-We got some sad news this week.
-How I am adjusting to the news.
-Christmas Watch 2020: National Lampoons Christmas Vacation, Home Alone, Frasier: High Holidays, MASH: Dear Sis, Death takes a Holiday, War for all Seasons, ‘Twas the day after Christmas.
-If 2020 was a show, it would be this one.
-Tiny Lister
-Today we look at No Holds Barred: The Movie/The Match
No Holds Barred: The Match/The Movie, as the event was billed, was shown on pay-per-view on December 27, 1989. The program consisted of the film in its entirety, followed by a match previously recorded at a Wrestling Challenge taping on December 12 in Nashville, Tennessee. It is currently one of the few WWE pay-per-views not yet available on the WWE Network. The Match is a part of Supertape in the Home Video Classics section of the Network.
No Holds Barred is a 1989 action film produced by Michael Rachmil, directed by Thomas J. Wright, written by Dennis Hackin and starring professional wrestler Hulk Hogan (who is billed as executive producer alongside Vince McMahon). The film is produced by the World Wrestling Federation under a "Shane Distribution Company" copyright and was released by New Line Cinema on June 2, 1989. It was launched as an attempt to boost Hulk Hogan's acting career several years after his appearance in Rocky III.
Rip Thomas is the World Wrestling Federation Heavyweight Champion, and his appearances on network television have been a thorn in the side of Brell, the head of the struggling World Television Network. The day after Rip's most recent title match, Brell attempts to bribe the champion into joining his network, but Rip declines the offer. After Rip disposes of Brell's thugs on his way home, Brell visits the No Count Bar, where he comes up with his own wrestling program called Battle of the Tough Guys. The show is successful due to the introduction of Zeus, an ex-convict and former protégé of Rip's trainer Charlie. Zeus wins the $100,000 tournament and becomes Brell's prized fighter.
Samantha Moore, a beautiful corporate spy, is sent by Brell to seduce Rip. However, Rip's good nature and dedication to charity wins her over, and she confesses her identity to the wrestler and turns to his side. After this fails, Brell attempts to have Samantha raped; Rip foils the plot and dispatches the would-be rapist into a tree trunk. Meanwhile, Brell and Zeus crash an outdoor charity event Rip is appearing at, demanding that Rip prove his honor by fighting Zeus live on Brell's new show. Once again, Rip avoids violent conflict, not wanting to set a bad example for the children present and attempts to reason with Brell, who leaves in anger. Rip's younger brother Randy and his friend, Craig, decide to check out Zeus for themselves, attending an illegal fight being held in a warehouse. After watching Zeus defeat the monstrous Rebar Lawless, Craig foolishly identifies Randy as Rip's brother to Brell and his associates. Randy attempts to defend himself, but Zeus brutally beats him, sending him to the hospital. Enraged, Rip accepts Zeus' challenge to avenge his brother.
On the night of the match, Brell has Samantha kidnapped and orders Rip to go ten minutes through the fight then lose the fight to save her life. As the battle begins, Samantha manages to escape, but just as Brell's goons corner her, Charlie rescues her by knocking them out with a fire extinguisher. Zeus has the upper hand at the start of the fight, ruthlessly pummeling Rip, even trying to kill him by ripping out one of the steel posts and trying to run Rip through. Randy cheers to urge his brother to fight back. Rip is re-energized by Randy's words and once he sees Samantha is safe, gains a second wind and starts to turn the tides on Zeus. The fight destroys the ring, with Rip and Zeus continuing the battle up the through the stands as a disbelieving Brell watches from the control room. Rip finally puts an end to the match by knocking Zeus off a catwalk, which causes him to fall through the ring and lose. A frustrated Brell begins destroying electrical equipment, in total disbelief over Zeus' loss. Rip angrily goes after Brell intending to repay him for his misdeeds. In fear, Brell retreats, but accidentally touches live wires he has exposed in his tirade and dies from being electrocuted. With his enemies now vanquished, Rip celebrates his victory with Randy and his friends.
Cast
• Hulk Hogan as Rip Thomas
• Joan Severance as Samantha Moore
• Kurt Fuller as Brell
• Tiny Lister as Zeus
• Mark Pellegrino as Randy Thomas
• Bill Henderson as Charlie
• Charles Levin as Ordway
• David Paymer as Unger
• Patrick O'Bryan as Craig
• Jeep Swenson as Lugwrench Perkins
• Bill Eadie as Jake Bullet
• Stan Hansen as Neanderthal
• Rebecca Wackler as Ms. Tidings
• Bruce Taylor as Mr. Johnson
• Gene Okerlund as Himself
• Jesse Ventura as Himself
• Howard Finkel as Himself
• Joey Marella as Himself
Reception
Box office
The movie debuted at #2, behind Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, with $4,957,052 in ticket sales. Hogan writes in his autobiography the budget was about eight million dollars. Vince McMahon, who financed the movie, more or less broke even because of distribution fees. The final tally was $16,093,651 in ticket sales.
During the October 13, 1997 episode of Monday Night Raw, Vince McMahon joked, "Hogan promised me that if the movie lost money he was going to return his salary. I guess the check is still in the mail." This was during the Monday Night Wars and was part of a number of digs at Hogan's then-new movie project Assault on Devil's Island. Raw commentator Jim Ross also joked during the late 90s; "No Holds Barred? More like No Profit Allowed."
Critical response
The film was panned by critics, with an 11% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 19 reviews.
Film critic Brian Orndorf described the film as "tremendously crude, unapologetically manipulative, and aimed directly at easily entertained 13-year-old boys."
Michael Wilmington of the Los Angeles Times gave the film a positive review and wrote: "The movie never takes itself seriously and director Tom Wright (TV's "Beauty and the Beast") has fun with the wrestling montages. Hogan himself has an appealing screen presence—like a gallant teddy bear who goes berserk every 10 minutes or so."
Reviewing the Blu-ray in 2014 Felix Vasquez Jr. Hogan of Cinema Crazed wrote: "as The Ripper is a force of nature here, and he makes "No Holds Barred" in to a fun action cartoon."
Home video
The film was released on VHS, Betamax, and Laserdisc in October 1989. It was released on DVD for the first time ever with a digitally remastered transfer by WWE Home Video under the WWE Studios banner on July 3, 2012. A Blu-ray Disc release followed in April 2014.
No Holds Barred: The Match/The Movie was a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) event produced by the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) on December 27, 1989. The program consisted of the film No Holds Barred in its entirety, followed by a match previously recorded at a Wrestling Challenge taping on December 12 in Nashville, Tennessee.
Background
The main event pitted Hogan and Lister — appearing in character as "Zeus" — on opposing tag teams. Hogan teamed with longtime friend Brutus Beefcake, while the heel Zeus teamed with Randy Savage. The four had been involved in an intertwined feud since the summer. Zeus had made several appearances at WWF events and cut promos stating that he, and not Hogan, should have received top billing in No Holds Barred. Meanwhile, as Hogan and Savage were feuding over the WWF World Heavyweight Championship, Beefcake began feuding with Savage after Beefcake insulted Savage's manager Sensational Sherri during a TV taping. At the 1989 SummerSlam, Hogan and Beefcake teamed to defeat Savage and Zeus, after which the tag team feud simmered for several months as Zeus began appearing with Ted DiBiase in the lead-up to the 1989 Survivor Series. Unlike 1989 SummerSlam, Miss Elizabeth did not make an appearance at this event.
The Hogan-Beefcake vs. Savage-Zeus tag team rivalry resumed after the Survivor Series, in the lead-up to "No Holds Barred: The Match/The Movie."
The Hogan-Beefcake vs. Savage-Zeus steel-cage match was part of a WWF Wrestling Challenge taping.
-Tony Schiavone talks to Randy Savage, Queen Sherri, and Zeus. They say the destruction of Hulkamania happens now. No Holds Barred. Zeus says he is going to murder Hulk Hogan. That’s not good. They are too intense.
Sean Mooney Interviews Hulk Hogan and Brutus Beefcake. Hogan wants Beefcake to take care of Savage so that he can take care of Zeus.
-No Holds Barred Cage Match: Hulk Hogan and Brutus Beefcake VS. Randy Savage and Zeus with Queen Sherri: Vince McMahon and Jesse Ventura are your announcers: Jesse’s commentary is not on the Blu-ray of the movie so you don’t get Real American when Hogan and Beefcake come out either because he is commentating during the song. Hogan is attacked on the outside and Sherri locks Beefcake on the inside. Hogan then climbs over the top of the cage. Hogan cleans house but Zeus takes three shots to go down. Savage is bumping all over the cage for the faces. Double team on Zeus. Savage starts to climb out. Beefcake grabs him and they teeter then fall back in the cage. Savage and Zeus then take over. They try to go out but are stopped by Hogan and Beefcake but as a result, all four men are down. The referee opens the door but gets knocked out against the door by Sherri. Savage wraps the chain around his fist but Beefcake hits him and knocks him out. Savage and Beefcake race to get out. Hogan Hulks up! Beefcake out, he pulls Savage out. Zeus body slammed by Hogan. He runs Zeus into the cage. He slams him again and drops three leg drops on Zeus and then pins him. Hogan must pose!
Aftermath
This was Zeus' last match in the WWF, as Lister left shortly afterward; meanwhile, Savage continued to target Hogan over the WWF Championship.