266:
promote a single event featuring both music and wrestling. The show is well received and Smilac schedules an entire tour using the same "Rock n' Wrestling" format. Their tour is a huge success, which angers
Captain Lou Murano. On a televised appearance, Harry challenges Captain Lou's Cannibals to a match for the World Tag Team Championships on behalf of his wrestlers Rick Roberts and Tonga Tom. After a hard fought match, Rick and Tom have beaten the Cannibals to win the title belts and become the new champions.
484:, Dirk Benedict recounts positive experiences working on the film. However, both he and director Hal Needham clashed with the two lawyers credited with writing and producing the film over changes to the script and Needham's creative choices. At one point, Benedict had a physical altercation with one of the writers/producers. These conflicts led to lawsuits being filed, which caused the film to miss the entire summer movie season. Later, the film was slated to be released by
265:
Recovering from their injuries and on the fringes of both the music and wrestling industries, Harry decides to take his wrestlers and his band on a cross country road tour of small arenas. Initially he promotes separate wrestling and rock shows, but a scheduling mix-up at a venue causes him to
29:
233:
While making arrangements for the fundraiser, Smilac mistakes pro wrestler "Quick" Rick
Roberts (Roddy Piper) for a musician and hires him. Having zero luck as a music manager, Smilac decides to stick with his hunch about Roberts and become a pro wrestling manager,
205:
Hal
Needham had arguments with the pair that produced and wrote the film regarding his changes to the script, resulting in lawsuits that delayed the film's release. As a result, the film was never theatrically released and was instead released
510:
rated it at two stars, describing it as a "raucous action comedy with a certain (admittedly dubious) historical appeal." Mick Martin and Marsha Porter also gave it two stars, calling the film "silly" but saying that it had "a lot of heart."
198:. After being exiled from the business by a rival manager, he finds success in promoting shows that feature both wrestling and rock music. The film features many well-known wrestlers of the time and references the
350:
as
Captain Lou Murano, mostly based on Albano's own manager persona in the professional wrestling business. Albano would also follow his appearance in this film with a successful secondary career as a character
521:
gave the film a positive review, calling it a "pleasant surprise" and "genuinely funny." They praised Dirk
Benedict's performance and called the film a "solid comeback" for director Hal Needham.
365:
in the film in non-speaking roles. However, they also had successful real life wrestling careers as the tag team The Wild
Samoans, with Lou Albano as their manager. The duo was inducted into the
226:
of an unpopular politician. Although not entirely happy with his new gig, Smilac finds a love interest in
Candace Vandervagen (Tanya Roberts), the daughter of the politician's wealthy campaign
515:
gave the film two-and-a-half stars, calling Dirk
Benedict's performance "charming" and lamenting that the film was not widely released, saying that it "deserved better."
668:
338:
as Missy
Roberts. Several years after starring in the movie, a 14-year-old Martin mentioned that the film never made it to theaters and called it "kind of a flop."
238:
matches for
Roberts and his teammate Tonga Tom (Sam Fatu). The team is a success but politics come into play when Smilac clashes with Rick's former manager, the
892:
218:
M. Harry Smilac (Dirk Benedict), once a successful music promoter, is having a hard time attracting talent and booking gigs for his sole client, the
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496:
was brought to DVD as part of the MGM Limited Edition Collection series. On June 15, 2021, distributor Kino Lorber released Body Slam on Blu-Ray.
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Kick. Behind on his car payments and owing a large amount to a banker, he reluctantly accepts a job finding musical acts for the
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as M. Harry Smilac. He was Needham's first choice for the role based on Benedict's work on the television show
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as "Axe" and "Hammer" The Cannibals. Both were professional wrestlers, and infrequently teamed for
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in November 1986. The film never saw wide theatrical release and was instead released directly to
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191:. The film revolves around a down-and-out music promoter who inadvertently becomes a successful
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a real fight with Piper and Fatu during the filming of the movie's final match so the crowd of
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246:). A day after a disastrous fundraiser featuring Smilac's rock band, Murano and his
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as The Samoans. Like Fatu, both are members of the Anoa'i family. The two star as
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Matches fought as a team by Teijo Khan and The Barbarian, from Wrestlingdata.com
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as Vic Carson. Reilly had previously starred in another Hal Needham film,
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555:. Canadian Online Explorer. Archived from the original on January 1, 2013
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258:) injure Harry and his wrestlers in a nationally televised bout, before
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284:. Although Benedict had previously worked with professional wrestler
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appear in cameos as audience members during the film's final match.
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as Quick Rick Roberts. Piper was best known for his work with the
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of professional wrestling through his work on this film.
328:
as Tonga Tom. Fatu is a member of wrestling's famed
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as himself, the guest announcer for the final match
894:Body Slam review on the When Wrestlers Act podcast
810:
941:
332:. His most well known ring name is The Tonga Kid.
1099:
306:. He would go on to star in other films such as
778:
630:"Albano book surprisingly coherent and factual"
386:in 1986. Vailahi is best known for his work in
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262:them from every major arena in the country.
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210:. It was Needham's final theatrical film.
27:
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610:"KIDSDAY TALKING WITH" KELLIE MARTIN".
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504:The film was met with mixed reviews.
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648:"WWE Hall of Fame: The Wild Samoans"
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292:, Benedict only found out about the
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13:
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14:
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813:Leonard Maltin's 2009 Movie Guide
788:. Ballantine. 2002. p. 129.
723:
550:
553:"Body Slam a blast for Benedict"
650:. World Wrestling Entertainment
202:era of professional wrestling.
843:Variety Film Reviews 1987-1988
662:
1:
1138:Films directed by Hal Needham
524:
1143:1980s English-language films
1123:Professional wrestling films
499:
392:World Championship Wrestling
116:September 10, 1986
7:
705:. Online World of Wrestling
683:. Online World of Wrestling
591:. Online World of Wrestling
10:
1169:
1113:1986 direct-to-video films
726:"Cannonball Run II Review"
408:as Shapiro, Harry's lawyer
402:would take them seriously.
394:as The Barbarian. The duo
388:World Wrestling Federation
304:World Wrestling Federation
950:
573:: CS1 maint: unfit URL (
250:champions The Cannibals (
148:
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1153:American wrestling films
996:Smokey and the Bandit II
980:Death Car on the Freeway
809:Maltin, Leonard (2008).
486:Hemdale Film Corporation
482:Canadian Online Explorer
451:Wrestling personalities
442:as Mr. Kim, a loan shark
103:Hemdale Film Corporation
93:Hemdale Film Corporation
16:1987 film by Hal Needham
681:"The Barbarian profile"
436:as Scotty, a car dealer
381:Jim Crockett Promotions
269:
213:
786:Video movie guide 2002
492:. On March 15, 2011,
476:Production and Release
344:as Candace Vandervagen
319:Hell Comes to Frogtown
193:professional wrestling
1133:American comedy films
1076:Bandit's Silver Angel
1070:Beauty and the Bandit
956:Smokey and the Bandit
614:. September 23, 1990.
480:In an interview with
412:Charles Nelson Reilly
1148:1980s American films
1128:Orion Pictures films
747:"The Film Journal".
703:"Teijo Kahn profile"
242:Captain Lou Murano (
1058:Bandit Goes Country
728:. Chicago Sun-Times
426:as Tim McClusky, a
163:is a 1986 American
1004:The Cannonball Run
942:Films directed by
774:(9–12): 200. 1989.
377:Thomas Leroy Kasat
348:Captain Lou Albano
200:Rock 'n' Wrestling
189:Captain Lou Albano
1118:1986 comedy films
1095:
1094:
1028:Cannonball Run II
828:978-0-452-28978-9
755:(7–12): 56. 1986.
634:slamwrestling.net
430:wrestling manager
417:Cannonball Run II
288:on an episode of
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171:and starring
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899:the original
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766:"TV Guide".
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730:. Retrieved
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707:. Retrieved
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685:. Retrieved
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652:. Retrieved
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593:. Retrieved
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557:. Retrieved
551:Kapur, Bob.
516:
505:
503:
493:
479:
440:John Fujioka
415:
317:
311:
289:
279:
264:
260:blacklisting
232:
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167:directed by
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158:
157:
132:Running time
109:Release date
1020:Stroker Ace
972:The Villain
944:Hal Needham
817:. pp.
446:Chick Hearn
424:Billy Barty
384:house shows
359:Sika Anoa'i
300:Roddy Piper
256:Tom Cassett
177:Roddy Piper
169:Hal Needham
165:comedy film
66:Roddy Piper
53:Shel Lytton
46:Produced by
40:Hal Needham
36:Directed by
1108:1986 films
1102:Categories
905:2014-08-25
732:2 February
709:1 February
687:1 February
654:1 February
595:1 February
559:1 February
525:References
434:John Astin
363:bodyguards
355:Afa Anoa'i
290:The A-Team
286:Hulk Hogan
281:The A-Team
244:Lou Albano
240:villainous
224:fundraiser
136:89 minutes
120:1986-09-10
85:Production
78:Lou Albano
1044:Body Slam
1012:Megaforce
882:Body Slam
871:Body Slam
500:Reception
494:Body Slam
453:Ric Flair
313:They Live
220:rock band
160:Body Slam
50:Mike Curb
22:Body Slam
768:TV Guide
569:cite web
507:TV Guide
369:in 2007.
326:Sam Fatu
248:tag team
185:Sam Fatu
149:Language
74:Sam Fatu
58:Starring
612:Newsday
518:Variety
236:booking
228:booster
196:manager
152:English
141:Country
118: (
87:company
1088:(1999)
1078:(1994)
1072:(1994)
1066:(1994)
1060:(1994)
1052:Bandit
1047:(1987)
1039:(1986)
1031:(1984)
1023:(1983)
1015:(1982)
1007:(1981)
999:(1980)
991:(1980)
983:(1979)
975:(1979)
967:(1978)
964:Hooper
959:(1977)
849:
825:
792:
400:extras
396:staged
351:actor.
187:, and
876:IMDb
847:ISBN
823:ISBN
790:ISBN
734:2011
711:2011
689:2011
656:2011
597:2011
575:link
561:2011
467:and
428:heel
390:and
375:and
357:and
316:and
270:Cast
254:and
214:Plot
1036:Rad
885:at
874:at
819:157
490:VHS
310:'s
1104::
821:.
772:37
770:.
753:89
751:.
632:.
571:}}
567:{{
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736:.
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636:.
599:.
577:)
563:.
420:.
322:.
122:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
