By Vance Nevada
I had the opportunity to see THE WRESTLER in theatres this weekend. I would like to sincerely thank Director Darren Aronofsky for his work. This film, while fictional, rings true of the wrestling industry today and I strongly recommend that everyone see it. Even if you are not a fan of our genre of entertainment, this movie will give a greater insight into the struggles of guys out there on the independents struggling to make a living on an industry which has been hacked to pieces. If you are related to a wrestler, or maybe you work with one between their wrestling commitments – I’m sure this one will be an eye opener. With this single effort, Mr. Aronofsky has done more to generate awareness of our struggles and our reality than any other effort I have seen in sixteen years in this business.
I am glad to see that Mickey Rourke is getting a great deal of positive attention and I am hopeful that he will secure Oscar recognition as is being predicted during this awards season. However, beyond the media's fascination with the parallels between Rourke's on screen character and his own Hollywood career, I can't help but feel that the mainstream media has (AGAIN) missed the boat. In their incessant quest to pigeon-hole wrestling as a "pseudo-sport" they miss the point.
What the media missed:
In the film, Rourke's character makes one reference to how the highly anticipated re-match would put him back in the big time, which the newspapers have incorrectly translated to mean he was looking for another run at the top. I don't believe that to be the "Ram's" intention. Consider the lyrics to the Garth Brooks tune "Rodeo" -- the parallels to wrestling are readily apparent:
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"His eyes are cold and restless,
his wounds have almost healed,
she'd give half of Texas to change the way he feels
she knows his love's in Tulsa,
and she knows he's gonna go
No, it ain't no woman, flesh and blood - it's that damned old rodeo."
There are those in this business that you meet and you can see in the way that they conduct themselves that their involvement in this industry is not to "be cool" ... it's a passion they have - it's in their blood. I see this in my own travels when I look at guys like Gurv and Harv Sihra, and a select group of guys like them … guys so focused and willing to sacrifice for their craft. Consider Rourke’s character, as someone that had been in the business two decades -- you're conditioned to understand the ins and outs of the business, you know how to function and excel in that environment. You are well-versed in the protocol and etiquette. I don't think Rourke's character was looking for another run on top as much as he was looking for a means to scrap his menial day job and make a living in a business that he knew well and was respected for his accomplishments. More from "Rodeo":
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"It'll drive a cowboy crazy,
it'll drive a man insane
But he'll sell off everything he owns, just to pay to play her game
and a broken home and some broken bones
is all he'll have to show
for the years that he's spent chasin' this dream they call rodeo."
Look beyond the fact that the setting of this film is in a wrestling arena. Think about any professional faced with leaving their chosen field after twenty plus years -- I think that many find themselves a little lost when faced with retirement. If you’ve seen the movie the “Shawshank Redemption”, that film looked at the challenges that convicts had in the real world after spending two decades or more behind bars. Guys being released recognizing that they have become "institutionalized" ... they're not scared by the violence and danger in a familiar environment - but the real world is frightening. Rourke’s line near the end of the film: “I only really get hurt OUT THERE” is symbolic of this mindset.
During my career, I have met a number of guys at this stage in their career – recognized stars from a previous decade whose life is wrestling. Rourke’s character, while being recognized as a marquee attraction afforded his own locker room still takes time to watch the guys coming up and offer them words of encouragement. While in the twilight of his own career, and perhaps recognizing that his wrestling days may soon be over, he is not selfish and protective of his spot … he tries to impart wisdom for the next generation of headliners – even warning that it’s the politically savvy that make the real money in the business. He still genuinely cares about his craft and his fans – unlike his main event opponent whose complacency is becoming all to common in wrestling locker rooms.
What I related to most was the struggle to balance his public persona with his personal responsibilities. While having accomplished so much and having been responsible for so much apparent commercial success, Rourke’s character is a proud man forced to be subservient to someone who treats his industry and accomplishments with such disdain. I deal with this every day in my “shirt and tie” life. Nobody understands our business enough to engage you in conversation, nor do they understand the sacrifices and the harsh realities that we face just trying to keep a lifelong dream alive. I know exactly how Rourke’s character felt just as he reached the breaking point. I lived vicariously through him as he made his final exit from the grocery store.
I am sure that many wrestlers on the independents can list countless stories of day jobs that they have lost, or how many times they’ve had to turn the other cheek for the sake of making their mortgage payment, or putting groceries on the table for their families. We are not respected as athletes like professional football, hockey, or baseball – and yet we also seem to fall short of the treatment afforded other entertainers from television and movies. Yet, we all struggle on “for the good of the business”, just like Randy “The Ram”.
I don’t think that there was a single element missed in this movie – right now to unsympathetic promoters falling short on their commitments to pay with little explanation (or remedy to make up the difference). It’s all there – the crippling addictions, the life of excess, and the loneliness when the ring comes down and you’re off to the next town.
Josh Board of the San Francisco Weekly Reader wrote:
“some scenes didn’t work (like wrestlers applauding for each other in the locker room after matches).
I laughed out loud when I read Mr. Board’s comments. For years, folks trying to de-bunk the myth of pro wrestling have regaled all who will listen about the time that they caught “bitter rivals” riding to towns together, or sitting in a tavern after the matches grabbing a beer. I’m sorry that life behind the curtain doesn’t meet your stereotype of professional wrestlers. I think you would find that the sense of community and respect among the folks in this business is unparalleled in any other industry. We watch as our peers electrify a crowd and share in their successes when they deliver a match that leaves fans feeling they got more than their money’s worth. After all, who can best appreciate and commend a wrestler for a five star match? The media? Not hardly.
[Author Note: I think this is why I get so aggravated when I see a newcomer to our business not observing this universal respect which is a tradition among our ranks.]
The media’s focus on banalities such as the contradiction between what they think about wrestling and its reality seem to take centre stage, as does the growing controversy over whether or not the star engaged in the use of steroids for the picture. This demonstrates the media’s focus to discredit the wrestling industry. But the reality is that the themes in this movie readily translate to other sports and professions.
Nigel Powlson of the Evening Telegraph (Derbyshire, England) describes the wrestler’s relationships as “horribly stereotypical” and the film “riddled with clichés”.
I wonder how many times Mr. Powlson has had to wish birthday wishes to his children from across the country because his job kept him from home. How many wedding anniversaries he has celebrated behind his desk working on a deadline? The typical nine to fiver can’t understand the grueling nature of our business and the affect that it has on marriages, relationships with your children, and your focus on home. In 2002, I traveled more than 62,000 kilometres (36,000 miles) to appear in 144 matches from coast to coast in Canada. I sacrificed, but so did my family. I hope that Mr. Powlson isn’t suggesting that my life is also riddled with clichés.
This isn’t exclusive to wrestling – think of the schedule that any professional athlete has during a season … but remember, professional wrestling has NO OFF SEASON!! In our business, the ability to cope with the separation from your real life and your family has been called “mental toughness”. In the wrestling ring, we as wrestlers are larger than life and while our fans are loyal, they don’t care about whether you’re missing your daughter’s birthday, whether your parents are in poor health, that your bills are all behind schedule, that the promoter is a week late in paying you – all they care about is what you are going to do for them in that ring TONIGHT! Wrestlers offer an escape from reality for the ticket buyer – sometimes at the sake of our own reality.
I read today that WWE head honcho Vince McMahon is not a fan of this film, and I can fully understand why. Although it is not captured in the script, one must wonder what happened between Randy "The Ram" Robinson's career heights (noted as twenty years earlier) and the twilight of the career on the independents. While the mainstream media has repeatedly classified Rourke's character as a "pursuing the dregs of his profession", they miss out on this important detail:
If Randy Robinson was a headliner at Madison Square Garden in the 1980's, in a feature match which is still discussed twenty years later, that guy was a wrestler who made a lot of money ... not only for himself but for others. In 1989, assuming the average ticket price was $14.25, the largest gate drawn at Madison Square Garden that year was $285,000 (20,000 seats filled). By wrestling tradition, the wrestlers' salaries were paid out based on 30% of the gate, meaning promoters also made a lot of money off of Randy "The Ram" when he was on top. What does this say about an industry that would discard a talent that was responsible for so much commercial success?
Think of how many guys were superstars during the WWE’s national expansion in the 1980’s – featured on television, on the Saturday morning cartoon show, or immortalized with their own action figure. Did you ever ask: “Whatever happened to …?” It’s sad to see the fate of retired wrestlers and how little is done to thank them for their sacrifices in the ring. How many wrestlers have ended up just like Randy “The Ram” Robinson? The harsh reality of this very topic is also played out in the film.
I strongly recommend THE WRESTLER to one and all.
For wrestlers, I think there will be a ton to think about after seeing this film;
For fans, I think you will gain a greater appreciation for the sacrifices made for your entertainment;
For the folks who have the opportunity to know a pro wrestler through their bill-paying endeavours away from the ring, I hope this helps you to better understand the hard work and effort that these men and women make despite the perpetual misunderstanding and disrespect; and
For the curious non-believers (I saw you in the theatre), remember this:
“If you believe, no explanation is required. If you don’t believe, no explanation will do.”
See THE WRESTLER when it comes to a theatre near you.
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With respect,
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Vance Nevada
Author, Wrestling in the Canadian West
(To be released in Spring 2009)