Hitman Hart: Wrestling with Shadows
Encyclopedia
Hitman Hart: Wrestling with Shadows is a 1998 documentary film
, written by Paul Jay, which follows World Wrestling Federation
superstar Bret Hart
during his last year in the WWF, from his WWF Championship
victory at SummerSlam
to his final match with the company at Survivor Series
on November 9, 1997.
Bret "Hitman" Hart is torn between two companies, World Wrestling Federation (WWF) and World Championship Wrestling
(WCW). On one hand, the WWF is his home. The chairman of the company, Vince McMahon
, is a father figure to Hart and takes credit for Hart's rise to international wrestling stardom. However, the company's new creative approach to marketing professional wrestling, "WWF Attitude
," which relies on an emphasis on sex and the replacing of heroic wrestling characters with disaffected anti-heroes, has left Hart disillusioned.
Ted Turner
's WCW, on the other hand, is willing to pay him a great deal to "jump ship" as well as give him a fresh start in a company that offers a more wholesome approach. Hart chooses to remain loyal, and despite the fact that WWF's Raw is War
is losing the Monday Night Wars
to its rival WCW Monday Nitro
, he signs a twenty year deal with the WWF. McMahon soon retracts the deal, and encourages Hart to move on to WCW, citing financial reasons. This leaves him with no choice but to take WCW President Eric Bischoff
's offer and prepare to leave the WWF. As the still-reigning WWF Champion, conflicts arise regarding his final match with the company, including Hart's unwillingness to drop the WWF Championship. To be more precise, Hart is not willing to lose the title to Shawn Michaels
, with whom he holds a bitter, real-life rivalry, in his home country of Canada
. This leads to one of the most infamous events in professional wrestling known as the Montreal Screwjob
.
This documentary is a rare look at professional wrestling behind the scenes. Examples include Hart discussing with The Undertaker and Pat Patterson how matches will proceed, Bret's wife, Julie, accusing Triple H
of being in on the "screwjob", and the monstrous Vader discussing his recently acquired real estate
license and future career plans.
Wrestling with Shadows also gives a rare look at Hart's family life as well as the Hart House
—childhood home to Bret Hart as well as the rest of his extensive, wrestling-oriented family. Hart's mother, Helen, describes how she hates wrestling and has been wishing the family would abandon it for decades. Hart describes the role that wrestling has played in his life while footage is shown of his father, Stu
, legitimately applying submission holds
on a student of his basement—a notorious training room known as the Dungeon. Hart's wife, Julie, is also interviewed about the toll wrestling has taken on their relationship and raising four children. Hart is shown discussing with both his father and his wife the choice to stay with the WWF or move to WCW. In one instance, his frustration at his kitchen table leads him to ask the director to stop filming.
Other highlights of the documentary include interviews held in the Meadowlands
parking lot where the director asks slightly intoxicated
and incoherent wrestling fans their take on the ensuing America versus Canada feud, wherein one woman credits Bret Hart as her inspiration for going back to school for computer graphics
. Another interviewee claims that Americans do not love their children when they cheer for heel
wrestlers like Shawn Michaels
and Steve Austin
. Another wrestling fan even shares beliefs that a strong connection lies between corporate America and the Undertaker/Bret Hart storyline. His words detail how Americans have to operate through a "by any means necessary" philosophy.
in which Hart put his WWF title on the line against Shawn Michaels. Hart is seen entering a private discussion with McMahon on how his final match will play out, which is heard on film due to Hart wearing a wire. They seem to find common ground and agree to a no contest or "schmozz". This result would then allow Hart to make a farewell speech the following night on Raw and forfeit his WWF Championship.
Hart begins the match believing that it will end as he and McMahon agreed upon; midway through the bout, Michaels had Hart in a sharp shooter
(Hart's submission move) which Hart was in the process of escaping. However, McMahon comes to ringside and orders referee—and close friend of Hart—Earl Hebner
to call for the ringside bell to be rung, signaling the end of the match. Hebner does so and declares Michaels the winner, stripping Hart of the title.
An enraged Hart spits on McMahon while Hebner, fearing for his safety, flees the building. Hart spells out "WCW" with his fingers to the shocked and confused crowd and smashes numerous ringside television monitors before storming backstage to confront Michaels and McMahon. Michaels feigns ignorance. During a closed-door confrontation with McMahon, Hart punches him in the face; Hart's wife, believing that the incident was a conspiracy by the entire WWF roster, corners and confronts numerous wrestlers, most of whom appear bemused. A stunned, bruised McMahon staggers out of the building and Hart and his family leave. The film concludes with footage of Hart at home while on screen text details the immediate fallout of the screwjob.
and the National Film Board of Canada
(NFB). It was released on VHS
format to both the United States and United Kingdom in 1999. The film was only available on DVD
in the United Kingdom until 2009. On February 3, 2009 Wrestling with Shadows : The 10th Anniversary Collectors Edition was released on DVD for the first time in the United States. This 2 disc edition includes the movie, interviews with Bret Hart and director Paul Jay ten years later and "The Life and Death of Owen Hart" documentary.
In a interview featured on the two disc special edition director Paul Jay states that the filmmakers had a contract with McMahon to provide not only stock footage but the waivers for the use of the names and likeness of the other wrestlers featured in the film. After the fallout from Montreal however, McMahon feared how he would be portrayed in the film and refused both. The director goes on to state that WCW contacted the filmmakers and not only offered to pay for the law suit at a cost of
($750,000) They also offered a pay-per view deal for the film and long term distribution on the Turner network. Once McMahon became aware of this the director states that they received a fax from Titan Sports Inc. saying that they would honor there original contract on the condition that the law suit be dropped and they could never sell the film to Turner. Paul Jay said they were told they had a "Slam-dunk" case but when asked about the film, they were told they would most likely be in court three to four years and "There would be no film" even if they won. They chose to make the film and dropped the law suit. The director goes on to state that McMahon also used his reputation to kill some of the distribution deals in the U.S. and overseas.
awards and has aired several times on both A&E
and the Documentary Channel as well as on BBC Two
in the United Kingdom
.
Documentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
, written by Paul Jay, which follows World Wrestling Federation
World Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
superstar Bret Hart
Bret Hart
Bret Hart is a Canadian on-screen personality, writer, actor and Semi-retired professional wrestler. Like others in the Hart wrestling family, Hart has an amateur wrestling background, including wrestling at Ernest Manning High School and Mount Royal College...
during his last year in the WWF, from his WWF Championship
WWE Championship
The WWE Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in WWE. It is the world title of the Raw brand and one of two in WWE, complementing the World Heavyweight Championship of the SmackDown brand. It was established under the then WWWF in 1963...
victory at SummerSlam
SummerSlam (1997)
SummerSlam was the tenth annual SummerSlam professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the World Wrestling Federation . It took place on August 3, 1997 at the Continental Airlines Arena in East Rutherford, New Jersey.-Background:...
to his final match with the company at Survivor Series
Survivor Series (1997)
Survivor Series was the eleventh annual Survivor Series pay-per-view professional wrestling event produced by the World Wrestling Federation. It took place on November 9, 1997 at the Molson Centre in Montreal, Quebec....
on November 9, 1997.
Between two companies
As his contract nears expiration in March 1996, professional wrestlerProfessional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport...
Bret "Hitman" Hart is torn between two companies, World Wrestling Federation (WWF) and World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling, Inc. was an American professional wrestling promotion which existed from 1988 to 2001. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, it began as a regional promotion affiliated with the National Wrestling Alliance , named Jim Crockett Promotions until November 1988, when Ted Turner and...
(WCW). On one hand, the WWF is his home. The chairman of the company, Vince McMahon
Vince McMahon
Vincent Kennedy "Vince" McMahon is an American professional wrestling promoter, announcer, commentator, film producer, actor and former occasional professional wrestler. McMahon is the current Chairman, CEO and Chairman of the Executive Committee of professional wrestling promotion WWE...
, is a father figure to Hart and takes credit for Hart's rise to international wrestling stardom. However, the company's new creative approach to marketing professional wrestling, "WWF Attitude
The Attitude Era
The Attitude Era was a period in World Wrestling Federation and professional wrestling history that began as a direct result of the Monday Night Wars, a television ratings conflict between the WWF and longtime rival promotion World Championship Wrestling that lasted from 1995 to 2001...
," which relies on an emphasis on sex and the replacing of heroic wrestling characters with disaffected anti-heroes, has left Hart disillusioned.
Ted Turner
Ted Turner
Robert Edward "Ted" Turner III is an American media mogul and philanthropist. As a businessman, he is known as founder of the cable news network CNN, the first dedicated 24-hour cable news channel. In addition, he founded WTBS, which pioneered the superstation concept in cable television...
's WCW, on the other hand, is willing to pay him a great deal to "jump ship" as well as give him a fresh start in a company that offers a more wholesome approach. Hart chooses to remain loyal, and despite the fact that WWF's Raw is War
WWE RAW
WWE Raw ) is a sports entertainment television program for WWE that currently airs on the USA Network in the United States...
is losing the Monday Night Wars
Monday Night Wars
Monday Night Wars is the common term describing the period of mainstream televised American professional wrestling from September 4, 1995, to March 26, 2001. During this time, the World Wrestling Federation's Monday Night Raw went head-to-head with World Championship Wrestling's Monday Nitro in a...
to its rival WCW Monday Nitro
WCW Monday Nitro
WCW Monday Nitro was a weekly professional wrestling telecast produced by World Championship Wrestling, created by Ted Turner and Eric Bischoff. The show aired Monday nights on TNT, going head-to-head with the World Wrestling Federation's Monday Night Raw from September 4, 1995 to March 26, 2001...
, he signs a twenty year deal with the WWF. McMahon soon retracts the deal, and encourages Hart to move on to WCW, citing financial reasons. This leaves him with no choice but to take WCW President Eric Bischoff
Eric Bischoff
Eric Aaron Bischoff is an American entrepreneur, and professional wrestling booker and on-screen personality currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling...
's offer and prepare to leave the WWF. As the still-reigning WWF Champion, conflicts arise regarding his final match with the company, including Hart's unwillingness to drop the WWF Championship. To be more precise, Hart is not willing to lose the title to Shawn Michaels
Shawn Michaels
Michael Shawn Hickenbottom , better known by his ring name Shawn Michaels, is an American television host and retired professional wrestler. He presents the Outdoor Channel show MacMillan River Adventures, and is currently signed to WWE, where he has served in an ambassadorial role since December...
, with whom he holds a bitter, real-life rivalry, in his home country of Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. This leads to one of the most infamous events in professional wrestling known as the Montreal Screwjob
Montreal Screwjob
The Montreal Screwjob was a controversial, purportedly real life professional wrestling event in which the owner of the World Wrestling Federation, Vince McMahon, double-crossed the defending WWF Champion, Bret Hart, during the main event match of the professional wrestling pay-per-view event...
.
This documentary is a rare look at professional wrestling behind the scenes. Examples include Hart discussing with The Undertaker and Pat Patterson how matches will proceed, Bret's wife, Julie, accusing Triple H
Triple H
Paul Michael Levesque is an American professional wrestler, professional wrestling authority figure, WWE Executive Vice President of Talent and actor, better known by his ring name Triple H, an abbreviation of the ring name, Hunter Hearst Helmsley...
of being in on the "screwjob", and the monstrous Vader discussing his recently acquired real estate
Real estate
In general use, esp. North American, 'real estate' is taken to mean "Property consisting of land and the buildings on it, along with its natural resources such as crops, minerals, or water; immovable property of this nature; an interest vested in this; an item of real property; buildings or...
license and future career plans.
Wrestling with Shadows also gives a rare look at Hart's family life as well as the Hart House
Hart House (Alberta)
The Hart House is a residence located in the Patterson Heights neighbourhood of Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Once owned by Stu Hart, it was home to his extensive family made world famous for their accomplishments in professional wrestling...
—childhood home to Bret Hart as well as the rest of his extensive, wrestling-oriented family. Hart's mother, Helen, describes how she hates wrestling and has been wishing the family would abandon it for decades. Hart describes the role that wrestling has played in his life while footage is shown of his father, Stu
Stu Hart
Stewart Edward "Stu" Hart, CM was a Canadian amateur wrestler, professional wrestler, promoter and trainer. Hart founded Stampede Wrestling, a promotion based in Calgary, Alberta, and was the father of famous wrestlers Bret and Owen Hart...
, legitimately applying submission holds
Professional wrestling holds
Professional wrestling holds include a number of set moves and pins used by performers to immobilize their opponents or lead to a submission. This article covers the various pins, stretches and transition holds used in the ring...
on a student of his basement—a notorious training room known as the Dungeon. Hart's wife, Julie, is also interviewed about the toll wrestling has taken on their relationship and raising four children. Hart is shown discussing with both his father and his wife the choice to stay with the WWF or move to WCW. In one instance, his frustration at his kitchen table leads him to ask the director to stop filming.
Other highlights of the documentary include interviews held in the Meadowlands
Meadowlands Sports Complex
The MetLife Sports Complex is a sports and entertainment facility located in East Rutherford, Bergen County, New Jersey, United States, owned and operated by the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority...
parking lot where the director asks slightly intoxicated
Drunkenness
Alcohol intoxication is a physiological state that occurs when a person has a high level of ethanol in his or her blood....
and incoherent wrestling fans their take on the ensuing America versus Canada feud, wherein one woman credits Bret Hart as her inspiration for going back to school for computer graphics
Computer graphics
Computer graphics are graphics created using computers and, more generally, the representation and manipulation of image data by a computer with help from specialized software and hardware....
. Another interviewee claims that Americans do not love their children when they cheer for heel
Heel (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a heel is a villain character. In non-wrestling jargon, heels are the "bad guys" in professional wrestling; the term heel coming from the term take to you heels, which means to run away which heel champions tend to do to avoid losing their titles.storylines...
wrestlers like Shawn Michaels
Shawn Michaels
Michael Shawn Hickenbottom , better known by his ring name Shawn Michaels, is an American television host and retired professional wrestler. He presents the Outdoor Channel show MacMillan River Adventures, and is currently signed to WWE, where he has served in an ambassadorial role since December...
and Steve Austin
Stone Cold Steve Austin
Steve Austin , better known by his ring name "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, is an American film and television actor and retired professional wrestler...
. Another wrestling fan even shares beliefs that a strong connection lies between corporate America and the Undertaker/Bret Hart storyline. His words detail how Americans have to operate through a "by any means necessary" philosophy.
Montreal Screwjob
The final act of the film sheds light on the events building up to Survivor Series '97Survivor Series (1997)
Survivor Series was the eleventh annual Survivor Series pay-per-view professional wrestling event produced by the World Wrestling Federation. It took place on November 9, 1997 at the Molson Centre in Montreal, Quebec....
in which Hart put his WWF title on the line against Shawn Michaels. Hart is seen entering a private discussion with McMahon on how his final match will play out, which is heard on film due to Hart wearing a wire. They seem to find common ground and agree to a no contest or "schmozz". This result would then allow Hart to make a farewell speech the following night on Raw and forfeit his WWF Championship.
Hart begins the match believing that it will end as he and McMahon agreed upon; midway through the bout, Michaels had Hart in a sharp shooter
Sharpshooter (professional wrestling)
The Sharpshooter, originally named Sasori-gatame, Scorpion Hold in English, is a professional wrestling submission hold. The move is also known by several other names: cloverleaf leg-lace Boston crab, standing reverse figure-four leglock, and, the most commonly known alternative, Scorpion Deathlock...
(Hart's submission move) which Hart was in the process of escaping. However, McMahon comes to ringside and orders referee—and close friend of Hart—Earl Hebner
Earl Hebner
Earl William Hebner is a professional wrestling referee currently working for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, and the twin brother of Dave Hebner...
to call for the ringside bell to be rung, signaling the end of the match. Hebner does so and declares Michaels the winner, stripping Hart of the title.
An enraged Hart spits on McMahon while Hebner, fearing for his safety, flees the building. Hart spells out "WCW" with his fingers to the shocked and confused crowd and smashes numerous ringside television monitors before storming backstage to confront Michaels and McMahon. Michaels feigns ignorance. During a closed-door confrontation with McMahon, Hart punches him in the face; Hart's wife, believing that the incident was a conspiracy by the entire WWF roster, corners and confronts numerous wrestlers, most of whom appear bemused. A stunned, bruised McMahon staggers out of the building and Hart and his family leave. The film concludes with footage of Hart at home while on screen text details the immediate fallout of the screwjob.
Production
Wrestling with Shadows is co-produced by High Road Productions Inc.and the National Film Board of Canada
National Film Board of Canada
The National Film Board of Canada is Canada's twelve-time Academy Award-winning public film producer and distributor. An agency of the Government of Canada, the NFB produces and distributes documentary, animation, alternative drama and digital media productions...
(NFB). It was released on VHS
VHS
The Video Home System is a consumer-level analog recording videocassette standard developed by Victor Company of Japan ....
format to both the United States and United Kingdom in 1999. The film was only available on DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
in the United Kingdom until 2009. On February 3, 2009 Wrestling with Shadows : The 10th Anniversary Collectors Edition was released on DVD for the first time in the United States. This 2 disc edition includes the movie, interviews with Bret Hart and director Paul Jay ten years later and "The Life and Death of Owen Hart" documentary.
In a interview featured on the two disc special edition director Paul Jay states that the filmmakers had a contract with McMahon to provide not only stock footage but the waivers for the use of the names and likeness of the other wrestlers featured in the film. After the fallout from Montreal however, McMahon feared how he would be portrayed in the film and refused both. The director goes on to state that WCW contacted the filmmakers and not only offered to pay for the law suit at a cost of
($750,000) They also offered a pay-per view deal for the film and long term distribution on the Turner network. Once McMahon became aware of this the director states that they received a fax from Titan Sports Inc. saying that they would honor there original contract on the condition that the law suit be dropped and they could never sell the film to Turner. Paul Jay said they were told they had a "Slam-dunk" case but when asked about the film, they were told they would most likely be in court three to four years and "There would be no film" even if they won. They chose to make the film and dropped the law suit. The director goes on to state that McMahon also used his reputation to kill some of the distribution deals in the U.S. and overseas.
Reception
It won numerous film festivalFilm festival
A film festival is an organised, extended presentation of films in one or more movie theaters or screening venues, usually in a single locality. More and more often film festivals show part of their films to the public by adding outdoor movie screenings...
awards and has aired several times on both A&E
A&E Network
The A&E Network is a United States-based cable and satellite television network with headquarters in New York City and offices in Atlanta, Chicago, Detroit, London, Los Angeles and Stamford. A&E also airs in Canada and Latin America. Initially named the Arts & Entertainment Network, A&E launched...
and the Documentary Channel as well as on BBC Two
BBC Two
BBC Two is the second television channel operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It covers a wide range of subject matter, but tending towards more 'highbrow' programmes than the more mainstream and popular BBC One. Like the BBC's other domestic TV and radio...
in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
.