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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Some long lost classics finally get on DVD, 4 Mar 2003
The Big A$$ Extreme Bash is a chance for wrestling fans to have a look at what ECW had to offer the public in 1996. This is long before the majority of ECW’s stars had jumped ship, and at least a year before ECW launched its first Pay-Per-View. You get the feeling this DVD could have been presented by Angus Deyton and renamed, ‘Wrestlers Before They Were Famous’. This DVD gives current WWE fans a chance to watch the likes of Chris Jericho, Taz, Bubba Ray Dudley and the not-so-long departed Mick Foley long before they made it big in the WWE. The DVD is a mixed bag; featuring some essential wrestling moments but an equal number of dud matches.The first moment wrestling fans must see is the arrival of Brian Pillman in ECW. Pillman, playing his ‘loose cannon’ persona to perfection is simply amazing. He antagonises Shane Douglas at various points during the DVD, each appearance more watchable than the last. This DVD, if nothing else, serves as a reminder of what a talent Pillman was, and how sorely he is missed. The second standout moment features former WWE favourite Mick Foley. Foley (in his Cactus Jack persona) wrestles Mickey Whipwreck in his farewell match from ECW. As a match it’s nothing special. But the amazing reception Foley receives from the fans afterwards makes it a must-see event. Foley’s speech is genuinely touching, even when Stevie Richards and the Blue Meanie join him. Finally the entire Rey Mysterio Jr v Juventud Guerrera match is unmissable. Fans of lucha libre wrestling will be hard pressed to find a better example anywhere on DVD. Mysterio and Guerrera put on a two-out-of-three falls clinic that fans of lucha-libre wrestling will just have to sit back and admire. Many of the matches on offer are merely highlights, which is a shame because the full-length version of the first Mysterio v Guerrera is reportedly amazing. Also, I for one wouldn’t have minded seeing a little more of the Cactus Jack v Chris Jericho match from the first night. Admittedly, a few of the matches aren’t great. Sabu’s match with Big Titan is incredibly short, however, Sabu manages to squeeze in most of his trademark spots, but I would’ve liked to have seen him get more than five minutes ring-time. Elsewhere, The Bruise Brothers and The Pitbulls slug their way around the ring until a Tommy Dreamer run-in saves the match from total mediocrity. As a side note, the audio and picture quality is second rate. While this does diminish the viewer’s enjoyment a little, the raw quality does give the viewer a feeling of what it was like to be there. Fans of today’s more polished WWE might not enjoy everything here, but for true wrestling fans, this is a must-buy DVD.
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DVD ~ Mikey Whipwreck
![ECW - Massacre On Queens Boulevard [DVD]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/5151ZZN36ZL._SL500_SS90_.jpg)
DVD ~ The Eliminators
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DVD ~ Ecw Wrestling
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DVD ~ Simon Diamond
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DVD ~ Chubby Dudley
