WWE - Jake The Snake Roberts - Pick Your Poison [DVD]

However, in real-life, Jake was his own worst enemy. While he enjoyed success and adoration all over the world, his personal life was falling to pieces. Anyone who's watched "Beyond The Mat" (a documentary film released in 1999, much to the chagrin of Vince McMahon, the WWF and others) can testify that the image that we see of Jake is that of a fallen star, and a victim of the "Rock N' Roll" lifestyle of wrestling during its first peak.

For anyone who'd never seen "The Snake" out of the ring, watching the footage of him in the film was a harrowing and rather depressing experience (especially the scenes in which he tried to repair the fractured relationship with his daughter). For any fans that were under the impression that Jake lived the life of luxury and had simply been living off his previous success for all these years, this film was a harsh wake-up call.

"Pick Your Poison" also doesn't shy away from Jake's long-running battles with his "demons". In fact, it (along with the man himself) openly discusses them. Jake also talks about his troubled childhood (which in itself, sounds like enough to make anyone hit the bottle or turn to drugs) and how he got into wrestling to "get back" at his father, who according to Jake, never really loved him.

We also learn how Jake became "The Snake" and ended up in the WWF, where he had his most famous run as a heel and a baby face. Many memorable matches and moments are relived, including the infamous "Snake Bite" angle in 1991 (which is still shocking to this day), the "death" of Damien (Jake's first regular snake used on TV) and more. We find out how Jake ended up in WCW, but left shortly afterward (long-term WCW fans will be pleased to know that his rarely seen [in the UK] "Coal Miner's Glove Match" against Sting is included as a DVD extra).

Jake returned to the WWF in 1996. The company rather callously (or perhaps carelessly) exploited Roberts' new religious lifestyle and his decision to be "tee-total" (they ran a feud where Jerry Lawler doused him in alcohol and made several personal remarks about his previous drinking habit). Not surprisingly, Jake took it personally, but Jerry Lawler goes on to defend the angle.

The documentary part of the DVD is very interesting and emotionally involving. Jake's story is not pretty, and unlike many WWE releases (which usually contain a few bad words and violence), is not really suitable for anyone under 15 (hence the rating), due to it's rather mature drug/alcohol abuse theme.

The extras are more than adequate. There's plenty here to enjoy, especially if you're a fan of Jake's deadly serious (even in the "cartoon era") promos and interviews. Plus, there's some classic matches and angles (such as the infamous "Casket" skits with Warrior) and a few comments from Jake that didn't make into the final documentary.

Overall, this is an impressive and well-handled WWE DVD release that should please "old school" WWE fans and new fans as well. Regardless of the turn Jake's personal life took, his wrestling career was an undeniable success and he himself was one of the big names who got the ball rolling for the business that we see today.