Memphis Heat: The True Story of Memphis Wrasslin'

A fun look at an integral part of the history of professional wrestling (stay with me here), "Memphis Heat" is a fun, in-depth look at the wild and woolly, history-rich Memphis wrestling territory.

Director Chad Schaffler does a good job of defining the regional nature of wrestling before Vince McMahon took over the "sport." And "Heat" spotlights a little corner of the wrestling world that, in today's WWE-centric version of wrestling history, is rarely given the proper spotlight.

Fans of today's wrestling will recognize Jerry "The King" Lawler and get a nice glimpse into how big a celebrity he was in the 1980s and how he earned his place in wrestling history. More seasoned fans will recognize a variety of faces who speak on the documentary, including "The Mouth of the South" Jimmy Hart, "Handsome" Jimmy Valiant, Jerry Jarrett and "Soul Man" Rocky Johnson (who just happens to be Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson's father). And if you weren't a fan of Memphis wrestling, there's a score or so names you might not know, including Jackie Fargo, Superstar Bill Dundee and Sputnik Monroe, who is, in a sense, the Rosa Parks of pro wrestling (yes, you read that right; his story is actually pretty interesting).

There might be a few surprises as well; did you know Hulk Hogan went through the territory? How about Andre the Giant? Yep, you see footage of both of them.

Disappointingly, the most famous angle in Memphis wrestling history, the infamous Andy Kaufman/Lawler feud, is not really given its just due, with just a few scant moments afforded it (though you could say this DVD is the final nail in the coffin of the myth that Lawler and Kaufman legitimately hated each other).

It does lose the conceit of "kayfabe" (the notion of wrestlers "protecting" the business by refusing to admit it's scripted entertainment), which is terrific, not to mention difficult given the stubbornness of many old-timers. The result is a more candid, open discussion that highlights behind-the-scenes issues and some of the political machinations that go on backstage.

If you're not a wrestling fan, well, you probably shouldn't be reading this anyway because you're not going to get a whole lot out of this documentary. If you are, this is a must-own disc. It is well-made, fun, engaging and a great history lesson for fan's of today's product.

The DVD includes plenty of fun extras, including promos and angles of the day, cut scenes and more, making "Memphis Heat" a must-own if you're into that sort of thing.

Film: 4 Yaps Extras: 4 Yaps