In 1995, media mogul Ted Turner decided to run a
wrestling show to combat Vince McMahon's WWE (which was then called
the WWF). Eric Bischoff, a wrestling fan and capable producer took Turner's
vision and revolutionized the business.
The Monday Night War DVD released yesterday in Canada, is a documentary on the war
between WCW's Monday Nitro and the WWE's Monday Night Raw programs. For any fan who
tuned in shortly after the "war" had finished in 2001, this is a great DVD to
get. It tells you everything from how it began, who was in charge and
Vince's personal feelings towards it.
At first, it's assumed that McMahon would re-write history on this DVD, the way he always
does, but this is a very candid McMahon who admits it was the toughest time
in his career. Shawn Michaels gives credit to Bischoff, saying that if the
WWE were to discredit what Bischoff did and what WCW did then they'd be in
denial. HBK also said that the WWF pretended they didn't care but they were
all very nervous because they didn't know what was going to happen.
On WCW's side of things, they brought the business to fruition with Nitro.
It changed the way Vince and other organizations would do sports
entertainment. Bischoff admits that he never owned WCW but to him...he did. He also admits that there were too many people in charge of the company. Some of the former
WCW wrestlers go into how awful it was to work there near the end and how
they wouldn't know what they were doing until eight to ten minutes before
the show would start. Bischoff disregarded Vince Russo and Ed Ferrero's
parts in the rise of WWE Raw but mentioned how they failed in the end with
WCW.
For those fans who know the complete history of the war because they've been
a fan from start to finish, this is nothing new. It's the same story all
over again. The only thing that long-time fans might find interesting are
the personal takes and feelings towards some of the bigger moments. However,
they don't have much on the main players of the war. They barely talk to
Austin. There's nothing on Sting or Arn Anderson. They virtually
have nothing on the Undertaker. They don't bother to talk to anyone that was
in the nWo, other then Bischoff. They don't talk to Rey Mysterio Jr. about the other
factions like the Latino World Order. They don't talk to Steiner about the
Wolfpack and how all the separated groups killed the concept. I believe it
was Jericho that talked about how it got out of control until it got
boring. They didn't talk enough to Jericho about his debut which was a big
step in Raw's rise over Nitro. In a chapter called "Talent goes to WWE" they
touch on it but not enough. When Jericho jumped it was the first time that
WWE seemed like they were getting the upper hand on WCW because that was the
feeling Bischoff had built up when former WWE stars would show up on
Nitro.
The Chapters
Early days of WCW & WWE
This was exactly that. Just a glimpse at how the companies looked pre-war
time and some thoughts from the stars about what they felt the
difference was between then and now.
Raw arrives, Talent leaves
They talk a little about the drug trial, not too much even though that's why
most of the talent left.
Birth of Nitro
Just a look at how the concept began between Bischoff and Ted Turner and
what some of the wrestlers thought of it.
The War Begins...
WCW takes the lead
The NWO
WCW and Austin
WWE Evolves
Mr. McMahon and Austin
WWE wins a round
This was funny because Jericho reminds everyone that Bischoff went out on
air and gloated about how WCW was "whatever number" and 0, then literally the
next week...Raw won.
WWE takes the lead
Ric Flair
This was so emotional. Anyone that remembers that time and remembers that
show they'll remember that Ric was brought to real tears that night and
everything was very real on TV. The atmosphere was so thick you could cut it
with a knife. This was when Ric came back and Double A brought back the
Horsemen with Benoit, Malenko and Mongo McMichael as the newest members.
WCW struggles
Talent goes to WWE
More changes at WCW
The Last Chapter
Not all the chapters are explained because throughout they talk about the
same stuff and the same people talk about their feelings. They talk about the infamous blunder by Bischoff
who decided to tell the world that Mick was going to win the belt at Raw and
it made everyone tune in. They have Mick's take on it but they don't show
the match. This story has been talked about on Confidential, Axess and media
outlets not associated with the WWE. Why bring it up for the millionth time
and still not show the actual match?
The extras were okay but had weird choices. First, they have Stone Cold & HBK
versus Bulldog and Owen Hart. This match was great and of coarse anyone with a
heart would love to see Bulldog and Hart again. The feud took up most of
1997 with the Hart Foundation against... well against pretty much everyone
but mainly DX and Austin. However, there were better matches to put in to
point that out. Instead of pointing the big feud out, it just seemed like a
match they stuck in for sentimental reasons. Also, they have HHH & HBK versus
the Legion of Doom. This was when DX and the new age of attitude stepped in
to pick up Raw in the ratings. During this time period they had started
pitting the old against the new. However, they never really get into that in
the DVD. They talk about how Russo tried it in WCW but it failed, but they
don't mention that this match was about the new age of attitude fighting one
of the biggest tag teams of yesteryear. Again, it just looks like a match
they stuck in.
The extras have a little look at the feud between McMahon and Austin and
McMahon's "Bret Screwed Bret" interview. These are understandable since it was
the "Montreal Screw Job" that made McMahon into a heel for the company. It was
that incident that made wrestlers start airing their real life feelings on
live air every Monday night. The Austin feud is really what turned Raw
around and kept it going till WCW couldn't catch up anymore.
For WCW matches they show, Benoit versus Booker T and Goldberg versus Hulk Hogan.
Again, these were big important matches that were very exciting to watch,
but there's no background to them. They're great but there could have been
better choices in there. It was the Hart/Michaels feud on air and off that
started the change in WWE, but they don't show what happened to either of
them. How they were injured and left the business or how they started the
feud together in the beginning. Sting was the cornerstone of WCW for years
and there was none of his matches on the DVD and only tidbits of his final
match with Flair on the last Nitro. They have the last Nitro on the DVD
extras but it's not the show. It's bits and pieces and the feelings of the
stars. You've basically seen it on WWE Confidential. It was just amazing to
watch Ric Flair stare into the camera and say, "I was happy to see it
end."
For everything the war did and all the stupid hellacious moments that the
wrestlers went through on and off camera, this DVD doesn't do it justice.
It's a great historical tale of the feud but nothing we didn't already know.
Like most of the WWE products, it was great but it could have been better.
Again, McMahon's not using all that footage archive to his advantage. The
golden parts of the DVD are the Ric Flair moments where he goes through his
leaving the WCW, his return and the final episode of Nitro with Sting. The
most heart warming and interesting segment of the whole DVD is the Last
Nitro on the Extras. It had surreal music to it to emphasize the surreal
feelings of all the stars that were there that night. It doesn't really make
you think Nitro was great. It just makes you feel like you wish it was back.
Visit the SLAM! Wrestling store!
Buy the hot, new DVD, Monday Night Wars
Jaya Roopansingh is new to SLAM! Wrestling but has been a long time fan. She is very happy for the chance to spend her days writing about wrestling. Send her your feedback at phoenix7275@yahoo.com
