Monkeyshines

For those of you that have known me for any length of time will know that I have more than just a passing interest in Professional Wrestling. I started watching it as a kid with my Dad and have continued to watch it for most of my adult life. While I do keep current with WWE and to a much lesser degree, TNA, I tend to think that a handful of International and Independent wrestling promotions are by far, a superior product for the wrestling fan. (Read: not sports entertainment)

While I always tend to keep my love of wrestling as a low priority talking point on dates, I am not ashamed to admit that I enjoy it. For those people that don't immediately chuckle, the next most common response is, "Oh like that sumo stuff?" After explaining that I do not watch Sumo wrestling, I then attempt to explain what it is about wrestling that I enjoy. During said explanation, I usually tend to see eyes start to gloss over at which point I just wrap it up and move on to the next topic. So, I will attempt to explain as succinctly as I can, what it is I enjoy about Professional Wrestling.

I am a big fan of storytelling in any medium, but there is something very compelling to me about watching a story between two or more competitors unfold before my eyes inside the squared circle. They are not telling the story with words, but instead with actions. As a viewer it is usually obvious who is the bad guy (heel) and who is the good guy (face). Every time I watch, I can feel ebb and flow of momentum, the anticipation of what will happen next, and there is always the possibility of seeing something I've never seen before. Even now when I attempt to explain the essence of what I enjoy about Professional Wrestling, I am having trouble verbalizing my affection for the medium. If you get it, you get it, if you don't you probably never will.

So, why have I waited 33 years to make this confession to the world? Well, there will be more to this story as the weeks unfold, this is merely the beginning. And no, I am not training to be a wrestler. There are much younger, athletic people out there. I will leave it to them and I will continue to watch with a keen eye from afar, or sometimes from the front row.

Let me start by saying that George A. Romero has directed some of my all time favorite films. He has such a fantastic way of fusing horror and gore with thoughtful social commentary. I always look forward to his films, even though he hasn't done anything great since 1985's Day of the Dead. Although after seeing this trailer, I can't help but be underwhelmed. I know I'll eventually see it, but the fact that it is being released on demand on Amazon and XBOX Live before hitting theaters really scares me. Some of my all-time favorite Directors just don't have it any longer and it's really sad. I guess the good ideas and ability fade with age as evident with other great directors like Mel Brooks and Dario Argento. Despite that, I will still watch their films and hold out hope that the next movie they make will be a return to their former glory.