Andre the Giant

Towards the end of this film, someone compares Andre to Davy Crockett - as much myth as man. It is an apt comparison, and it makes a film like this pretty tough to make. You could tell every mythic Andre legend and skip the humanity...you could focus only on the humanity and miss the legend. This doc resides right at the intersection, and it succeeds for that reason. They capture what made Andre Andre while resisting the urge to tell every single story for 5 hours. As a child of the 80s, simply revisiting the first few Wrestlemanias and The Princess Bride was a blast. It is entertaining, and - just as importantly - it is human. Also, it is captivating.

An intimate look at one athlete who could be considered truly larger than life, the aptly-named pro wrestling legend Andre the Giant. Not content to simply lean on accrued television footage or the countless tall tales about his epic nights out on the town, this HBO documentary intends to dig deeper, for a closer look at the man behind the myths and exagerrations. As a means of drawing back the curtain, we catch glimpses of Andre's upbringing, from the double-wide handmade chair that still sits at his childhood kitchen table to countless candid photos and clips from the dawn of his career in the ring. It's not a particularly happy story, laced as it is with the everyday difficulties of a jumbo-sized man in a normal-sized world, disconnected familial relationships and chronic pain as his frame struggled to deal with its own mass, but it does feel honest and (mostly) true. The one notable exception being Andre's big main event with Hulk Hogan at WrestleMania III, which seems overly romanticized if not slightly misleading. A better chance to get to know who the giant was away from cameras, to understand his suffering and recognize that, although his size did reap untold fame and fortune, it also made enjoying those fruits excruciatingly difficult or downright impossible. I feel like we barely skimmed the surface.

The Man, The Myth, The Legend and also The Friend, The Sensitive Man, The Human Being. This film is a wonderful and sometimes saddening journey in the life of Andre The Giant, learning about who he was as a human being as well as a legend, and how those things conflicted. The film also takes us through the history of professional wrestling, but I'll talk about that in the second paragraph. This film so beautifully portrayed this complex man, a legend who captivated the country, and a man cursed with health problems and a sensitive soul. The film takes a look at how Andre had to live in this small world, chairs and eating utensils were like childrens toys to him, how 14 hour flights with bathrooms he didn't fit in. He was a sensitive man who felt bad when people stared and made fun of him, the film is moving in its portrayal of Andre as a human being, and I really commend them for that.

So not only does it tell the story of Andre, it also tells the story of professional wrestling as an industry and how Andre shaped it. It tells the story of how wrestling began on a regional level and how Andre conquered the regional tours and captured the hearts of fans everywhere. It tells how the New England region overtook the entire nation, and how that launched Andre to a national name. The film also discusses how Andre shaped Hulk Hogan, not only giving inspiration to Hulk, but also mentoring him and endorsing him, and eventually passing the torch to a new era in wrestling history. The film is very emotional towards the end when Andre deteriorates, I gotta be hones, I got a little choked up. It was a truly great documentary that cannot be missed, even by people who are not into sports or wrestling.

When it comes to sports entertainment, there is no doubt that Andre the Giant is one of the most iconic figures ever to walk the planet. In a land of mere mortals, he was a literal giant, both in physical stature and prosaic legend. He deserves a documentary befitting that sort of gravitas, which is exactly what this doc provides.

Basically, this documentary tells the story of Andre The Giant though three distinct lenses:

Andre the man: Chronicles his family life (I had never seen interviews with his siblings and/or daughter until now), as well as his very early days in France and when he was just breaking into the wrestling business. Some of the early videos of him in the ring are truly spectacular. The youthful giant!

Andre the myth: A decent chunk of this doc is spent re-hashing the old stories about Andre, such as his legendary drinking habits and sometimes irascible temper at those he didn't like (although for the most part he was very much a "gentle giant" in every sense of that phrase). Also, a good look is given at just how difficult traveling was for him, as basically an oversized man living in a normal-sized world (cars too small, airplane bathrooms a no-go, etc.)

Andre the wrestler: As is fitting, more time is given to this portion than anything else. Beginning with Andre's run through the wrestling territories of the 1970s, it then heavily focuses on his time in Vince McMahon's WWF, where he (and the business as a whole) rose to international fame. One of the highlights of the entire documentary is the multiple interviews with Hulk Hogan, especially his recollections of the iconic Wrestlemania III showdown between himself and the Giant. That was the match that truly got me into professional wrestling (and I'm guessing I'm not alone in that statement), so deservedly it gets a lot of rope here.

Overall, "Andre" is a wonderful documentary about the life of one of the world's most interesting figures. The only reason I can't give it the full 10 star treatment is because it probably could have used a bit more structure in its storytelling technique (it really bounces around from topic to topic and in time as well). Other than that minor quibble, though, the strong HBO production values and the ability to procure interesting and relevant interview subjects (always key when the subject being covered is no longer living) vault this to the rarified air of top documentaries. Even if you don't necessarily have a vested interest in professional wrestling, you can find something to be fascinated with in this hour and a half.

A terrific documentary. I enjoyed it very much. A nice overall sense of "the man!"