"Macho Man: The Randy Savage Story" DVD / Blu-Ray Review
Perhaps no feature documentary has been more highly anticipated or requested for a pro wrestling subject than "Macho Man" Randy Savage. His colorful persona and unique character truly transcended pro wrestling.
After years of being ignored by WWE for reasons in which still are disputed, a DVD set was released announced in 2009 for the former WCW and WWE champion. Fans were excited, as one of the all-time greats was finally being given his due. Though the set was fantastic, it wasn't the full length feature in which the WWE had specialized, instead electing to release a match collection.
Randy Savage's matches speak for themselves. He was partially responsible for the pace of mainstream wrestling increasing, and set the standard for reinventing a look and persona. When Savage passed away in 2011, it was clear WWE had missed the boat on having him involved in the production.
Almost four years after Savage's death WWE has rectified the situation– sort of. Although Savage isn't directly involved in the production, his brother Lanny as well as his mother are both interviewed.
The documentary itself is fantastic. WWE did touch on his release, but not the specifics and Vince McMahon did not appear personally. No punches were pulled regarding Savage's protective relationship with Elizabeth, although his brother Lanny seemed to go against the grain regarding the popular opinion that Savage was a jealous husband.
The Savage DVD really displays how well he could reinvent himself to keep fresh in an evolving business. I do wish that his WCW career could have been given more attention, as well as his run as "Macho King." Both were important times in his career and should have had more screen time. Also more of a focus on his feuds in WWE instead of his marriage would have been nice. These are the only minor complaints.
Something I've really enjoyed about WWE productions is that they've acquired old interviews for subjects in which aren't available. They did this with Ted Turner for the Monday Night War series, and also make use of a candid interview of Savage's from the 90's. It's not quite the same as having him in studio, but it's better than nothing.
Savage was incredibly dedicated to his craft, and that's put over big time during the show. It's put over even bigger by the match selection on the set. Matches with Ulitimate Warrior, Arn Anderson, Ric Flair, and DDP later in his career showed that he improved with age.
One of the nice touches of this set was the interesting matchups included from the 80's. Two non-WrestleMania matches with Ricky Steamboat, another with Ted Dibiase, one with Hulk Hogan as well as an Intercontinental title match with Bruno Sammartino are all included. The majority of Savage's high profile matches were on the 2009 release, so the company decided to change things up, and it really paid off.
Get the blu-ray version if you have the option. It's an easy choice. It has a 18 additional scenes and stories that didn't make the original production, as well as matches with Booker T, The Blue Bloods, and the birth of the "Macho King" gimmick.
This is a must buy. It's a subject that should have been covered long ago, and I really didn't want it to end. Savage's story tugs at the heart strings of so many fans from that era, and his personality and dedication shines through and is reinforced by those who know his best.
Rating: 9/10