DVD Review: Bret "Hitman" Hart: The Best There Is, The Best There Was, The Best There Ever Will Be

If, like me, you enjoy the intersection of athleticism, showmanship, humour, and backstage politics that comprise the world of professional wrestling, this is something really special.

No longer able to wrestle because of the dual effects of a concussion sustained at the hands of Bill Goldberg approximately five years ago and a resulting stroke which happened a couple of years later, Bret Hart and the WWE have put aside their differences to put something together for the fans which recaps the Hitman's career.

This DVD begins with the Hitman's development in his dad's Stampede Wrestling promotion, based out of Calgary. I really enjoyed seeing all the footage of a young Hitman tangling with other wrestlers such as the Dynamite Kid and Bad News Allen (later Bad News Brown). These kids were out there really giving their all and the WWE made sure that this crucial part of the Hitman's career was properly dealt with.

Next comes a part which I really liked, which was the development of the legendary Hart Foundation. The matches with the Killer Bees and the British Bulldogs, both from Madison Square Garden in the mid-80s and featuring Gorilla Monsoon and Lord Alfred Hayes on commentary, had me yelling at the TV twenty years later. Also, we get to see the Anvil's psychotic facial expressions and evil laugh, along with the Mouth of the South antagonizing everyone with the megaphone.

The true substance of this DVD is found in the recapture of the early 90s period, when Hart was brought into the Intercontinental and Heavyweight title pictures. His matches with Mr. Perfect and the British Bulldog are both here, and while his match from Saskatoon vs. Ric Flair when he captured the WWF title does not stand alone as a DVD extra, it is well-told within the overall narrative.

And of course, Montreal. I was glad that they didn't dwell on the Hitman's jump to WCW after he was "screwed" by Vince McMahon and Shawn Michaels. It is given its proper treatment, as is the death of Bret's younger brother Owen in a tragic ring-related accident in May of '99 in Kansas City. Both issues are dealt with tastefully, which was great to see.

One of the things that I found intriguing about this set is the humanity of its subject. It is well-documented that since his stroke, the Hitman has difficulty containing his emotions. He breaks down and cries a few times over the course of the DVD when talking about his family, friends who have succumbed to the wrestling business, and other moments during his life. I think it was awesome to see Bret let himself be put out there at his most vulnerable because that is a side of our heroes growing up that we don't really get to see. As adults, we can appreciate it and so it brought a certain kind of poignancy to the Hitman's story.

The only thing that I have to say about this set is that there are some crucial matches that should have been included. The Wrestlemania IV Battle Royal, for instance, when Bad News Brown applied the "Ghetto Blaster" to Bret to win it. Also, the infamous Survivor Series 1997 match isn't carried in its entirety. They also don't have the excellent 60 minutes-plus Iron Man match that Bret and Shawn did at Wrestlemania 12, I think it was. Also, I would have liked to see more footage of Bret and the reconstituted, all-Canadian Hart Foundation (with Pillman, Owen, the Anvil and the Bulldog) and some of their classic moments. There is a healthy amount of footage there, but I loved that period (probably because it was when I rediscovered wrestling and how much I love it!).

They could have left out some of the matches like Bret vs. Ricky Steamboat (1986), Bret vs. Ted DiBiase (1989) and Bret vs. Hakushi (1995), and especially the AWFUL Bret vs. the Undertaker match (1997) and included some of these other ones.

All that being said, this is one of the best products the WWE has put out yet and will appeal to both hardcore and casual WWE fans alike.

Overall rating: 9.5/10