Those who started watching wrestling as kids and continue to do so well into adulthood are a rare breed.
Many fall out of love with the product — either due losing interest or “growing up” (whatever that means). But for people like me, who consider professional wrestling a huge part of their lives, it’s not all the predetermined dance many see it as. If you spend any time truly paying attention to this sport, you see how tragic it can be. Drugs, broken lives, bankruptcy, injuries and death are sadly considered the norm for pro wrestlers and I have lost too many heroes in my 20+ years of watching. 350 Days looks at the heroes who somehow survived (and even some of those who died shortly after their interviews), chronicling their lives and sharing road stories.
Documentaries are a tricky genre to tackle. They don’t follow a traditional narrative, instead focusing on stories and pictures to fill the time and keep interest. 350 Days is no different, with the production team assembling dozens of stories from legends of the sport. These stories are amazing, with each legend offering a unique perspective on a certain subject.
For instance, on the topic of steroids, Superstar Billy Graham admits that he needed them to keep up with his physique and lifestyle, while George “The Animal” Steele promises he never touched the stuff. Hearing Bret “The Hitman” Hart (more on him later) recount the number of injuries he sustained while also pointing out that he never hurt anyone in the ring is incredibly interesting. So are the amazing, and heartbreaking accounts of adultery, alcohol abuse and drug use. The wrestlers tell it all and the best part is, even with all their faults, they say they wouldn’t change it for the world.
The best part of the documentary is how candid everyone is. Ox Baker is absolutely insane, first screaming at the camera, wild-eyed and maniacal, and then teaching us how to cook. J.J. Dillon truthfully tells the tales of him and his fellow Four Horsemen and all the trouble Ric Flair would get them in. Marty Jannetty goes on and on about the women he and Shawn Michaels bedded while not hiding the fact that, during his interview, he is either on some drug or stone-faced drunk.
“Superfly” Jimmy Snuka makes no damn sense, one minute talking about Hulk Hogan and then comparing the wrestling ring to the dangerous jungles of Hawaii. Every one of these men and women have been affected by the business — physically, emotionally or mentally — and it is very noticeable. Some may laugh at the Jannetty segments, but if you read between the lines, you can tell the man is not right in the head. If you follow his career, you know he is the shining example of a faded star and how that is still taking effect on him. It’s incredibly sad and he isn’t hiding the fact that he isn’t well.
This brings me back to Bret Hart. Hart’s segments really flustered and angered me. Maybe it’s because he is surrounded by at least 30 posters of himself or the fact that I never really liked “The Hitman” to begin with — but he comes off like an egotistical jackass. Everything is about how he did this right and this person did this wrong. You even hear him list about 15 wrestlers and say, verbatim, “They’d all admit their best match was with me.” Every time Hart appeared on screen, I could feel myself getting pissed off until I realized Bret is just being Bret. How can I sit here and enjoy the absurdity of some of these other guys and not understand that Bret is just buying into his own hype like everyone else? This is the kind of story director Fulvio Cecere wanted to tell. I can’t fault him on that.
If I had one major problem with the documentary, it would be the weird placement of interviews that don’t fit the narrative. One minute, Paul Orndorff will be sharing a road story and then it will cut to another wrestler talking about something else, only to cut right back to Orndorff continuing that same story. It’s a little amateurish and doesn’t make any sense.
350 Days is perfect for fans of professional wrestling. It’s everything wrestling should be: fun, exciting, heartbreaking and full of twists and turns. For those who aren’t fans of wrestling, sadly, this might be one of the most boring things you ever view. For every Bret Hart or Greg Valentine, there are a dozen other wrestlers most audiences have never heard of. Yet, if this film comes to home media (and I don’t see why it wouldn’t), it’s a must-see.
Grade: 9/10
