Search - Ric Flair & The Four Horsemen (2 Discs) on DVD


Ric Flair & The Four Horsemen (2 Discs)
Ric Flair The Four Horsemen
2 Discs
Actors: Chris Benoit, Sting, Brian Pillman, Ole Anderson
NR     2007     3hr 20min

One of the first and coolest, factions in Sports Entertainment was The Four Horsemen. This stable was a powerful group that ran roughshod over WCW and lasted for the better part of a decade with its various members, includ...  more »

     

Larger Image

Movie Details

Actors: Chris Benoit, Sting, Brian Pillman, Ole Anderson
Studio: World Wrestling
Format: DVD - Color,Full Screen - Closed-captioned
DVD Release Date: 04/10/2007
Original Release Date: 01/01/2007
Theatrical Release Date: 01/01/2007
Release Year: 2007
Run Time: 3hr 20min
Screens: Color,Full Screen
Number of Discs: 2
SwapaDVD Credits: 2
Total Copies: 0
Members Wishing: 0
MPAA Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Languages: English

Similar Movies


Similarly Requested DVDs

WWE - The History of the WWE Championship
   NR   2006   9hr 0min
   
WWE WrestleMania 21
Director: Kevin Dunn (III)
   NR   2005   7hr 0min
   
Sin City
   R   2005   2hr 4min
   
Atlantis - The Lost Empire
Directors: Gary Trousdale, Kirk Wise
   PG   2002   1hr 35min
   
Finding Nemo
Two-Disc Collector's Edition
Directors: Andrew Stanton, Lee Unkrich
   G   2003   1hr 40min
   
Saving Private Ryan
Special Limited Edition
Director: Steven Spielberg
   R   1999   2hr 49min
   
GoldenEye
Special Edition
Director: Martin Campbell
   PG-13   2002   2hr 10min
   
WWE WrestleMania 22
Director: Kevin Dunn
   NR   2006   8hr 0min
   
Logan's Run
Directors: Michael Anderson, Ronald Saland
   PG   2004   1hr 58min
   
 

Movie Reviews

Ahhh, The Memories!
Ervin Griffin | Bluefield, WV | 04/21/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)

"The reason I am giving this set a 5 star rating is mostly for the bio! True, Arn Anderson is in character for most of this but quite frankly, there is little difference between his in-ring character and the real man so I didn't get upset about that at all.

As for the bio itself, it was great but you can get some negative vibes at times (especially when discussing Ole Anderson, Paul Roma, former WCW Executive Vice President Jim Herd and Eric Bischoff)! I know some fans would've liked to have heard from other former members like Lex Luger, Sting or Ole Anderson but you have to remember something here. Sting currently works for TNA (at the time that I am writing this) so there was no way he was going to be on this project and neither Lex nor Ole are on good terms with WWE. Plus, with the way Ole bashed Ric recently in his own autobiography, I doubt they would've wanted him on the project anyway as a lot of people have grudges against him. Still, I would've rather heard from Ole than ROMA! That guy is VERY DELUSIONAL! Even at near 60, Flair can still work a better match than Paul Roma in his prime! I'll take a 100 year old Flair over Roma any day! You got to hear the comments. This guy is on crack!

As it was, the bio was great as they discussed the different groups and how a lot the changes were made more for political reasons rather than good business sense. They also said that some changes were made by non-wrestling officials (which I tend to believe myself). Overall, just a great trip down memory lane. To paraphrase Jim Ross' words, "WITHOUT THE HORSEMEN, THERE WOULD'VE BEEN NO DX, NO DANGEROUS ALLIANCE AND THERE DAMN SURE WOULD'VE BEEN NO NWO!" Get this to see the rise and fall of the "symbol of excellence."

MINI-UPDATE:
Recently, I read an article in Pro Wrestling Illustrated that WWE 24/7 has re-edited this piece due to their unoffical "DON'T MENTION CHRIS BENOIT" stance.

As a result, however, the Brian Pillman part of the Horsemen saga is shortened and the chapters mentioning Steve McMichael, Jeff Jarrett and possibly the big reunion in 1998 in Greenville, SC have been removed! The DVD release, however, has not been recalled or re-edited yet so for those that want the history with no edits, I would DOUBLY RECOMMEND this release! This isn't an endorsement of Chris Benoit so much as it is an endorsement of telling a story and telling it right!"
Four fingers up!
golgotha.gov | Texas | 10/01/2007
(4 out of 5 stars)

"RIC FLAIR AND THE FOUR HORSEMEN
actual documentary is a little over 2 hours

Wow! Or should I say... Wooo! Like many others, I am a big fan of the Horsemen and have been for some time. Due to the fact that the WWE had nothing to do with the legendary stable, I was almost certain that they would mess this DVD up, but to my surprise they delivered a quality product! And yes I believe its still true: The Four Horsemen are the greatest wrestling stable of all time!

The DVD starts off in the pre-Horsemen days, with Gene Anderson and Ole Anderson wrestling together as sibling tag team (the team actually predated Ole but maybe that's another DVD...). Ole was joined by Arn Anderson, who was noticing the potential in a young man who we now know as Ric Flair. Along with their "sparkplug" Tully Blanchard, the group joined to become the Four Horsemen and were managed by J.J. Dillon. The group would famously isolate a certain body part (i.e.- leg, hand, whatever) and "work on it" to wear it down. They were also known as much for their flamboyant lifestyles outside the ring as they were for their wrestling skills. This led to a great combination of exciting interviews and classic arcs in the history of the NWA/WCW where each member held a belt (Ric- World champ, Arn and Tully- Tag champs, 2nd generation member Barry Windham- US champ) amounting to one of the greatest forces in the wrestling industry.

In the way of history, this DVD has most of what you need to know. Naturally we get a large segment dedicated to their historic feud against Magnum T.A. and Dusty Rhodes (another one of my favorite wrestling personalities), not to mention Ric Flair's "open secret" disgust with various WCW figureheads including Eric Bischoff.
But part of why I like this DVD so much is it also devotes considerable time to some things that were just confusing as a fan. For example what about the half-induction of Kendall Windham (Barry's brother) into the group, the brief selection of Hiro Matsuda as manager or the infamous "3 Horsemen" lineup with jobber Paul Roma? You will also hear the Horsemen's thoughts on Lex Luger, Sting and the notorious incident between Arn and Psycho Sid. I am a huge Brian Pillman fan and even though he wasn't as important as some of the other members, I was happy to see his inclusion on this DVD. Finally we get to the late WCW version of the group with Chris Benoit, Dean Malenko and former Chicago Bear Steve "Mongo" McMichael. The Curt Hennig/nWo angle is covered but after that point the "story" of the DVD kind of disintegrates as the final years of WCW were so fragmented and weird that nobody really knew if the Four Horsemen (or Flair's contract) were still in existence.

It is true that Arn Anderson is in character for this DVD. As a fan who grew up on 1980s wrestling, I like that. Also it is clear that he is giving "real" answers when he needs to, for example when he comments on whether or not he took the nWo skit about him personally. However, there are a couple points when a "shoot" response would've been nice, such as a better explanation about Ole's expulsion from the group. For wrestling reviews, I normally include a list of matches referenced or included. Its true that the shortage of some of the important matches may be the set's only shortcoming. Well that and no recent footage of Ole (although that was probably more his doing that WWE's).

The last thing I will say about this DVD is that I'm very happy that it didn't cover any of the WWE allusions to the Horsemen (like they did on the 'nWo: Back in Black' DVD) and also that somehow it didn't turn into a back-patting session for the McMahons ('Monday Night War' DVD). The closest we get is the needless inclusion of Triple H, but anyone who knows the WWE title history understands the story there. Anyway, I've more or less given up on pro wrestling as any kind of entertainment but this DVD set at least gives me the incentive to buy some of these "retro" DVDs!

THE FOUR HORSEMEN ARE THE GREATEST WRESTLING STABLE OF ALL TIME!"
Great Stuff!
Michael Parker | Waldwick, NJ United States | 04/17/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)

"The first disc lone made it worth it. This disc is not only for anyone who loved the Horseman but classic wrestling as well. The only bringdown here is that Arn Anderson mostly stays in character. While it's dissapointing that's not WWE's fault since they obvioulsy couldn't have
excluded him from the disk. The other interviews on the disk more than make up for it. If you want to hear Ric Flair really shoot this is the disk to buy. The comments on Sid Vicious alone are great. Also fun is everyone ripping apart Paul Roma and hearing Roma's (mind-boggling) view.
Yes, there could have been three discs and some better match selections. But I'm rating this on what it DOES have and what it does have is fantastic. I always rate these types of discs on the strength of the documentary and this is one the best to date. They did an excellent job getting interviews/commentary from nearly every member in the group.

People may not also realize that WWE hasn't been on the best of terms with JJ Dillon since he left the company. The fact that he's included here means they did someothing they don't always do (not even with their DVD's) and put the fans first.
"
DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER...AND SO ARE THE HORSEMEN!
D.P. | California | 04/11/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)

"Before the nWo, DX, and Evolution...there was the Four Horsemen. This was the elite stable/faction in wrestling that dominated the late 1980's in the NWA to the point where they're influence on wrestling is still being felt to this day & will be felt on throughout professional wrestling. In this DVD, you get comments from almost all the horsemen except Brian Pillman (R.I.P.), Sting, Sid, Ole Anderson, Lex Luger, Jeff Jarrett, and Steve McMichael. With that said, you hear from all other members of the Horsemen and how they rated each member of the group.

The documentary starts on Ric Flair helping Arn Anderson break into the NWA with his resemblance to Ole Anderson forming the Minnesota Wrecking Crew. The real story behind the Anderson's "family ties" with Flair is discovered along with quick profiles on Flair & Tully Blanchard before the story of how all 4 men united against Magnum T.A. & Dusty Rhodes is told. How J.J. Dillion was factored into the equation, the story behind the "4 Horsemen" name and the impact they had as a group is also chronicled. Their feud with Dusty Rhodes is discussed including hearing the story behind the Horsemen attacking Dusty Rhodes in a parking lot & how that resulted in fans demanding that they would be brought up on police charges. The "high roller" lifestyle that the Horsemen lived & talked about on promos is highlighted before moving on the story of behind Lex Luger replacing Ole Anderson in the Horsemen. The funniest part of the documentary is next when Ric & Dillion talk about the Precious angle where Ric Flair won a date with her & how they were building it up until Ronnie Garvin (dressed like a woman) ruined the whole thing. The concept behind the War Games match & how important a role Dusty & Arn had in it is heavily discussed with additional comments from Road Warriors manager Precious Paul Ellering. The tag team of Arn & Tully is glossed upon before getting to the story behind Lex Luger leaving the Horsemen & Barry Windham eventually taking his place. The story behind the Horsemen having a monopoly on the championships and how that lead to problems in the locker room is discussed before Arn & Tully talk about leaving the NWA because they felt like they were being underpaid to the point where Tully mentioned that J.J. got paid 3x's more than he did for a PPV match. The aftermath of Arn & Tully leaving, the NWA being bought by Ted Turner, and the placement of Jim Herd in WCW's management is discussed along with the story behind Kendall Windham's association with the Horsemen with comments from Kendall himself. Hiro Matsuda replacing J.J. Dillion and how that made things even worse for the current state of the Horsemen is discussed along with the story behind Arn Anderson returning WITHOUT Tully Blanchard & Barry Windham himself leaving. The true story behind Sting becoming a Horsemen and his rivalry with Ric Flair is heavily discussed including the infamous "Black Scorpion" angle that Flair himself even admit was embarrassing. The story behind Sid Vicious being put into the group to the heavy disapproval of Ric Flair is brought up before Flair discusses how he left WCW (which was heavily censored), why his WWE run didn't live up to expectations, and his return back to WCW. This is one of the most interesting parts of this DVD as they talk about Paul Roma joining the Horsemen with Roma himself talking about what he brought more to the table that "Pillsbury dough boy" Anderson & "98 year old" Flair couldn't. The hotel incident involving Sid Vicious stabbing Arn Anderson with scissors and how that led to the Roma version of the Horsemen ending. The brief Anderson/Flair rivalry in late '95 that eventually lead to the '96 version of the Horsemen with Pillman, Benoit, and eventually Steve McMichael is gone into detail including how much of a role the ladies (Elizabeth, Woman, Debra McMichael) played on & off the camera. The storyline behind Jeff Jarrett becoming a member of the Horsemen is briefly discussed...in a negative light...before the importance of Arn Anderson's retirement is heavily discussed. The problems between them, Eric Bischoff & the nWo is heavily discussed as the story behind Ric Flair disappearing in '98 is told from both sides along with comments regarding the nWo's mockery of Anderson's retirement speech. The last version of the Horsemen is discussed along with why it didn't work out with everyone going their separate ways before ending the DVD on the legacy the 4 Horsemen left on the sport.

Matches Include:
Ric Flair, Arn & Ole Anderson vs. Pez Whatley, Italian Stallion, Rocky King - Despite what the chapter menu & insert booklet advertised, Tully Blanchard wasn't in this match, it was Ole Anderson. This was your typical TV match in which it was an exibition for the future Horsemen showcasing both their offensive & defensive skills.
"NWA World Championship Wrestling" June '85

Steel Cage Match: NWA Champion Ric Flair vs. Ricky Morton - Ricky Morton was out for revenge here against Flair for the Horsemen breaking his nose & as a side note, Ric Flair sure knew how to make one hell of an entrance for this event. Ricky took the fight right to Flair in the beginning & even "made an ass" out of him at one point. Flair heavily targeted his broken nose using the steel cage to assist him while Morton returned the favor with the cage later on. This was a match that went back & forth with Morton coming so close various times to getting the victory.
NWA Great American Bash '86

First Blood Match: Tully Blanchard vs. NWA Television Champion Dusty Rhodes - This match had a very comedic beginning with the antics of both Tully & James J. Dillion resulting in Dillion bleeding worse than anyone else involved in the match. With the way this match was structured, this was a different encounter than usual as both men were wrestling more of a defensive style & heavily protecting shots to the head while also giving out more impactful blows to the other's head. This was a good match with great storytelling by both men.
NWA Starrcade '86

War Games Match: Ric Flair, Arn Anderson, Tully Blanchard, Barry Windham, James J. Dillion vs. Dusty Rhodes, Lex Luger, Steve Williams, Nikita Koloff, Paul Ellering - For those who never seen a War Games match, it's a two ringed cage match with a caged top on it & the first two wrestlers go in for 5 minute period. A coin toss is held (which the heels always seem to win) to determine who goes in next and the teams alternate wrestlers entering the match. When the final wrestler enters the cage, the only way to win is by submission or surrender.
After reading some of the other reviews, I know some would have opted for one of the two original War Games matches however this one is a special treat as this is a rare match concidering how it never happened on PPV or was released onto video tape unlike all the other War Games matches. This was just a battle as it got real bloody & violent with all men just beating the crap out of each other with their bare fist before "The Match Beyond" actually began. This is really just a unique match to sit back & watch to see how so many different styles came together for this match.
NWA July '88

NWA World Tag Team Champions Arn Anderson & Tully Blanchard vs. Sting & Nikita Koloff - They went to the 20 min. draw here but it was a solid match here from beginning to end. You saw the traits of what made Arn & Tully one of the greatest tag teams as they cut the ring in half & always kept their opponetts in control while Sting & Nikita held their own here as well.
NWA Great American Bash '88
("Allied Powers: World's Greatest Tag Teams")

NWA Tag Team Champions Arn Anderson & Tully Blanchard vs. Lex Luger & Barry Windham - The team also known as the "Twin Towers" dominated the first half of this match to the point where Luger he got the Torture Rack on Tully in the first minute & Barry had a sleeperhold so tight on Tully that he was able to keep it on when they both rolled out of the ring. The Horsemen later caught up & did what they did best in tag team wrestling by cutting the ring in half & making their quick tags having this match go back & forth between both teams with the crowd hot the entire time. James J. Dillion got involved in the end as this match didn't go long but it was non-stop action from start to finish.
"NWA Clash Of The Champions" Mar. '88
("Legends Of Wrestling: Heatseekers")

Ric Flair vs. Arn Anderson - As they talked about on the documentry, this was a match that nobody would ever thought they see but deep down...was curious about & did want to see to the point where you saw various WCW talent sitting in the audience just to see what happens. Since both men knew each other so much, this had various moments where both men ended up showing each other up at one point & hitting their trademark moves while at times countering the other person's moves. This lived up to the hype it had down to the commentary putting over just how close & personal this match was but with who got involved in the end & how things ended up happening within the next month, this match would be the starting point to the reunion of the next generation of the Horsemen.
WCW Fall Brawl '95

Other DVD extras include interview outtakes such as the story behind the Horsemen interviews & "The Four Horsemen Vitamins", J.J. Dillion talking about this pre-War Games match & getting surgery, Tully Blanchard remembering a college kid buying a Rolex because the Horsemen did, Jim Ross' relationship with the Horsemen, Barry Windham remembering being busted open by Lex Luger, Ric Flair on his wildest night in the business, and Dean Malenko talking about how he met Arn Anderson & a funny story about a hardcore Chris Benoit fan who had no thumbs. 10 Horsemen promos are included such as Ric Flair's WCW return in '98, Sting being kicked out the group, and J.J. Dillion receiving a ring as a gift from the Horsemen. Easter eggs include two hidden Horsemen promos, Dusty Rhodes talking about Arn & Tully leaving, Ric Flair discussing Bischoff's reaction to Sting beating him, and the true story behind J.J. Dillion's ring.

Overall, WWE did another legend (or in this case legends) justice as they presented not just the best or worst but the complete story of the Horsemen. Plus as a fan of old school wrestling, getting the chance to see some of this old footage is just an added plus. The only thing negative I could say is that I wish they had the original War Games match on here since that was the one talked about on the documentary and it didn't make any sense for Dean Malenko to have comments in the extras section but none in the documentary. Besides those two little things, I highly recommend for any TRUE fan of wrestling.
"