Blog
'The Iron Claw' movie review by Greg Tingle
'The Iron Claw'
Modern classic depicts harsh reality of a pro wrestling based family business; Highest of highs to almost unbelievable tragedy and low points; Kevin Von Erich emerges a champion of life.
A hard movie to give a star rating to due to the sensitive material based on real life occurrences, however we're going with 4.95 out of 5.
Recipe for both worldwide success, legendary status and maybe the strangest story in wrestling.
Too much material to work with; Filmmaking Masterclass.
Scribes may differ considerably to some other more "polished" or "professional" reviews.
A first draft, done on the fly with no "cheat notes", so take it easy on us. Eventually we'll do a more typical review, if we see the need to ok.
Some of my own life experiences being involved with family business, combat sports, pro wrestling and showbiz (mainly corporate creative arts and management - some with former long-term girlfriend), as well as a restaurant business for a number of years (with ex wife) saw me reflecting and getting flashbacks of own life and that of some family members.
This is also an opportunity for me to share a bit more about the family businesses I've been involved in, as well as some (key word) aspects of working around (more than in) the pro wrestling and combat sports industry. Read on and you will see the dots joining. Some fodder may even one day find it's way into a book I've been working away on for years. This X installment is a very small sample of my own story, with some modest parallels to the Von Erich story. Long now, I know, but there's much more to still put into the public domain via the Internet or other ok.
Some sequence of events from personal experiences, and again, not in a typical professional type review but from my perspective as fan of pro wrestling, a media business owner for over two decades and as a family business participant (truck driver/offsider, property manager and assistant artist and corporate arts and entertainment project manager). Oh, about three decades ago I attended a couple of pro wrestling training classes and while I was fit, strong and largely skilled enough my back was already in agony thanks in part to an existing injury I suffered as a construction worker on the Sydney Water Board (a year or two before I became sales, marketing, bundling and PPV specialist for Optus Vision (Australian subscriber television). Too much material in my own story also.
3 years old
I'm watching pro wrestling matches on the TV with Mum and Dad at Newport, Pittwater, in Sydney. Dad has started to build his truck, prime mover, transport and property business. Dad was already spending a lot of time on the road, on mining sites, as well as the Sydney Waterfront and some interstate runs. Truck driving is less than an ideal family business or a business that is a good foundation for family life..It made Dad a multi-millionaire but there was a very high price to pay. Mum was a surf girl, model and ultra talented artist and poet who would later go on to become an art teacher in schools (which only a small percentage of people ever get to accomplish).
Fast Forward to 8 years old. Living in Brisbane's Western Suburbs including 5 acres at Brookfield in the 4 story Cape cod as well as the modest 3 bedroom home at Chapel Hill, a few suburbs away. Breakdown of the traditional family unit with Mum and Dad had already been occuring. They tried to patch it up a number of times..Dad had accumulated about 5 properties, 4 trucks and a dozen trailers (40 footers). Container trailers, livestock trailers and other. I'd already attended about 3 primary schools by this stage.
Aged 15 or so
I'd earned myself a one way ticket back to Sydney after playing up and throwing some kind of tantrum while at the Brookfield average. home headquarters of Leo Marcus Swimming Pools Australia. Yes, Henry Marcus of NWA promoting fame is in the family tree. Nana Elvie Marcus (Mum's Mum) and journalist Mike Mooneyham confirmed it for me.
"I want to be with my Dad" I screamed out and much of Mum's side of the family heard. Brisbane Airport to Sydney Airport express. The $40 cash in my pocket got me from Sydney Airport to 376 Barrenjoey Rd,. Newport Beach. The property Dad (Ric), his brother (Alan) and their Dad, Eric Frazer Cameron Tingle owned. McDonald's has offered us 2 million for the property back then, but we politely declined.
So Dad, his Dad and I reconnected. Trips to the beach (Palm, Avalon, Mona Vale, Narrabeen - you name it, as well as to the 24 acre farm at Kurrajong, plus a range of sports clubs frequently including Bayview, Mona Vale Bowling Club and a few other establishments I won't get into, at least not at this stage.
Aged 20 years approx
I joined and excelled at both touch football and later Rugby Union. Even made it to left wing with the Warringah Rats and we won the premiership in 1987. A year later won "Most Improved Recruit" and "Fittest" with the Australia Army Reserve. We did beach wrestling/grappling to submission. I even started my own version of Fight Club. I would invite sports mates to my place at Pittwater for most of the bouts. I enjoyed a 95 percent winning record and I am not *ullshitting. Most wins within 5 minutes. Usually face locks, body scissor with a version of triangle. Sometimes my own variation of a kimura lock (before I knew that was the name of the hold).
In the huge lounge room of the Newport Beach home Dad had explaining to me that some of the holds and moves that the great Harley Race and Terry Funk used in the NWA pro wrestling promotion would work in a real life fight or self defense situation. Those moves along with fists and forearms. About a year later I found this to be absolutely true. My school fighting record at Pittwater High is two wins out of two official fights, and perhaps borrowing from some Bruce Lee and Sun Tzu strategy, I walked my way out of a couple of potential fights also. I later joined the Sydney Water Board as a construction worker at Avalon and Claireville Beach, after about a year as a shipping clerk for the ANL (Australian National Line). Seeing the millions in shipping containers and manifests drove me crazy. Dad kept on encouraging me about "government jobs". Dad later introduced me to his truck driving mates including George Barnes ("The Balmain Tiger") who just also happened to be a pro wrestler about once or twice a week. I still recall Barnes taking a piledriver from Con Iakovidis at Manly Warringah Leagues Club circa 1988. I was really starting to figure out this pro wrestling business, well, at least I thought so. I also worked out it was high risk and very "dangerous *shit"...I had started to bring in NTSL and VHS tapes wrestling and martial arts from Japan, USA, Canada and Europe. Pancrase Japan with Ken Shamrock really impressed me. About three decades later I got to meet my hero in Sydney, as well as Dan Severn and even Hulk Hogan who I'd seen wrestle legendary Antonio Inoki in Japan. Later I traveled to Austria and Hannover, Germany and grappled with pen pals, tape traders, and we ever got to see JBL fight under the name Justin Bradshaw I believe. We waved and said G'day to Otto Wanz. Memories to last a lifetime.
Time kept ticking along and I noticed Dad taking many pills throughout the day. He has gotten cancer. I blame poor diet, less exercise than before and too much stress. Dad lived a couple more years and it was tough of me and us. When he told me it was terminal that was the saddest day of my life.
Around this time I met my future wife Susie at a restaurant at Avalon and she actually helped solidify my vision of working in combat sports media (PPV and bundling for Optus TV. "Use your mind as much as you use your body and muscles Greg darling" was part of her words of encouragement to me. She was a hundred percent on the money with that advice. I later bought a restaurant for Susie to call her own at Leichhardt, and that really was the beginning of the end of our marriage. Family business stress lessons here. She put up with my wrestling (hand to hand combat sports and VHS tape trading and selling business endeavors.
At Optus I was paid very well in my sales, marketing and consultant role. Paid to promote WrestleMania, boxing and even Hulk Hogan vs Flair, Vader and how about Sting at Starrcade 1987. Talk about a dream job. After close to five years I joined the big guns at Telstra and the money and staff gym was great, but the job itself wasn't as enjoyable. Then I discovered ID Media, WaveCam and dotcom websites and webcasting.
Circa 2000
Working at Telstra helped get me Tech Support and IBM Surf Shack Media at Sydney Olympic Games!
Divorce proceedings on horizon.. Discovered internet dating (3 times was enough),. Community TV Casting Couch and authentic journalism at Petersham TAFE. Met another long-time friend or two via the Media education and entertainment connections. Not releasing names at this stage.
Circa 2001 Media Man (Australia) was up and running. Got to interview many wrestlers and wrestling personalities including Harley Race, Les Thatcher, Jake Roberts, Amy Action, TNT, Steve Rackman, Bill Behrens, Ric Drasin, Bill Apter, Killer Kowalski, Malia Hosaka and too many more to list here!
I'm getting carried away with my own story too - I know, but it's all connected..The pro wrestling business is a bit like a secret society. At least that's my interpretation. I trained, interviewed,.sold and promoted Pay-Per-Views (and still do), did some broadcasting announcing (even at Green Valley with Bob Blassie), photography and photoart, ring crew (putting up and taking down the ring), truck driving the ring to events, SEO (search engine optimization) campaigns and even a few "ghost" type projects I can't disclose details of. Oh, Pancrase Wrestling Australia for Chris DeVeaver was awesome also. Again, too many things to list.
Pro wrestling is more of a lifestyle and less of a job, if you follow. The vast majority of the time you absolutely love it. In the very rare occasion you might hate it - be it for a few seconds,. minutes or ours, but like the Australian fabulous Kangaroo/s one returns, seeking out another victory for self or vicariously via ones heroes such as Shamrock, Lesnar, Hogan, Jericho, Logan Paul, Kevin Owens, Bobby Lasley, Nic Nemeth, Moose,. Kenny Omega and the Von Erich Bros, Ross and Marshall. Enough name drops today, we hear you booing with some cheering from the rafters to the back office and booking office.
As the late Bray Wyatt penned, "Wrestling is a love story".
Love is the most beautiful thing in the world and it can also cut like a knife or blade. It may hit like Triple H's sledgehammer once in a while or tie you up in knots like Billy Robinson or Karl Gotch. If over-thinking this unique form of combat sports meets performance art it may catch you off guard in The Iron Claw.
Kevin Von Erich is a hero to me. The ability to overcome the odds, fight off adversity, live to fight another day and to share some of his story to the world. One that we can draw strength from as well as learn valuable life lessons from.
On pro wrestling the story seldom never ends. New chapters keep getting written. Many stories almost write themselves.
Do expect more updates and interpretations from our experiences in and around the business of pro wrestling. Sometimes I think family based media, art or trucking may be tougher than pro wrestling - but then I reflect and think again.
For my money pro wrestling is the toughest and possibly the most competitive business in the world.
Those who can - wrestle. Those who can't are fans. Pro wrestling and the Von Erichs' forever have us in their grasp. Kevin's got me in the iron claw!
