Wrestlers In Hollywood: Body Slam (1986)

Tags

Afa Anoai, Body Slam, Bruno Sammartino, Classy Freddie Blassie, Dirk Benedict, Hollywood, Kellie Martin, Life Goes On, Movie, NWA, Ric Flair, Roddy Piper, Sam Fatu, Sheik Al Kaissy, Sika Anoai, Sione Vailahi, Sports Entertainment, Tayna Roberts, That 70's Show, The A-Team, The Barbarian, The Wild Samoans, Tom Kasat, Wrestling, WWE, WWF

Wrestling has always had a place in Hollywood whether it was Hulk Hogan, Roddy Piper, or even Jesse “The Body” Ventura. Never mind all of the wrestlers of today that are starring in films, but if it wasn’t for those three legends, it would never had happened. What we have hear is the 1986 classic that stars Dirk Benedict (The A-Team) as M. Harry Smilac, a has been music manager always looking for the next big thing while he’s down in the dumps. One day while exploring another venture, Harry stumbles on a meeting between a promoter and a wrestler by the name of Quick Rick Roberts (Roddy Piper) and with his ability to BS, he lands Roberts a better deal. Roberts decides to sign with Harry who has no experience in wrestling and he takes Tonga Tom (Sam Fatu) along for the ride as well. Together with a band called Kick, they form Rock N Wrestling as they battle against Captain Lou Murano (Captain Lou Albano) and all of the other opposing figures in Harry’s life. The movie also stars Afa Anoai and Sika Anoai (The Wild Samoans), Tanya Roberts (That 70’w Show) as Candace, Kellie Martin (Life Goes On) as Missy, Sione Vailahi (The Barbarian in the WWE) as Axe, Tom Kasat (AWA Wrestling) as Hannibal, and special appearances by Ric Flair, Classy Freddie Blassie, Shiek Al Kaissy, and Bruno Sammartino.

This was always one of my all time favorite films when I was kid, I used to watch it every time that it came on TV. Sure, it has that cheesy 80’s film feel to it, but it’s so much fun to watch and it’s Dirk Benedict as Face, but not as a soldier of fortune, but a sleezy LA manager. This was also fresh in Roddy Piper’s career because it was two years before he would star in the smash cult hit They Live. I could have chosen that film to review, but right when I saw that Youtube had the film, I was all over it (just click on Youtube to watch). It has some great wrestling action, great 80’s pop rock, and some good acting fro the wrestlers. There are some goofs in the film, I will warn you, but overall it’s great family entertainment. I don’t think the WWE (or WWF at the time) was attached to this film, but that doesn’t matter because I am giving the film an B for a final grade.