Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.0
Audio		3.5
Extras		2.5
Overall		3.5

WWE: The History of WWE - 50 Years of Sports Entertainment Blu-ray Movie Review

50 years in two hours.

Reviewed by Martin Liebman February 10, 2014

What a main event we have for you tonight!

The WWE may take a lot of flak for its lack of realism -- the scripted events, the low- to no-contact punches and kicks, the "safe" tossing about of opponents in and around the ring, and the perception that it's more about marketing a product than it is entertaining a fan base with real sporting prowess -- but for an entity that has so long been the black sheep of the "legitimate" sporting community, it's earned quite a massive following, made tons of money, and made superstars out of plenty of folks who truly understood the art of sports entertainment, who looked the part, who sounded the part, and who were blessed with the athleticism to pull it off as convincingly as "fake" allows. It's found not just a staying power but a constant growth, certainly experiencing the ups and downs of seasons of success and times of turmoil and competition, but Vince McMahon's professional wrestling brand has withstood the test of time and become a profitable force and, more, an icon, a slice of Americana, and home to a storied character roster that's nearly the rival for any of the other major professional sports. The names "Sammartino," "Hogan," "Austin," "Rock" and "Cena" are as recognizable as "Jordan," "Ruth," "Gretzky," "Rice," and "Woods." The History of WWE: 50 Years of Sports Entertainment attempts to funnel all of that history into a two-hour program, plus a handful of influential and defining matches. Does the program pull off the impossible?

It's come a long way.

Narrator Keith David begins the film in the 1950s, covering Vince McMahon's father's involvement in the early days of the professional wrestling business, the planting of the seedlings of the empire that would be. The film examines the rise of the first superstar -- Bruno Sammartino -- and professional wrestling's growing traction with fans. It examines the importance of matches at the world-renowned Madison Square Garden and the sport's further rising into prominence throughout the 1970s in the first major talent transition towards names like "Andre the Giant" and "Hulk Hogan" in the 1980s. The picture follows through to the expanded cable television broadcasts, Vince McMahon's acquiring of the business from his father, and professional wrestling's explosion in popularity in the 1980s. It covers the births of WrestleMania, Raw, SmackDown, and Pay-Per-View events. It follows through to the Attitude Era and the modern landscape.

The History of WWE: 50 Years of Sports Entertainment sifts through a rather broad spectrum of topics that, on their own, are little more than anecdotes but that together do manage to paint a rather thorough, albeit simply thorough, picture of where the WWE has been and where it is today. The story in the whole is a compelling one. Keith David's authoritative yet welcoming and informative rhythm as narrator certainly helps sell the goods, but the film still feels like a collection of snapshots rather than a single, cohesive, narrative flow. It goes briefly into the business end of professional wrestling here, talks about going public with the stock there, offers a bit about the first episode after 9/11, and gives a minute or two to the acquisition of the WCW. The problems is that, at two hours, there's just not enough time to properly put together the full, detailed history of the WWE. It took Ken Burns nine episodes and over 19 hours to tell the story of baseball (and an added segment for the modern game, also narrated by David). Certainly the WWE lacks the lengthier history and the truly interwoven American story of baseball, but it simply needs more breathing room if it wants to give fans a truly compelling look at the history of the WWE. This feels like a condensed, cut-for-TV version of the larger whole that the WWE deserves.

The History of WWE: 50 Years of Sports Entertainment contains an assortment of matches and moments on disc two.

• WWE Championship Match: Bruno Sammartino vs. "Superstar" Billy Graham. From Baltimore, MD, April 30, 1977.
• WWE Championship Match: Hulk Hogan vs. Andre the Giant. WrestleMania III -- March 29, 1987 (arena footage only, no audio commentary).
• Royal Rumble Match: Participants include Bret Hart, Tito Santana, Butch Reed, Jim Neidhart, Jake Roberts, Harley Race, Jim Brunzell, Sam Houston, Danny Davis, Boris Zhukov, Don Muraco, Nikolai Volkoff, Jim Duggan, Ron Bass, B. Brian Blair, Hillbilly Jim, Dino Bravo, The Ultimate Warrior, One Man Gang, and Junkyard Dog. From January 24, 1988.
• First Episode of RAW: Koko B. Ware vs. Yokozuna. RAW -- January 11, 1993.
• King of the Ring Finals: Jake "The Snake" Roberts vs. Stone Cold Steve Austin. King of the Ring -- June 23, 1996.
• WWE Championship Match: Bret "Hit Man" Hart vs. Shawn Michaels. Survivor Series -- November 9, 1997.
• RAW Moment: Tyson and Austin! RAW -- January 19, 1998.
• WWE Championship Match: Triple H vs. The Rock. SmackDown -- August 26, 1999.
• RAW Moment: Mr. McMahon Announces the Purchase of WCW. RAW -- March 26, 2001.
• WrestleMania Match: The Rock vs. Hollywood Hulk Hogan. WrestleMania X8 -- March 17, 2002.
• Battle of the Billionaires -- Hair vs. Hair Match: Bobby Lashley vs. Umaga. WrestleMania 23 -- April 1, 2007.
• 6-Man Tag Team Match: John Cena, Batista, & Rey Mysterio vs. Chris Jericho, Big Show, & Randy Orton. Tribute to the Troops -- December 20, 2008.
• RAW Moment: CM Punk Speaks His Mind. RAW -- June 27, 2011.
• #1 Contender's Match for the WWE Championship: John Cena vs. CM Punk. RAW -- February 25, 2013.

WWE: The History of WWE - 50 Years of Sports Entertainment Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The History of WWE: 50 Years of Sports Entertainment arrives on Blu-ray with a good quality WWE presentation. It's typical for the WWE compilation piece, split into two primary elements: newly minted HD video and vintage standard definition footage. The HD video interview clips are satisfyingly sharp and well defined, showing intimate skin and clothing textures with ease. Light banding interferes at times, but not to a severely distracting level. Additionally, newer HD material from matches over the past few years appears robustly colored and precisely defined, a far step up from even the footage from the first years of the 2000s. The picture also features a host of vintage programming, dating way back to the black-and-white era and pushing forward to the months before the switchover to HD. The quality understandably varies a good deal across these scenes, though all are certainly acceptable for historic viewing. Note, however, that SD material has been reformatted to a 1.78:1 aspect ratio. In short, the film features quality HD video and a collection of dated footage of varying quality that's par for the course for a WWE release.

WWE: The History of WWE - 50 Years of Sports Entertainment Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The History of WWE: 50 Years of Sports Entertainment features the WWE-standard Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack. The main ingredient is Keith David's deep yet soothing voice. It's usually presented firmly and clearly in the center, though there are some instances when it unnaturally echoes around the stage. Otherwise, the presentation is solid, with much of the audio reflecting the era in which it was recorded, meaning newer ringside commentary, interviews, etc. will sound cleaner and more naturally accurate than older material. Overlay music plays with solid definition and presence. There's not a lot here beyond the spoken word, and for the most part the track handles dialogue well enough.

WWE: The History of WWE - 50 Years of Sports Entertainment Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

The History of WWE: 50 Years of Sports Entertainment contains the following bonus features on disc one:

• Reporting the News (HD, 2:13): Stu Saks remembers a controversial moment in wrestling history, involving Buddy Rogers, that led to the formation of the Worldwide Wrestling Federation.
• Jimmy Valiant on Vince McMahon, Sr. (HD, 1:58): The wrestler recalls a meeting with McMahon that propelled his career.
• Bankruptcy (HD, 1:29): Linda McMahon recalls a humorous story in a time of financial difficulty.
• Titan Sports (HD, 4:23): A look at the company formed to operate Vince McMahon's promotions and absorbing his father's company.
• Promo Man (HD, 0:56): A look at Vince McMahon's participation in shaping talent pomos.
• WWE Universe (HD, 1:37): Fans discuss their enjoyment of the WWE universe and one remembers a favorite moment.
• WrestleMania Match (HD, 20:12): Floyd "Money" Mayweather vs. Big Show. WrestleMania XXIV -- March 30, 2008.
• WrestleMania Match (HD, 42:25): Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels. WrestleMania 25 -- April 5, 2009.

WWE: The History of WWE - 50 Years of Sports Entertainment Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The History of WWE: 50 Years of Sports Entertainment offers an absorbing and informative, but somewhat piecemeal, history of the WWE. It's all good information, yet it feels like a compilation of highlights, part of a bigger, better, meatier narrative. It's a solid overview, no doubt about it, but with a history as rich as the WWE's, it's a bit disappointing that a two-hour program is all WWE Home Video could muster. A nice selection of classic bonus matches helps smooth things out, but fans will likely be left wanting a more comprehensive presentation for such an ambitious project. WWE's Blu-ray release of The History of WWE: 50 Years of Sports Entertainment features the average quality WWE video, audio, and supplements. Recommended with the caveat that many will want more by the end.