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20 Years Too Soon - Superstar Billy Graham (WWE)
20 Years Too Soon - Superstar Billy Graham
WWE
Actors: WWE Home Video, Billy Graham
Genres: Sports
NR     2006     1hr 30min

Movie DVD

     
9

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Movie Details

Actors: WWE Home Video, Billy Graham
Genres: Sports
Sub-Genres: Wrestling
Studio: World Wrestling
Format: DVD - Color - Closed-captioned
DVD Release Date: 01/17/2006
Original Release Date: 01/01/2005
Theatrical Release Date: 01/01/2005
Release Year: 2006
Run Time: 1hr 30min
Screens: Color
Number of Discs: 1
SwapaDVD Credits: 1
Total Copies: 0
Members Wishing: 0
MPAA Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Languages: English
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Movie Reviews

Superstardom
Sandra A. Gingras | 11/04/2005
(4 out of 5 stars)

"will feature a documentary on Graham's career as well as the following matches:

*WWWF champion Bruno Sammartino vs. Superstar Billy Graham (Baltimore, Maryland 4/30/77, Graham's title win)

*WWWF champion Superstar Billy Graham vs. Ivan Putski (Madison Square Garden, 8/29/77)

*WWWF champion Superstar Billy Graham vs. Dusty Rhodes - Texas Death Match (Madison Square Garden, 10/24/77)

*WWF champion Bob Backlund vs. Superstar Billy Graham (Madison Square Garden, 11/21/82)

Superstar Billy Graham vs. Armando Rodriguez (AWA All Star Wrestling, 8/25/73)

*Superstar Billy Graham vs. Angel Rivera (AWA All Star Wrestling, 10/6/73)

The DVD will also feature six promos in the Extra section, listed as:

"I am the arm wrestling champion of the universe." 10/6/73

"These hands can crush coconuts."

"I don't want you to ask me any questions" 8/27/75

"This is the beauty of a champion" 6/27/77

"I am the most colorful man in all of wrestling" 9/3/85

"The people want the real thing" 9/10/85

"The comeback" 11/29/86
"
Gone from the wrestling scene, but not CERTAINLY forgotten!!
Karen Santucci | Basking Ridge, NJ United States | 01/09/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)

"In the 1970s (1975 to 1978 to be exact) I was fortunate to be old enough to really experience and follow the phenomenal era that was defined by the way too brief arrival of one Superstar Billy Graham's era in the WWWF (even met the man once in Pennsylvania as well as outside the Garden before one of his record setting 19 sell-out MSG performances). I can not begin to explain nor describe the ENORMOUS impact Wayne Coleman (aka Superstar Graham) had in the field of Pro Wrestling in the 1970s! I recall some of the last Graham/Sammartino matches booked at NY's Madison Square Garden in the early summer of 1977 and can easily compare those events to the excitement generated by Ali/Frazier's historic battle in 1971! People paid to stand in the hallways and corridors of MSG in order to witness this wrestling Main Event...And like Ali/Frazier it didn't fail to entertain nor excite! If anything this book not only tells fans the way it truly was for Graham back in the day - like it or not - when he not only became a true mat legend, but a bodybuilding icon as well! Hell, even the legendary Arnold was transfixed by Grahams enormous 22 early on in their California days training as boduybuilers, and became one of his early friends in the process! With Grahams's enormous 22" biceps Arnold trained and befriended the young grappler early in their careers before each became the leaders in their own unique professions. Since the mid to late 1970s, there has been nothing like Superstar Graham and that inlcludes the contrived and monotonous '80s version of the phenomenal advent of "Hulkamania" that was all but born out of Superstar's way too short but still enormously influential reign as WWWF champion from April '77 to February '78. If anything, this book defines the horrible price one unfortunate, yet oddly blessed man was always willing to risk (regardless of how reckless those risks were) in order to achieve ultimate fame and fortune on his own terms, only to have it systematically taken away from him, by design, when he easily became the most famous pro-wrestler in the world! Graham does't hold anything back and tells it like it is and was! He comes clean with the destructive lifestyle and reckless habits that brought about his rapid downfall after losing the WWWF title to young, talented, but largely uncharasmatic contender named Bob Baclund in 1978. Whether or not you are a wrestling fan, this book will excite you, make you laugh, make you cry, and make you understand the enormous loss of genuine talent when it is eventually neglected."
Enjoy the footage of the superstar, but this is definetely M
Mike G. | Florida | 01/20/2006
(3 out of 5 stars)

"I am a huge superstar fan going back to his late 70s / early 80s heyday. While I certainly enjoyed this dvd's footage of da man, I was also disappointed by the somewhat "light" content and especially the slant that McMahon put on this one. Obviously, since it is WWE produced, this is no suprise. As a previous reviewer said, this is way to short to properly chronicle the superstar. Many of his territories, angles, big matches, etc...were completely left out. It showed the WWWF as the main and really only stage for him, again understandable as they produced this. But he was really great outside of the WWWF, what about the NWA, AWA, CWF, Mid-Atlantic, his huge match vs Harley Race? What troubled me was the way McMahon portrayed him towards the end. He made the superstar look like a low life who crawled back for forgiveness, and McMahon was very smug and unsincere when he said that he decided to forgive him because he (Vince) was at the top and Graham at the bottom. He also said that if he was as low as Graham he would not forgive anyone. The fact that he called Graham a derogatory explative that I will not repeat here - and a con-man on this dvd, which should be a tribute to Graham, is a disgrace. When Graham's wife was trying to explain that he is not a con man, and he has alot of character, I found that sad that she had to try and explain. Sure, Graham admits he lied because he was frustrated, but what about the fact that he was fired from the company, when I have read many times in the past that he said McMahon told him that he would always have a place in the company and there would be a place on the payroll for him? McMahon fired him when he was very sick and needed support, and after all Graham had done for the company for many, many years? I don't blame Graham for putting up with this current treatment and biting his tongue on many issues, as at least he is financially ok now as a result. So, I would reccomend to get this dvd, but keep strictly Graham in mind (proceeds he will make from this), ignore the WWE treatment, and look elsewhere for "unbiased" material on him. Graham's own website is really good by the way."
The First Of His Kind
Ervin Griffin | Bluefield, WV | 02/12/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)

"Admittedly, until this DVD, I was quite ignorant of the legendary "Superstar" Billy Graham. I started watching wrestling in 1985 and by that time his career was winding down in the NWA-Mid Atlantic area and his short comeback in WWE. I have heard stories about him but this is the first real look I've had at him and I enjoyed it.

Basically, the story starts with his childhood to his first exposure to Christianity. From there, he got involved in bodybuilding and athletics before meeting the late Stu Hart in Calgary and later the late Dr. Jerry Graham.

After traveling to the AWA, Florida and Texas areas, Graham ended up in the WWWF (now known as WWE) and became their heavyweight champion. He definitely changed the way wrestlers should look as almost no one had his physique or his charisma. His interviews were actually more entertaining than his matches. Honestly, he wasn't the most skilled wrestler out there but it didn't matter as people paid good money to see him.

What was also interesting was that though a heel, he got as many cheers as boos! He was almost (in a way) a predecesor to guys like The Road Warriors, "Stone Cold" Steve Austin and The Rock in the sense these guys were supposed to be heels YET they got lots of cheers when they hit the ring!

From his height, he fell from grace as drugs and a sour attitude took its toll on him. From his crusade against WWF/WWE to his near death in 2001 to his redemption and reconsiliation with both God and WWE, Billy Graham's journey is anything but boring!

Here are the extras:

MATCHES:

*Vs. Armando Rodriguez - This is from AWA All Star Wrestling (8/25/73). A squash basically.

*Vs. Angel Rivera - Also from AWA All Star Wrestling (10/6/73). Another squash.

*Vs. Bruno Sammartino (WWWF Title Match) - April 30, 1977 was the day that "Superstar" would cement his place in wrestling history as he defeated "Da Brune" in Baltimore, MD.

*Vs. Ivan Putski (WWWF Title Match) - A title match from Madison Square Garden against "Polish Power" Ivan Putski, one of the few men that could match power with Billy Graham at that time!

*Vs. Dusty Rhodes (WWWF Title Match) - A title match dubbed a "Texas Death Match." A wild match! Rhodes was one of the few that could match Graham in terms of electrifying the crowd and both these men has the MSG audience at a fever pitch!

*Vs. Bob Backlund (WWWF Title Match) - This is actually a match years later in November 21, 1982. By that time, Graham had gone to a "karate" gimick and to be honest, it looked terrible! Decent match but I would've rathered seen the first Backlund/Graham match where Backlund won the title!

ON THE MIC

*I AM THE ARM WRESTLING CHAMPION OF THE UNIVERSE - All Star Wrestling 10/6/73

*THESE HANDS CAN CRUSH COCONUTS - This is the interview from his AWA days.

*I DON'T WANT YOU TO ASK ME ANY QUESTIONS - All Star Wrestling (WWF/WWE) with a young Vince McMahon doing the interview! LOL!

*THIS IS THE BEAUTY OF A CHAMPION - Madison Square Garden 6/27/77

*I AM THE COLORFUL MAN IN ALL OF WRESTLING - Worldwide Wrestling 9/3/85

*THE PEOPLE WANT THE REAL THING - Mid-Atlantic (NWA) 9/10/85

*THE COMEBACK - WWF/WWE Wrestling Challenge 11/29/86

DIRECTOR'S CUT

Overdose - A story from Billy Graham how he almost overdosed on drugs two nights before his final night in Madision Square Garden.

Apache Reservation - A funny story about wrestling on indian land!

Jimmy Hart Story - A story about Graham's time in Memphis, TN.

Bruce Prichard Imitation - Fun imitation of Graham by the former "Brother Love.""