The end of wrestling-the beginning of sports entertainment

This is probably the best documentary I have ever seen. It follows Harts life growing up in a wrestling family, and ends with Harts disputed last match with the WWF. It is utterly compelling to see Hart struggle with Vince Mcmahon's betrayal after giving him a 20 year contract-then decicing he wanted out of it. Watching(in hindsight) him tell Hart he wants him to go to WCW, then lie about why he was leaving, lie about the supposed ending of the match at Survivor Series, and ultimately lie about everything to do with Hart is pretty disgusting to watch. If wrestling lasts 1000 more years, we will never have as compelling footage as is on here from that match. Watching Earl Hebner practically dive out of the ring as soon as he calls for the bell, and Mcmahon wiping the spit from his face as Hart glares at him from the ring with disgust is absolutely riveting. It's just a shame that they didn't include the part of the Mcmahon interview where he claims he "let" Bret knock him out afterwards. It would have brought some levity to a film which is pretty sad to watch for anyone who knows Bret Hart deserved to be treated with respect.

Dark Shadows

Canadian film-maker Paul Jay beautifully put together the first wrestling documentary to expose the industry and break kayfabe, but ironically it does more against the Canadian "legend" Hart than for him. It shows how Stu Hart's old school mentality influenced his mistreatment of his own sons, most of whom were forced into wrestling. "It was for Stu, not for me," Bret says in one scene. In many scenes, Bret is shown brooding, portrayed as a troubled and tormented human being. Paid more than three times the salary of his rival Shawn Michaels, the World Wrestling Federation's ratings failed to justify it, and so his "father figure" employer of fifteen years, Vince McMahon, let him go, spending the money on creating the pop-culture company we know today. However, Hart refused to relinquish the company's top prize, the WWF World Championship, at a major Pay-Per-View show upon his leave, and so McMahon banged his head against a wall, until finally forcing Hart to lose the title. Whilst many come away from the film seeing McMahon as having "screwed" Hart, those who know and understand passion for the business and loyalty to a struggling company and owner rivalled by a multi-billion dollar conglomerate, will see beyond the words of the passé Hitman. Hart's family and friends left the WWF after the incident, yet when similar "screw-jobs" happened to them, he failed to stand by them. One of them, Hart's brother-in-law, British Bulldog Davey Boy Smith, returned to the WWF, and subsequently Hart stated in his Calgary newspaper column he'd run over his sister, Diana Hart-Smith, if he saw her in the street. Indeed, Hart is a bitter human being, and Wrestling With Shadows shows it, seen clearly once one looks past the propaganda. An unprecedented piece of film-making.

Most Respectable story in Wrestling History

What a killer story. I can finally say I can not stand wrestling, I have lost all respect and love for wrestling ever since I picked up that god awful Ric Flair D.V.D, but one thing I can look back on and truly respect in Wrestling with Shadows it set the tone for the W.W.F in the late 90's and was the true death of repectable wrestling, its sad, humourous, smart, honost, the greatest behind the scenes documentary on wrestling ever it is even better then Beyond the Mat, and better yet the whole thing does not look cheesy, best of all Vince displays a shiner in the end could you ask for anything more.