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Iron City Asskickers
USA 1998
produced by George A. Romero, Jason Winn 'J.B. Destiny' Bareford, Christian Bareford (executive), Christian Stavrakis (executive), Mark Ricche (executive) for Cryptic Pictures, Image 987
directed by George A. Romero
starring David Herchelroath, Jason Winn 'J.B. Destiny' Bareford, Darlene Vislay, Lori Cardille, Brian Anthony, Babe Nigro, George A. Romero, Christian Stavrakis, Nate Moore, Kyra Schon, Mark 'Buff' Wilhelm, Hank Hudson, Spiffy Sean Styles, Shawn Patrick, Dennis Brant jr, Boomer Payne, Ruth Leslie Dorst, Fred Kowalo
written by Jason Winn 'J.B. Destiny' Bareford
TV pilot
review by Mike Haberfelner
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The atmosphere's electric in Pittsburgh, PA, as the reigning wrestling
world champion Big Poppa Gator (David Herchelroath) is challenged for the
title by J.B. Destiny (Jason Winn Bareford), a man half his size but twice
his ambition and cunning. The fight has an extra dimension to it, as not
long ago, J.B. Destiny has kidnapped (or, as he prefers to call it, freed)
Gator's girlfriend/manager Sadie Spank (Darlene Vislay), who has since
been his ringside companion. So the stakes could hardly be higher, and of
course, the fight is fought dirty, with both men throwing everything but
the kitchen sink at each other - and despite not matching Gator in size,
strength or weight, eventually J.B. Destiny gains the upper hand. But
everybody seems to have forgotten that Sadie has a stake in the fight as
well ...
By 1998, cult director George A. Romero hadn't directed a film
in literally years, so when his associate, local wrestler Jason Winn 'J.B.
Destiny' Bareford, suggested a reality TV-like, mostly improvised pilot
for a TV show set in the world of pro-wrestling based on Bareford's own
script, Romero wasn't one to say no - and the outcome of this is actually
a pretty entertaining soap operatic sports piece, filmed by Romero with
the necessary feel for grittiness of drama, but also spots of comedy, to
make this an enjoyable ride for sure - but alas, the pilot was never
picked up and expanded into a series, quite possible because back when
both the WCW and the WWF delivered wrestling action heavily
infused with melodrama on a weekly basis already, and even if their
approach was less subtle and lacked narrative finesse, there simply wasn't
demand for yet more wrestling entertainment on the airwaves - which is a
shame, would have been fun to see where this was going. And
this has gotten you at all interested, you can get the pilot on DVD or
even VHS (!) here: https://www.crypticpictures.com/iron-city-ass-kickers
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review © by Mike Haberfelner
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Robots and rats,
demons and potholes, cuddly toys and shopping mall Santas,
love and death and everything in between,
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a collection of short stories and mini-plays ranging from the horrific to the darkly humourous,
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Tales to Chill Your Bones to
the new anthology by Michael Haberfelner
Out now from Amazon!!! |
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