AGFA: GLOW: The Story of the Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling (2012) - Reviewed

Images Courtesy of AGFA

Before becoming dramatized by the 2017 Netflix sports comedy series GLOW or Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling, the actual story of an all-female wrestling sports entertainment outfit that ran counter to Vince McMahon’s WWE empire began in 1986 before abruptly ending in 1990 but not before documentary filmmaker Brett Whitcomb and writer Bradford Thomason sought in 2012 to bring many of its participants together for one last reunion.  Though the story of the series GLOW seems larger than life, the lives of these women who put their bodies through the wringer to create a new form of sports entertainment is quite down to Earth and relatable. 

 
As a televised alternative to the usual form of all-male wrestling, nothing quite like it had come before or since with its neon-glitter drenched visuals, skits and above all personalized rap songs for each wrestler.  Now, thanks to the good folks at the American Genre Film Archive, this beloved little documentary about the women who lived through the real story of GLOW has a chance to be seen by wrestling enthusiasts and another chance for these gutsy and tough ladies to shine in the spotlight.  Think of it as proto-feminist wrestling that forecasted what would or would not become the WWE women’s wrestling championship program.
 
Created by wrestling promoter and television producer David McLane before the project was spearheaded by The Witch Who Came from the Sea and Butterfly film director Matt Cimber with financing from hotel billionaire Meshulam Riklis and wife/actress Pia Zadora, GLOW came together through Guerro wrestling dynasty member Mando Guerrero who trained actresses or models with no prior experience in wrestling.  While technically speaking the wrestling itself resulted in some nasty injuries including an open fracture at one point, all the wild characters of GLOW including but not limited to Americana, Ninotchka, Big Bad Mama, Matilda the Hun and particularly Mountain Fiji all clearly were performed with heart and passion for the desire to create a form of entertainment no one had ever seen before.

 
Interspersing archival footage of the original television broadcast airings and newly conducted interviews filmed years later, the campy tone, colors, costumes and skits, one gets the sense of the ladies of GLOW being more than just another alternative wrestling outfit but rather a family unit.  Part of the show’s charm was the cheesiness and terrible rap songs which put the camp factor into uncharted realms before the girls started wrestling and many of the side skits felt right at home with the likes of You Can’t Do That on Television and its improvisational kids humor.  Shockingly after almost five years of syndication and amassing global popularity, the plug was abruptly pulled by Pia Zadora who got sick of her husband Riklis reportedly ogling the ladies and the ground dropped out from under the ladies of GLOW.
 
Charming and touching in equal measure, the saga of GLOW is a lot more fun and inspiring for women and men than you’d think.  For being ostensibly created by three men, the concept and platform of GLOW proved to be most enriching for the female performers who gave their heart and soul to their performance art.  While as a documentary its nowhere near Beyond the Mat or Hitman Hart: Wrestling with Shadows, GLOW: The Story of the Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling will warm the hearts of fans and naysayers alike with an empowering tale of a group of tough gals who put on the show of a lifetime that remains unequaled in the mixture of high camp and sports entertainment.  It is hard not to come away feeling swept off your feet after hanging around the Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling.

--Andrew Kotwicki