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I had the chance to check out Backstage at the Bash, the new DVD released by former World Class and NWA star Jimmy Garvin at his official website www.JimmyGarvin.com recently and as I watched this rare backstage footage roll before me, all I could think is "Boys will be boys."
The names who appear on the DVD are among some of the greatest names from what many feel (I know I do) was one of the most entertaining talent rosters of all time, the 1986-1987 Jim Crockett Promotions roster, featuring Sting, Dusty Rhodes, Lex Luger, Jim Cornette's Midnight Express, Arn Anderson, Ron Garvin, The Road Warriors, and more. As dignified and tough as these wrestlers came off in the ring, they were all a bunch of goofballs in the back. Similar to the famous TV series M*A*S*H, everyone involved used humor to break the gravity of their situation, in this case the pressure of the road and the physicality of their job.
In footage shot with Garvin's camcorder by Garvin or Bobby Fulton of the Fantastics tag team, the wrestlers act like any other sports team or fraternity, goofing around with each other in silly ways to keep the mood up. Steve Williams ends up square dancing with Road Warrior Hawk and jokes that after today he won't have to see anyone's face anymore, especially Jim Crockett's. Arn Anderson moons the camera and gives us a side of "The Enforcer" no Horseman ever wanted to see. Dusty Rhodes, the booker at the time, jokes about how all the workers are big babies. Jim Cornette does his best Rodney Dangerfield. The usually silent Bobby Eaton even jokes around, while the more flamboyant Stan Lane jokes that his agent wouldn't approve of being filmed. Sting and Lex Luger goof off with the Warriors, cutting pseudo promos and giggling as Sting applies his then-trademark makeup.
As fun as it is to see the footage, it is also sad seeing all of these great workers in their prime knowing that for some, by the time this DVD has been made public, are no longer with us, or out of the business altogether. While it's tremendous to see performers like Stan Lane, Bobby Eaton, and Bobby Fulton, the sad truth is that many of today's fans wouldn't know or appreciate the style they do. It's even sadder to see Hawk cracking everyone up, preparing his blade for a Wargames match as Garvin jokes it's "20/20" he's filming for, knowing that Hawk passed away just a few months ago. Still, it's fun to see this candid footage, which is bookmarked by introductions by Jimmy Garvin.
Priced at $25, the DVD will be of the most interest to the hardest core old school fans who want to see what backstage with the old NWA roster was like. Truth be told, it was like every other wrestling locker room I've ever been in - a lot of really talented, eccentric, unique individuals who cracked each other up and were closer than some brothers ever will be, before hitting the ring to crack each other over the heads with steel chairs.
If there is any weakness to the DVD, it is the length, as it runs about 30 minutes total and is just a series of clips from the locker room. I'd love to see Garvin throw down a separate commentary track as an extra just to give the buyer some insight into the timeframe of the clips and some thoughts on those who are featured. Garvin intends to release a series of similar DVDs, with the next planned release featuring footage from backstage of a tour of Africa, featuring never before seen footage of the late Chris Adams.
You can purchase the DVD, as well as other merchandise, and check out more on Jimmy Garvin, at www.JimmyGarvin.com.
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