One of the best films i have seen

Nice effects though.

just watch it!

Great example of an old-fashioned, pure-at-heart escapist event movie that doesn't pretend to be anything that it's not and has boat loads of fun being its own ludicrous self.

From Madison Square Garden, New York, NY, on Sunday March 31st, 1985, it's WWF WrestleMania! Ringside announcers are Gorilla 'Holy mackerel, it is a happening' Monsoon and Jesse 'Woodstock was to Rock 'n' Roll what WrestleMania is to wrestling' Ventura. Backstage announcers are Mean Gene 'Sings better than Robert Goulet' Okerlund and Lord Alfred 'Good gracious, or good luck, something like that' Hayes. "Welcome to WrestleMania!"MATCH 1 - Singles Match: The Executioner vs. Tito Santana An average, but solid, singles match to kick things off. Tito gets a firm start with some basic grappling moves before The Executioner counters and begins to strategically work on Tito's leg, before he is launched out of the ring. Both guys trade the advantage a couple more times, before Tito hits the Flying Jalapeno and locks on the figure-4 leg lock, as a means of sending a message to Intercontinental Champion, Greg Valentine (who had taken the title from Santana six months prior). Executioner gives in, and the very first WrestleMania match is won via submission. ** MATCH 2 - Singles Match: King Kong Bundy vs. S.D. Jones Merely a 23-second squash match that Bundy used as a platform to announce his intent to dominate the WWF roster. A bearhug, Avalanche and body splash is all it takes to putones away. Otherwise forgettable, but kicked off a good run for Bundy that would eventually earn him the honour of challenging Hulk Hogan for the WWF Championship in the main event of WrestleMania 2, a little over a year later. 1/4* MATCH 3 - Singles Match: Matt Borne vs. Ricky Steamboat A good catch-as-catch-can contest that begins with Steamboat grounding Bourne with an atomic drop and a headlock, before Borne retaliates. Steamboat retains the pace and continues to wear Borne down with restholds and martial arts strikes. After some more standard back-and-forth action, Steamboat wins it with a cross-body from the top rope. **1/2MATCH 4 - Singles Match: Brutus Beefcake vs. David Sammartino Debatable whether this was to showcase young David's ability, or just to give the crowd a glimpse of the living legend Bruno Sammartino, who accompanied his son to the ring. The contest itself is a very generic bout that leans toward the Greco-roman style, with neither competitor gaining the upper hand. Unfortunately very little excitement and a disappointing finish of a double-DQ when the managers get involved. *1/2MATCH 5 - Singles Match for the WWF Intercontinental Championship: Greg Valentine (C) vs. Junkyard Dog A match that doesn't really do the I-C title any justice; Valentine sticks to a small range of boring moves and despite the JYD looking the better man and staying on the front foot for the majority of the match, the Hammer pins him with assistance from the middle rope. Suddenly, Chico appears to explain what happened to the referee, and the bout is immediately restarted and ended again, with the Dog winning by countout, but a rather pointless finish as the title stays with Valentine. *MATCH 6 - Tag Team Match for the WWF Tag Team Championship: Nikolai Volkoff & The Iron Sheik vs. Barry Windham & Mike Rotundo (C) A high-tempo start between Rotundo and Sheik, before Windham tags in and continues to work on the Iranian. The challengers claw their way back into the bout with some good teamwork of their own. The champs look to have it settled when Windham takes Volkoff down with a Bulldog, but all hell breaks loose, with the Sheik smashing Fred Blassie's cane over Windham's head in the middle of the confusion. Volkoff gets the pin, and wins the Tag Titles for his team. Good match with a decent, if a little tainted, finish. **1/2MATCH 7 - $15,000 Body Slam Challenge Match: Big John Studd vs. Andre the Giant A very slow-paced and boring match with too many restholds and poorly executed strikes. Andre eventually gets the win following a body slam, before Bobby Heenan steals the bag of money from him! A disappointing match and finish. -*MATCH 8 - Singles Match for the WWF Women's Championship: Leilani Kai (C) vs. Wendi Richter Rather amusing start as Kai oversells a punch to the chest, before both ladies stick with mostly takedowns, arm drags, and restholds. Execution is a little messy at times, with Cyndi and Moolah getting in the mix halfway through. A good display of power from Richter, and a good finish as she reverses a cross-body from Kai to pin her with her own momentum to capture the Women's title for the second time. *1/2 "He got him!" - Monsoon as Richter gets the 3-count.MATCH 9 - Tag Team Match: "Mr. Wonderful" Paul Orndorff & Rowdy Roddy Piper vs. Mr. T & Hulk Hogan The main event is classic, but more for the occasion rather than the match quality itself. However, there is good chemistry going into the match: the heel team of Piper, Orndorff and their manager Cowboy Bob Orton getting heat from the MSG crowd, and huge pops for he face team of Hogan and Mr. T, accompanied by "Superfly" Jimmy Snuka. Mr. T actually gives a fair account of himself with Greco-roman sitouts with both Piper and Orndorff, an overhead slam on Piper and even dropping Orndorff with a beautifully-executed hip toss. What the match lacks in pure wrestling quality, it makes up in entertainment factor. After it begins to erupt into chaos, Orton knocks Orndorff out by accidentally hitting him with his arm cast, allowing Hogan to get the pin. *** Overall, a slightly above-average show. Some good wrestling, and some memorable moments, but very different to the WWE product of today. For wrestling enthusiasts, this is definitely worth a watch at least once, but you're not going to see any all-time classic matches in terms of pure wrestling. This aside, a very solid show and worth owning for collections.-- Ryan

This was the first ever Wrestlemania event and set the tone and the bar for the rest. It was a quiet good event and it impressed me. OK let me take you back in time....March 31st 1985 Madison Square Garden. Gorilla Monsoon and Jesse Ventura on commentary and let's go.......... Match One: Tito Santana vs. The Executioner: OK the first match of the first Wrestlemania Santana/Excutioner. I was always impressed by Tito I have saw many of his matches on tape and he is a really great wrestler who I rate very highly. However in this match he was fighting, ermmm what's his name? Ermmm nobody a jobber pretty much, Tito carried this match. Winner: Tito Santana Rating: 5/10: Match Two: David Sammartino vs. Brutus Beefcake: Hmmmm, mmmm no didn't like it. It wasn't a bad match just not my cup of tea. The match is probably most notable for the appearance of Bruno Sammartino. Winner: Double dq: 3/10: Match Three: Ricky Steamboat vs. Matt Borne: oh yes!!!! this is more like it the future dragon vs. the future ermmmm Doink. Borne was capable of more then Doink as this match shows. The Dragon's matches are always outstanding and he performs his best. So this was a good solid match: Winner: Ricky Steamboat: Rating: 8.5/10: Match Four: King Kong Bundy vs. S.D. Jones: 7 seconds how can I rate a match 7 seconds long???!!!!Winner: King Kong Bundy: Rating: Noyt Rating it 7 seconds long blink and you miss it. Match Five: Andre The Giant vs. Big John Studd: A battle of two legendary giants in a body slam match I believe. Very entertaining in the 80's it was rare to see anyone over the size of 6ft 6 so to see these two were like Colossal back then. This was an amazing body slam match which I would ranks as being one the greatest matches of the night. Winner: Andre The Giant (hurrah): Rating: 9/10: Match Six: Junkyard Dog vs. Greg Valentine: Intercontental Champion The Hammer taking on JYD a personal favourite of mine (rip). The Dog was one of the best competitors in the 80's and even though I wasn't even born then I still look at the video's and think whoa what a fighter. Very impressive match but am going to give it a 7 due to the crappy ending. Winner: Draw: Rating: 7/10: Match Seven: Un-Americanz vs. The US Express: Don't be fooled. The Un-Americanz are not the crappy 2002/3 stable they where Nicholai Volkoff and Iron Sheik, a great tag team. They fought Barry Windham and ermmmmm what was his name now errr Mike Rotundo !!!!(got it) I knew it would come to me. Good solid Tag Match. Winners: Un-Americanz: Ratings: 8/10: Match Eight: Wendi Richter vs. Leliani Kai: Whats the big deal? Everyone says this match was so good but the only thing good about it was Cindi Lauper on ringside and her dodgy bearded manager ermm Wolfman or something. Anyways rubbish match: Winner: Wendi Richter: Rating: 2/10: Main Event: Tag Match: Mr. T and Hulk Hogan vs. Rowdy Roddy Piper and Mr. Wonderful Paul Orndorff: OK I do think this match should have been a title match instead of a Tag Match. But who am I to judge. This was the very first Wrestlemania Main Event and was a clever idea. Get a popular TV Star and a popular wrestler and what do you get? Your first Wrestlemania. Extremely good match and Mr. T is a pretty good wrestler you know. I was impressed as always by Roddy Piper a true ring great and Mr. Wonderful what can I say? One of the greatest in ring competitors of the 80's and you think Chris Master's has a body to brag about? You should see this guy. So there you have it 3 of the best superstars of the 80's and 1 TV Star. A great main event which set the tone for the rest. Winners: Mr. T and Hulk Hogan: Rating: 8.5/10 And there you have it folks we have just reviewed the very first Wrestlemania, an event which started a legacy of great events to come. Rent out this if you can if not for quality (and there is a lot of quality) then for historic value.

March 31, 1985, Wrestlemania was born!!Hulk Hogan and Mr. T squared off against Rowdy Roddy Piper and Mr Wonderful Paul Orndorff. The very first main event of a Wrestlemania. Truly memorable.The Executioner got kicked over the top rope, but landed right on a chair!! Classic!

Say what you want about the simplistic lighting, lack of todays glitzier production values, and the couple of jobber matches, but you cannot die that this was the one that started it all, and that it is indeed PURE '80s. You also cannot die the electricity felt when watching parts. Sure it drags during the first two or three matches, but if you can honestly tell me you don't feel the excitement with the pops for JYD, Andre, Albano & The US Express, Wendi Richter and Cyndi Lauper, and of course Hogan & Mr. T, then I can tell you that you are honestly not a true wrestling fan. Is it cheesy? Yes. But wasn't that the way of the '80s? And don't even tell me "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" doesn't get stuck in your head after watching this...:-) Well worth the view.