Beyond the Mat

Running time: N/A

For the cult followers of professional wrestling, it is the equivalent of opera, theater, and football, all rolled together. It fulfills the needs of a large subculture in a way nothing else does. But what does it mean for the wrestlers themselves? Three hundred appearances a year, two shows a day, in locations often hundreds of miles apart, and some of the wrestlers even try to fit in family life. Director Barry Blaustein takes us outside the ring for an honest and highly entertaining look at the complex lives of Terry Funk, Jake "The Snake" Roberts, and the intelligent and articulate Mick "Mankind" Foley as each reveals his overpowering dedication and the warp and woof of his life. Blaustein, whose credits include head writer for Saturday Night Live, spent over three years on the road with the WWF, laying the groundwork for what has become one of his most personal projects. Beyond the Mat shows the joys and the frequent sorrows of this grueling profession, while providing a fascinating look at the dark underside of a phenomenon whose surface glitter is often the only thing visible in the roaring arenas. --Ed Soohoo