If you were a wrestling fan during the 1990s then chances are you were also a fan of Extreme Championship Wrestling. The little indie promotion that rose up from the mean streets of Philadelphia and turned the entire industry on its ear, spitting in the face of Vince McMahon's brand of "entertainment" and steamrolling over World Championship Wrestling. As a fan of ECW myself, I look at what Paul Heyman and Tod Gordon did at that time as one of the true golden ages of the business, combining hardcore, brutal action with technically savvy superstars while also featuring compelling storylines.
ECW may be long gone, but it's influence continues to be felt, and there have been a number of documentaries on the rise of the promotion, most of which are sitting on my shelf. But there's a new one coming out that promises to be a little different. Kevin Kiernan and John Philapavage have been putting together a new film(possibly titled 'No One is Safe') that isn't so much about the matches that made ECW great, but the people on the inside who gave their blood, sweat, and tears to turn their little indie promotion into a cultural juggernaut. They've included over 60 interviews with wrestlers such as Raven, the late Public Enemy, The Sandman, Mikey Whipwreck, and the always controversial Shane Douglas to give an inside look at the story of ECW. What I dig about it, though, is that they also turn to those outside of the ring to get their perspective, including many in the wrestling news media.
A Kickstarter campaign has been started to help complete the funding of the film, and right now they're at just over $7,000, about a 1/3 of the amount needed to meet their goal. A new trailer has been released in order to help drum up support, and it's basically just a run down of all the talent who will be appearing in the film. If you can, head over to their Kickstarter page and send them a couple of bucks. I know I will be. Check out the trailer plus a video short from the filmmakers below. "E-C-Dub!"
