Director – Michael Paszt (Battle Chess)
Starring – Ian Hodgkinson (WCW Monday Nitro, WCW Thunder), Kevin Arturo Geist (WWDE NXT, Before the Dark), and Chavo Guerrero Jr. (Grimm, GLOW)
Release Date – 2019
Rating – 3/5
I’m a product of the 90s. I was born in the mid-80s and grew up in the 90s. Like most kids of the 90s I was obsessed with Pogs, Goosebumps, Sega Genesis, Are You Afraid of the Dark?, and wrestling. Like many kids of the time I was forced to pick between WWF (now WWE) and WCW. I went with WCW. What wasn’t to like? WCW had Sting, Ric Flair, NOW, M.I.A. with Major Gunns, Eddie Guerrero, the band The Misfits for a short time, and my favorite painted wrestler Vampiro.
No, I’m not just saying this because I was asked to review the documentary Nail in the Coffin: The Fall and Rise of Vampiro. I was honestly a fan of Vampiro and you better believe that when I was asked to review the documentary I jumped on it.
**Spoiler Alert** This documentary follows a semi-retired Vampiro who discusses the ups and downs of being a professional wrestler, how be got started in the business, the toll it has taken on his body, and the strained relationship it has put on him and his daughter. **Spoiler Alert**
I was obsessed with WCW when I was in elementary school. I had shirt for NWO, Sting, Goldberg, and several generic WCW shirts. I had action figures for most but I never saw merch out and about for Vampiro and a few others that I really loved. I really loved the persona of Vampiro and how he handled the few interviews he was given in front of the camera. I don’t follow wrestling anymore but I often wonder what happened to the wrestlers I grew up watching so this little look into his life was very entertaining.
The interviews in the film are informative but they are sometimes a little goofy which comes with the territory. The people the film interviews really gets into Vampiro and his current life but we don’t get a lot of insight into his passed history. Don’t get me wrong, there is moments where certain situations are spoke about or mentioned briefly but never fully explored. With that being said, Hodgkinson’s interviews are very angsty. I don’t know if he’s trying to stay in character or what but he just genuinely seems like a miserable person. A documentary about him has him as the worst part.
The topics in the interview do jump around a bit but the film does a great job holding everything together as to not create a confusing documentary. It is focused more on his recent life instead of past feats but some of the topics do jump around.
Finally, the editing in this one is not as smooth as I’ve seen in other documentaries but it works for the film. The transitioning between topics, as I stated earlier, is a little choppy but it gets the point across and works. Overall, Nail in the Coffin: The Fall and Rise of Vampiro is not what I was expecting. I was really looking forward to getting a look into legacy and life after wrestling of Vampiro. Instead, it’s a look into the current life of Hodgkinson and his dedication to his craft. It’s still a fun watch but if you are looking for something that dives deep into his past accomplishments you will be disappointed. Check it out.
