?

Very Cool!!!

Just so...so bad

It's funny, it's tense, it features two great performances from two actors and the director expertly creates a web of odd tension where you actually don't know what is happening for the majority of the run time.

I lived a block away from a Hollywood Video store that was going out of business one summer, and took a stroll on down to see what kind of bizarro obscuro I could find on the cheap. All there VHS was a dollar, so I loaded up B movie madness. The very last title I come across was Grunt: The Wrestling Movie. Seems like I had seen this poor deranged looking cardboard box in one video store or another since I was a toddler. All in all that day, I grabbed 72 of the most warped looking VHS titles to ever stain the palm of my hands. Getting them home was a bit of an issue since my car was shop. However, the raccoon eyed clerk came up with the grand idea of stuffing them all into a double garbage bag for me to tote, and tote I did. I'm sure it was quite the sight to see a 6"4" man child grinning from ear to ear as he goes down the side walk with a lumpy white bag. I know my neighbors loved when I reached the top of the stairs only for the trash bag to conveniently tear and an avalanche of VHS roll down the steps. Timing, I got it, you want it.As it turns out Grunt was the cream of the crop, a crop that would include Alice Cooper's Monster Dog and The Black Gestapo. Grunt starts off with a black and white cinema style wrestling match. From there it's shot pretty much all hand held and edited documentary style. The story focuses on tragedy and triumph. There;s quite a bit of unintentional comedy, yet, at the same time, is the most honest movie about pro wrestling save for The Wrestler. This is mainly because the story doesn't really talk down to the viewer a la Body Slam and No Holds Barred. Both of those movies ask the audience to buy into something that just ain't happening, but Grunt don't care about nothing. It's inviting you to join the absurd ride that it is.

Its 1979 "Mad Dog" Joe Decurso accidentally decapitates his opponent in a championship match. After the match "Mad Dog" goes into hiding (many rumours say he killed himself by jumping off the golden gate bridge.) Years later the decapitation controversy comes up again and wrestling fans and promoters want a new champion. In comes "The Mask" a wrestler who's wrestling style is very similar to what mad dog use to wrestle like. Join documentary film maker Leslie Uhgums and the president of the "Mad Dog" Joe Decurso fan club as they follow "The Mask" and try to figure out, is Joe the mask? or is the mask, Joe? Great, Great Comedy featuring many all time great wrestlers and the legendary Wally George.

This movie was great. Since I am a pro wrestler, I can honestly say this is exactly how a lot of the business is run! This movie is campy & strange at times but, hey, so is pro wrestling! I highly reccommend this movie to any pro wrestling fan.

This film is shot as a pseudo-documentary about a wrestler who disappears after killing an opponent. If you are a big fan of pro wrestling, then I think you will get a kick out of this film. If you are not a big fan, you still might find this amusing, but it is mostly meant for the die-hard fans. I dig B-movies, so I bought this one. I recommend it.