The Life and Death of the Most Dominant Tag-Team in History
Publisher: Shock
Wed, 17 August 2005
by: Hillelman
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With the right look, the right gimmick (I'm not referring to THE Gimmick of Buttonhole fame) a high level of charisma and a big enough push, some wrestlers can get over and have a thriving career, even if they aren't technically all that skilled. Hulk Hogan is the most prominent example. Bill Goldberg is another (or he once was, at least). ECW's Sandman is a good contender too. My personal favourites to fit into that category though, are the Road Warriors (Hawk and Animal), also known as the Legion of Doom (L.O.D).
The legendary L.O.D. with their painted faces, crazy haircuts, huge muscular physiques and spiked shoulder pads, would have to be the most instantly recognisable team ever. They're also one of, if not the most successful and popular tag teams in the history of professional wrestling. I loved this fearsome duo as a kid and I've remained a fan to this day. So getting a copy of this DVD dedicated to the Road Warriors made me a pretty happy camper.
This is a two disc set, with 6 hours of footage in total. You get the in depth look at the lives and career of the Road Warriors, and a selection of some of their biggest matches from all the different promotions they wrestled in.
 | | The Legion of Doom refuse to say cheese. |
Hearing how they changed the landscape of wrestling with their look and style and other stories about the duo is information well worth listening to. For enthusiasts like myself, it is particularly cool to finally hear this info firsthand from Animal (Hawk is, sadly, no longer with us), other wrestlers and many of the big names who worked with/against the L.O.D. in their prime.
Some of the wrestling personalities whose comments are included are: Ric Flair, Jim Cornette, Arn Anderson, Jim Ross, Jerry Lawler, Eric Bischoff, Edge and several others. Of course "Precious" Paul Ellering (the Road Warrior's manager, close friend and occasional third tag partner) is featured here in a big way too. I'd heard much of this stuff before, but I didn't mind that at all, especially as this time it was coming straight from the horse's (and Horsemen's) mouths.
One of the more amusing inclusions is something that comes from the mouth of Barry Darsow (a good friend of Animal and Hawk's who was trained with them and broke into the business at the same time they did). Later down the track, Barry wrestled as Smash, of Demolition fame. I laughed out loud at Barry saying that he does not believe Demolition was a Road Warriors rip-off. I think he'd have to be about the only person in the world who would believe that claim. Let's see; spiked leather attire, painted faces, heavy metal entrance music, two big strong guys with one word names (Ax and Smash. And, later on, Crush) who dominate their opponents using a brawling style. Come on Barry, face facts dude! As far as rip-offs go, Demolition was an excellent one, but they were a blatant rip-off just the same. (And they weren't only ones by a long shot. I'm a bit shocked that the Powers of Pain, for one, didn't get a single mention on this DVD).
 | | It can be embarrassing, when you and a friend accidentally wear the same outfit. |
There is no shortage of wrestling action included on the Road Warriors DVD either. It has something like 20 full bouts (I didn't bother counting, so just play along with me). I won't go into too much detail about the matches themselves, as I often do, because there's not a whole lot I could say. The Roadies used a mainly brawling style and most of their matches follow pretty similar patterns.
I will say though, that there are some really excellent choices included here. It is awesome to have such a great mix of footage from the AWA, NWA, WWE, Japan and much more, all on the one collection. Quite a few of them have alternate commentary from Jim Ross and Animal himself; always a welcome thing in my book.
The basic reason the L.O.D. appeal to me, more than most of the other muscle bound stiffs, is that they kick arse very convincingly. There's just something cool about them and watching the way they destroy people! I suppose that's similar to the way some fans loved Goldberg. But to me, when it comes to being a total badass, Bill was never a patch on these dudes
The amount of worth this DVD has is really reliant on how much you care for the Road Warriors, though it can still be interesting for those who are into wrestling, yet not particularly big fans of these guys. For one thing it shows how much title belts, when they are built up properly (as they rarely are these days), can do for wrestlers. The Roadies being the only team in history to have held the AWA, NWA and WWF tag title belts did wonders for their reputations with fans. It also shows that tag team wrestling can be immensely popular when it is booked well, unlike the complete debacle it is in today's WWE.
I consider this yet another of the DVDs the WWE has given us in recent times that absolutely rocks. It covers the Road Warriors in almost every regard, with excellent attention to detail. If you have even a passing interest in the subject, this one is not to be missed. All I can say is, keep 'em coming!
by: Hillelman
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More articles by Hillelman
If you are a Road Warriors fan, here is another outstanding wrestling DVD to add to the collection. | |
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