For All Mankind - The Life & Career Of Mick Foley

Image Source: Amazon

Written By: Mark Armstrong

Running Time: 375 Minutes
Certificate: 15
Number Of Discs: 3
Studio: Fremantle Home Entertainment
Released: April 22 2013

It's hard to believe prior to the release of For All Mankind that Mick Foley had never enjoyed a complete career retrospective DVD documentary. We'd had one-hour docs which showcased aspects of Foley's life and times, but never one which took us from the very beginning and through all the peaks and valleys of Foley's career.

Mind you, that is partly because, as any die-hard WWE fan knows, Foley has already released no less than four autobiographies (the first two of which were amongst the greatest wrestling books ever written), which were extremely comprehensive in detailing Foley's entire life. Therefore, it's understandable that we haven't had a full documentary on the Hardcore Legend; considering the books, there was little reason to get a DVD on his life as well.

Nevertheless, this serves as the visual companion to the likes of Have A Nice Day! and Foley Is Good, and with Mick being the engaging and entertaining subject that he is, the main feature is still very entertaining. With the exception of his 2008-2011 TNA stint, every major aspect of his career is covered. They include Mick becoming a wrestling fan and travelling to Madison Square Garden to watch the WWF as a teenager; training under Dominic Denucci; his early days competing (which included serving as enhancement talent for the WWF having barely wrestled at that point); his first WCW stint; his wars on the independent circuit prior to his second fruitful yet frustrating tenure with WCW; his memorable run in ECW; his ultra-violent exploits in Japan (such as the infamous King Of The Death Matches tournament); his initial success as Mankind in the WWF upon his 1996 signing; his transformation into childhood character Dude Love and the eventual WWF arrival of Cactus Jack (hence the Three Faces Of Foley); that Hell In A Cell battle with The Undertaker at King Of The Ring 1998 which would be Foley's most memorable match (as well as one of the most memorable matches of all-time); his unexpected first WWF Title win over The Rock which served as a pivotal night during The Monday Night Wars; his use of comedy in wrestling, including The Rock 'N' Sock Connection; his autobiographies; his many injuries; his decision to retire the first time in 2000 as he realised that his body was breaking down; his very popular run as WWF Commissioner; his multiple comebacks against the likes of Randy Orton and Edge (despite some incredible matches upon his returns, Foley admits that he often wishes he hadn't wrestled again after 2000); his transition into stand-up comedy in the early 2010s; his WWE return in 2011 after he left on fairly bad terms in 2008 following an uneasy run as a SmackDown announcer (this and other gripes with WWE and Vince McMahon over the years are covered in detail); his definitive retirement in 2012 on medical grounds; and Foley reflecting upon his legacy in wrestling, which is a unique and vital mark to have left on the crazy industry that is professional wrestling.

All of this and more is covered, assisted by plenty of clips, some rare archive footage and a plethora of comments by various talking heads including Dominic Denucci, Shane Douglas, Terry Funk, Vader, Triple H, The Rock, Steve Austin, Edge, Christian, Road Dogg, Michael Hayes, Randy Orton, CM Punk and many others. Some of these clips will be recognisable to those who have seen Foley's (excellent) Hall Of Fame tribute video prior to his induction into the 2013 Class; incidentally, said induction explains the purpose, and especially the timing, of this DVD.

If you've never read any of Foley's books, then this should be a very entertaining and informative documentary. However, chances are that a high number of viewers will have read at least one of Mick's autobiographies, or will at the very least be aware of Foley's most significant highs and lows, meaning that there will be few revelations to hardcore fans (no pun intended). That being said, this doesn't detract from the fact that the main feature is as enjoyable as any WWE profile that you will watch, and it is a more than fitting visual examination of, to quote the title, the life and career of Mick Foley.

Included on this DVD are more than a dozen bonus matches. Since Foley's previous DVD Greatest Hits and Misses included all of his most famous matches (on American soil, anyway), with his comeback bouts included on the 2007 re-release of GH&M, it stands to reason that the match selection on this DVD will be inferior to that of GH&M. There are some really good matches, though, which help to justify the existence of this DVD even further.

Mick's WWF squash match debut alongside Les Thornton against The British Bulldogs, whilst featured on GH&M, has alternate commentary with Mick and Joey Styles, as Foley (wrestling in this bout as Jack Foley) explains how he was left with a broken jaw as a result of an extremely vicious Dynamite Kid forearm/clothesline. Some rare bouts from the AWA and Memphis are followed by an early WCW bout against Keith Hart and an exciting Cactus Jack-Sting encounter from late 1991. A Falls Count Anywhere clash with Van Hammer from, erm, Clash Of The Champions is decent for the era (this is the match Foley referenced in Have A Nice Day! whereby he was "advised" to have interviewer Missy Hyatt somehow end up being covered in mud).

Next, we enter Foley's ECW stint, and we get a Barbed Wire match against The Sandman which is simple in its execution yet very bloody and at times hard to watch. More so is his battle with Shane Douglas at Cyberslam 1996 (which again has alternate commentary from Mick and Joey) during which Foley, handcuffed as he would be during the notorious I Quit battle with The Rock at Royal Rumble 1999, takes several very hard unprotected chair shots; that we are told in the documentary how chairshots like this caused Foley to have to retire for good in 2012 makes this a challenging encounter to watch. Disc two ends with two Mankind matches from 1997 against Rocky Maivia and Hunter Hearst Helmsley, prior to the Attitude Era during which Foley would have classic rivalries with both men, once their characters had completely transformed.

Kicking off disc three is Dude Love vs. Rocky Maivia from November 1997 which, to be honest, is pure filler (the brutal Mankind vs. Kane bout from Survivor Series eight days earlier would have been a better inclusion). The same can't be said for the next match, which is Mankind vs. Undertaker from KOTR 1998; this iconic Cell match once more has Mick and Joey giving us new commentary, and it remains a jaw-dropping battle to witness. That it has been released many times before, including on GH&M (not surprisingly), doesn't detract from the inclusion of this massively important chapter of Foley's career. Mankind and Kane vs. The New Age Outlaws serves more to demonstrate just how over every major WWF star was during the Attitude Era, whilst Mankind vs. The Rock from Rock Bottom 1998 is good, but arguably the weakest entry in their famous 1998/1999 feud. Closing out the DVD is The Rock 'N' Sock Connection against Triple H and Shane McMahon in a forgotten match from 1999, a brawl against Al Snow in late '99, and his superb Hell In A Cell showdown with Triple H from No Way Out 2000 which was meant to be his swansong (sure, Foley wrestled again six weeks later at WrestleMania 2000 and many times after that in later years, but could you imagine a major WWE star nowadays willingly having their last match at the PPV event before Mania?).

Other notes: I liked the artwork of this DVD, which sees Foley on the cover sitting in an old-fashioned lounge with momentos of his career in the background. The disc covers are unique as well as they feature Foley's signature smiley-face logo in the colours of his various alter egos (one of which was actually printed incorrectly for the Blu-ray version).

Summing this collection up, then, if you had never read any of Foley's books, you would argue that the documentary is one of WWE's best ever. And if the matches included on Greatest Hits & Misses had accompanied said doc, you'd have enough evidence to suggest that it might actually be of the greatest wrestling DVDs ever released. However, neither is the case, and we have a strong main feature albeit one lacking in revelations for Foley's biggest fans, and a selection of matches which is good on the whole, but don't come close to representing Foley's greatest battles, or even being of a high standard across the board given the amount of filler included. However, the documentary is undeniably entertaining, and there are some gems amongst the unmemorable bouts on discs two and three. Therefore, I still heartily recommend this DVD to any fan, and those who do love Foley will also love this DVD. If you already own GH&M, For All Mankind will fill in the missing pieces of the puzzle, and both DVDs combine to create one hell of an overall collection for one of the most entertaining personalities in WWE history.

Overall Rating: 8/10 - Very Good

Mick Foley's Greatest Hits & Misses - Hardcore Edition

Written By: Mark Armstrong

(2004 Edition)

Image Source: Amazon

Running Time: 389 Minutes
Certificate: 18
Number Of Discs: 2
Studio: Clear Vision Ltd/Silver Vision
Released: March 8 2004

Since the majority of the 2007 Hardcore Edition was a re-release of the 2004 original, this review will cover both versions.

The initial two-disc compilation on the life and times of Mick Foley included more than a dozen of his matches, spanning seven years and four promotions. The King Of Hardcore left an indelible mark on wrestling prior to his first retirement(s) in 2000, and this is reflected by the quality of the action on display here, as this is a non-stop hardcore thrill ride. Foley himself serving as the informative and often amusing host is an added bonus.

The collection kicks off with two WCW bouts. Cactus Jack vs. Vader from a 1993 edition of WCW Saturday Night is notable for some brutally stuff offence, requested by Foley himself, which would result in Mick suffering a broken nose and WCW heavily editing the bout on television (the uncut version is the one we get here). Following this, Cactus and Maxx Payne battle The Nasty Boys in a hellacious Chicago Street Fight from Spring Stampede 1994, with Foley taking two painful-looking blows near the end (Mick being shoved off the ramp so that he landed hard back-first on the concrete floor, and Jerry Sags tw-tting him full-force in the side of the head with a shovel.

We're then told the story behind Cactus Jack's ECW promo (Jack was working for the then-Eastern Championship Wrestling between WCW dates) where he spat on the WCW Tag Team Title to try and convey his sense of lost pride. WCW understandably felt miffed that one of its titles would be treated in such a manner; regardless, it expedited the process of Foley leaving WCW in the autumn of 1994.

Whilst all of the four ECW bouts here have a similar theme (namely, brutal hardcore violence), each one has a standout aspect. Cactus vs. Sabu from 1994 is notable for its "dream match" feel (Foley acknowledges that the match didn't quite match expectations at the time); Cactus vs. Sandman from 1995 sees Sandman legitimately knocked out, which adversely affected the finishing sequence (that this was a Texas Death match made things more awkward in this situation); Cactus and Raven vs. Terry Funk and Tommy Dreamer from November To Remember 1995 features breath-taking bloodshed and came shortly after an incident where a burning towel temporarily set the Funker on fire; and Cactus vs. Mikey Whipwreck from 1996 was Foley's ECW swansong, with fans showing true respect for Cactus despite his heel status. In between, we also get a short bout from Smoky Mountain Wrestling as Cactus faces Chris Candido.

Disc two focuses on his WWF tenure which he began under the mask of Mankind. We do not get any of his 1996 scraps with The Undertaker, so the first WWF bout is a great bout against Shawn Michaels from In Your House X: Mind Games. After that, we jump to 1997 where a superb angle sees Mankind and Dude Love introduce Cactus Jack for a very good Falls Count Anywhere war with Hunter Hearst Helmsley, who would soon transform into Triple H.

The year 1998 is first spotlighted by a fantastic hardcore battle with Terry Funk, where Foley first competed under his real name, which is followed by a so-bad-it's-good dance celebration with an OTT performance by the previously-reserved Vince McMahon. Steve Austin's guest commentary during this one is another highlight. This all leads to Dude Love vs. Austin from Over The Edge 1998 which is one of my favourite ever matches; few bouts provide more fun and pure entertainment than this one.

From there, we revisit the most famous match of Foley's career and one of the most memorable matches of all-time, as Mankind and The Undertaker battle inside, on top of and through the Hell In A Cell in an unbelievably brutal match from King Of The Ring 1998. This one has never been topped (despite Shane McMahon leaping from a taller HIAC structure at WrestleMania 32), which considering the plethora of injuries Foley suffered that night, is probably a good thing.

The next featured match is Mankind's first WWF title win over The Rock in a Raw match that proved pivotal during The Monday Night War (Steve Austin's interference elicits such a loud crowd pop that it was only on a later viewing that I heard announcers Michael Cole and Jerry Lawler calling that moment). Since their I Quit rematch from Royal Rumble 1999 isn't included, the final bout on the main feature is Cactus vs. Triple H in an outstanding Street Fight from Royal Rumble 2000 that allowed Foley to go out on a high come his first (and second) retirement shortly afterwards, and which played a major role in establishing HHH as a true main event player. If only WWE could instigate such a scenario to benefit Roman Reigns today.

There are two bonus bouts which gave humorous alternate commentary from Foley and Jonathan Coachman: Cactus vs. Sting under Falls Count Anywhere rules from WCW Beach Blast 1992 (which Foley considered his best match to date at that point) and a Cactus-Sabu ECW rematch (during which Sabu tries several times to break a glass bottle on Jack's skull only for the glass to repeatedly fail to shatter, which must have hurt like hell). We also get plenty of interviews and angles from Foley's career, including his famous Cane Dewey promo from ECW in 1995.

Obviously, not everybody will appreciate or like hardcore wrestling. If you do, though, you will find this DVD to be a virtually flawless tribute to the unforgettable career of Mick Foley with memorable moments and great action throughout. Despite some omissions, this is a phenomenal compilation on Mrs Foley's Baby Boy.

Overall Rating: 10/10 - Perfect

(2007 Edition)

Image Source: Amazon

Running Time: 540 Minutes
Certificate: 18
Number Of Discs: 3
Studio: Clear Vision Ltd/Silver Vision
Released: April 23 2007

The Hardcore Edition includes four more matches from Foley's comeback runs in 2004 and 2006. They are all of the hardcore violence genre, which should be no surprise to Foley fans. It does mean that some "regular" bouts from Mick's return (like The Rock & Sock Connection vs. Evolution from WrestleMania XX) aren't here, but those who enjoy this style of wrestling will be happy with the choices.

The first "new" encounter is Foley against Randy Orton from Backlash 2004, one of the best hardcore bouts ever and arguably Orton's greatest match; Foley says that this became the defining bout of this career. We get a similar scrap with Edge from WrestleMania 22 which is a bit rushed, but has the classic ending of Edge Spearing Foley through a flaming table.

A six-man war from ECW One Night Stand 2006 provides a breathtaking amount of bloody violence and a rather rude pinning predicament to end the bout. The last match, an I Quit bout between Foley and Ric Flair from SummerSlam 2006, is pretty good but has been forgotten by fans in retrospect, perhaps because of the disappointing and confusing finish.

The first two extra matches were Match Of The Year contenders; the last two, not so much. On the whole, though, the bonus bouts (which have alternate commentary from Foley and Joey Styles) enhance an already-fantastic set. It's not for everyone (to quote the original ECW), but any fans of hardcore wrestling will truly love this; the three-disc version really is the definitive Mick Foley collection.

Overall Rating: 10/10 - Perfect