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Sports film of the week - Hitman Hart: Wrestling with Shadows

Wrestler Bret Hart’s painstaking journey to the top of his profession is recounted in comprehensive detail.

Title: Hitman Hart: Wrestling with Shadows

Released: December 20, 1998

Director: Paul Jay

Plot: While some may question the validity of wrestling (of the WWE variety) as a sport, this documentary will ensure you never dismiss it as ‘fake’ ever again. Bret Hart’s life is recounted, from his brutal upbringing in which his father trained him to become a wrestler in a dungeon, to his modern-day struggles with the politics of wrestling, Hitman Hart debunks some of the myths associated with the sport. What’s more, Hart emerges as a thoughtful, intelligent character, in contrast with the stereotype associated with most professional wrestlers.

What the critics said: “Few films take such a backstage look at the business of professional wrestling or how a predetermined event can have real consequences for those involved” – KC Mynk, Bleacher Report.

YouTube credit: Rants N wrestling

A version of this post originally appeared on 8 June

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12 Comments
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    Mute Brendan Byrne
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    Jan 12th 2014, 10:25 PM

    The best there is, the best there was, the best there ever will be

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    Mute Jonny Murphy
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    Jan 12th 2014, 11:37 PM

    The full documentary? Quar watchin this before I go to sleep

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    Mute Jamie Domican
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    Jan 12th 2014, 10:48 PM

    It’s this documentary that makes me question the Montreal screw job, it seems quite surprising that the doc had such a dramatic conclusion.

    Everything’s a work in wrestling.

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    Mute colm connolly
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    Jan 13th 2014, 8:20 AM

    4 out of 10

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    Mute colm connolly
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    Jan 13th 2014, 9:48 AM

    The red thumbs obviously don’t get it

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    Mute colm connolly
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    Feb 5th 2014, 11:16 AM

    Seriously go look up beets interview with wrestletalk tv where he talks about recent matches and gives everyone of them 4/10

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    Mute David C
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    Jan 13th 2014, 11:23 AM

    Grown men play acting in a ring while a bunch of tragic and mostly fat Americans cheer them on , wrestling is so bad its hilarious

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    Mute john connolly
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    Jan 13th 2014, 2:02 AM

    It had to be a work,wen has Vince ever left cameras back stage to record anything without his permission,the deal for Bret hart to leave wwe was done a few weeks earlier,Vince told Bret to leave for wcw because he couldn’t match their wages and plus he came back to wwe and few years ago

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    Mute colm connolly
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    Mar 20th 2014, 5:39 PM

    Beyond the mat and several other documentaries that never made the light of day cause of no funding or vice vetoed it , the reason he let cameras in was in the hope it would be a positive and possible spin off into a wwf movie release like Wrestlemania the movie sadly were never see ir again but seeing how boring most of the new guys are it would hardly be worth watching

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    Mute Larry bird
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    Jan 13th 2014, 2:03 AM

    He would want to get a life and find a real sport

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    Mute She'sGotAGREATASS!
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    Jan 13th 2014, 5:23 PM

    Are you not entertained?

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    Mute Sean o Hanlon
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    Jan 14th 2014, 2:27 AM

    When was this documentry made

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