| GLOW: The Story of the Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling | |
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| Directed by | Brett Whitcomb |
| Written by | Bradford Thomason |
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| Cinematography | Brett Whitcomb |
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Running time | 76 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
GLOW: The Story of the Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling is a documentary film aboutprofessional wrestling. Released in 2012, it tells the story of theGorgeous Ladies of Wrestling (abbreviated G.L.O.W. or GLOW), a women's wrestlingpromotion. GLOW staged live events that were filmed and then shown on American television for four seasons in the late 1980s. The documentary includes footage from the TV series, combined with then-recent interviews of some of the participants.[1][2]
The film was directed by Brett Whitcomb and written by Bradford Thomason. It premiered on April 27, 2012, at theHot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival. It won the Best Documentary award at the 2012San Diego Comic-Con film festival. It was released on DVD in the United States on March 26, 2013. It became available for streaming onNetflix on April 1, 2017.
Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling was the firstwomen's professional wrestling TV show. It was created byDavid McLane and directed byMatt Cimber.Mando Guerrero trained the wrestlers, most of whom were aspiring actors and models with no previous experience in professional wrestling. The production was financed byMeshulam Riklis, who at the time was the principal owner of theRiviera hotel and casino inLas Vegas and was married toPia Zadora. As usual in professional wrestling, the women ofGLOW portrayed campy, flamboyant characters who were either "good" or "bad". The TV series also included comedy sketches and rap music performed by the wrestlers. It was quite popular and ran for four seasons, from 1986 to 1989, before it was abruptly cancelled.
GLOW: The Story of the Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling combines footage from the television series with interviews of some of the wrestlers, done about 15 years after the TV show ended. Towards the end of the movie, the women ofGLOW have a reunion party in Orange County, California. Wrestlers interviewed in the film includeEmily Dole (Mountain Fiji),Dee Booher (Matilda the Hun), Angelina Altishin (Little Egypt), Cindy Maranne (Americana), Lorilyn Palmer (Ninotchka),Lisa Moretti (Tina Ferrari),Jeanne Basone (Hollywood), Lynn Braxton (Big Bad Mama), Dawn Rice (Godiva), Donna Willinsky (Spike), Sharon Willinsky (Chainsaw), Cheryl Rusa (Lightning), andUrsula Hayden (Babe the Farmer's Daughter).
InThe New Yorker, Sarah Larson wrote, "If a show like [theGLOW TV series] were made today, it might be self-consciously or ostensibly feminist – a celebration of fortitude and athleticism, like roller derby orAmerican Ninja Warrior.G.L.O.W. was aesthetically about as feminist asCharlie's Angels – yet itwas empowering. It created a bizarre new realm in which women could be strong and aggressive and reveal a raw id. TheG.L.O.W. alums in the documentary, though blunt aboutG.L.O.W.'s management and working conditions, speak about their time on the show with pride. In its own weird way,G.L.O.W. was physically and spiritually freeing."[1]
InThe Village Voice, Araceli Cruz said, "Yes,GLOW... was a groundbreaking television show that... featured female wrestlers who, we now learn, were actresses, models, dancers, and/or stunt women hoping to break into show business any way they could. But what happened to them? Director Brett Whitcomb takes us into the lives of this tough group of women in his documentaryGLOW: The Story of the Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling from the initial open-call auditions, to the grueling training with wrestling legendMando Guerrero, to overnight success and global recognition, and the show's unexpected cancellation."[2]
On Toronto Film Scene, William Brownridge wrote, "AlthoughGLOW... didn't last very long on television, the fan following was immense. How could you not fall in love with something so campy and fun? With the big hair, neon colours, gorgeous ladies, and some impressive wrestling skills, the women ofGLOW enjoyed huge popularity. At what was probably the height of their success, the money was pulled out of the show, forcing everything to shut down.GLOW: The Story of the Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling takes us from the first auditions, through the final moments of the league, and finally, to a reunion that brings the girls back together after more than 15 years."[3]
OnRogerEbert.com, Jana Monji said, "Director Brett Whitcomb and writer Bradford Thomason take us back to the disco era of big hair, glitter and Spandex to look at how three men,David McLane,Matt Cimber and Steve Blance with money fromPia Zadora's then-husbandMeshulam Riklis, created a TV faux-reality show and peopled it with wanna-be stars.... Clips from the original broadcasts and interviews with former members paint a picture of innocence, fun and folly, but the reunion that resulted from the making of this documentary is touching. [The filmmakers] don't ignore the downside of wrestling including on-stage and cumulative injuries."[4]
InLA Weekly, Siran Babayan wrote, "Everything aboutG.L.O.W. was '80s excess: the makeup, high-cut leotards and even higher hair. For 500 matches, girls with un-P.C. and mildly offensive names like Spanish Red, Cheyenne Cher, Little Egypt and Palestina head-locked each other in staged cat fights in Vegas interspersed with cheesy comedy sketches and even worse rap songs... The film's where-are-they-now interviews are made all the more touching thanks to a cast reunion recently organized inO.C. that included the elusive [Matt] Cimber, who, by most accounts, was a temperamental taskmaster. Cimber, a movie producer who wasJayne Mansfield's last husband, declined to be interviewed for the movie."[5]
On Decider, Josh Sorokach said, "An eclectic blend of sketch comedy, singing, and grappling, the series was heavy on variety as it combined elements ofLaugh-In, MTV,Saturday Night Live, and the WWF (now referred to as theWWE) to create a wholly original viewing experience. The originalGLOW is the personification of '80s camp.... Inspirational, heart-breaking, and a whole lot of fun, this riveting doc is a must-watch for fans ofNetflix's newest comedy."[6]