| | The one or two long-time readers of this oft-neglected blog may remember the days it was called "Lucha vs. Ninja: Who Will Win?" - as I was splitting time between regular FPU web stuff and an upstart vintage ninja movie project that never really got off the ground.
Well, I've been full of beans about said ninja project a few years later, and that's where most of what little spare time I have goes now. This is not to say the masked wrestler isn't still dear to my soul, and I was pretty pumped to see the lauded Japanese comedy GACHI BOY: Wrestling With a Memory as part of this year's AFI Fest in Hollywood.
Thing of it is, I go into lauded Japanese films with a certain sense of dread, having been let down WAY more often than I've been pleasantly surprised. For example, Sukiyaki Western Django has to be the biggest life-force draining piece of shit I've ever had to endure. The only comfort I receive from having taken five years off my life by sitting through a screening of that turd is I've been able to steer all my friends away from it.
Then, there's my, by now, automatic defensiveness when viewing any new wrestling related films. They just always seem to let you down, somehow. Or outright offend. I don't understand what's so hard about getting a wrestling movie right. For every amazing gem like Korea's Foul King or Japan's Calamari Wrestler, we're outnumbered and pissed-on by abortions like (and I'm not linking here on purpose because these films don't deserve web traffic!) No Holds Barred, Ready to Rumble and Nacho Libre...
So with the inevitable guarded pessimism unfortunately murmuring in the background of my head, I sit down for Gachi Boy and godammit the BEST thing in the world happens - the film DELIVERS IN SPADES!!!
Not sure I should admit this in public, but I was nearly brought to tears two or three different times during what turned out to be a perfect blend of dead-on perfect pro wrestling humor and emotionally stirring explorations of mental handicaps and their effects on families.
I won't get into a full review here, as a lot has been written on this film already, but here's my lucha-cinema-snob take on the minutae I'm always obsessed with:
The Ring Gear - perfect, pro quality stuff. Wouldn't be surprised if Cacao Planning did it. There's nothing worse than a decently budgeted, professional movie getting the ring gear wrong, when down the road a bush-league indie wrestling promotion without a cent to their name can do it with ease. WTF?!?!? But man did they get it right here! Not only that, the ramshackle dojo, the lucha ephemera-laden club house, the fake posters... everything was perfect.
The Gimmicks - You always know when a non wrestling fan creates ring personnas and character designs. It's the first sign you can call bullshit on a film. Here, the gimmicks are SOOOO astute to the puroresu industry, if you're in the know, you're in hysterics!
The Respect - The fundamental flaw with most wrestling films is the lack of respect for the industry and artform that pro wrestling is. Again, Gachi nails it - from minute one the craft is seen as positive, something to strive for and not be embarrassed by if it entertains you. THANKS!
But then, on top of this perfect wrestling comedy, there's a genuinely moving theme of mental illness, and at times it really got to me. Basically, the kid has the same condition Guy Pierce has in the superb Memento - he wakes up every morning a blank slate and needs to re-educate himself as to who he is via notes and diaries. Makes for some hairy situations both socially and in the ring! The only memories he has are the bruises left on his body by his training...
Can't say enough good about this film. It looks great, the performances by the young actors are just superb, everyone did their own wrestling stunts, the sound design is awesome, and... yeah, I mighta shed a tear or two. Seriously.
So this year, we have three of the best wrestling films ever made touring theaters: Gachi Boy, Aronovsky's The Wrestler, and if I do say so myself, LOS CAMPEONES DE LA LUCHA LIBRE!
Get out there and see them all!!!!
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| | Posted 11/10/2008 3:47 AM - 63 Views - 0 eProps - 0 comments
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