WWF Paul Bearer’s Hits From the Crypt

For one our last weekends in Pinawa I decided to watch some classic Coliseum Video action. Over the past 10 years, I’ve relaxed out here with so much great and nostalgic wrestling. It has been a staple of my summers and something I look forward to all year long. I now strongly associate so many great events and goofy Coliseum Videos with my summers out at the lake. It’s layers of nostalgia for me now with a lot of these shows; from when I first watched them as a kid, to watching them now as an adult.

I dove into some good old 1994 Coliseum action, as I continue to slowly work my way to the end of the catalog. 1994 ended up being a full year for Coliseum Video tapes, something I didn’t fully pay attention to at the time. A lot of these tapes I only rented a time or two, so they don’t quite have the same memories as tapes from 91 – 93. This is the last tape released in 94, but Coliseum Videos continue into 1995 and 96, but the releases become far less frequent until they’re phased out entirely.

WWF Bret “The Hitman” Hart

This Bret the Hitman Hart Coliseum Video was released somewhere around the summer of 1994. I definitely remember the cover, but I really can’t say for sure if I’ve ever rented or watched this tape before. It’s a straightforward collection of late 93 and early 94 matches leading up to Bret Hart reclaiming the WWF title at Wrestlemania X. The tape was no doubt meant to put over the champion in summer 94 during the height of his second run. Being my all-time favorite, it was due time to watch this collection of Bret’s matches.

While the matches are not all that memorable or special, it’s always fun to watch Bret wrestle a wide variety of WWF superstars. Bret was well known for working up and down the roster, wrestling just about everyone who stepped into the WWF in the mid 90s. I love seeing Bret in all these random mid-card bouts from various TV tapings, but it’s not exactly the Hitman wrestling in top gear.

WWF Raw Hits

Raw Hits is an OUTSTANDING Coliseum Video release! This is the last of the 94/95 budget tapes in my collection, and it’s such a treasure, capturing some of the best Raw matches of the mid 90s (minus the boring ass Luger-Tatanka cage match). I’ve probably watched this tape the most out of all these budget ones, and you can tell, as this tape might be on its last legs physically. I just loved owning these videos and would watch them over and over during a time when I was so starved for anything and everything wrestling. Talk about memories!

WWF Super Slams

After digging out the Diesel tape a few weeks ago, I happened upon a couple more of these 90s budget tapes in my collection. I have such a fondness for these VHS tapes, and love the colorful packaging and artwork; such warm and fuzzy nostalgia! I’m feeling the itch to start collecting and buying any and all classic WWF VHS tapes I can get my hands on! I feel the need to have an entire shelf dedicated to these tremendous releases. Even these budget tapes used to be plentiful at used shops but are becoming tougher to find as time goes on. Sounds like I have a new mission to pursue lol.

WWF Big Daddy Cool Diesel

To cap off my year of 1995 viewing, I have to go back and work my way through all of the Coliseum Videos from that year. Thinking about it, I probably still have some from 1994 left as well.

And what better way to start then taking a look at a tape focusing on the guy that was on my mind coming out of In Your House 5, Big Daddy Cool, Diesel. Let’s face it, that nickname alone just fucking sucks. I can hear it in Dok Hendrix’s grating voice, as they would endlessly shill Diesel as a big, fan friendly dork. Not the menacing killer he was when he beat Bob Backlund for the title in the first place.

WWF Macho Man Randy Savage & Elizabeth

In addition to all of the AEW I’ve been watching, I’m still just as obsessed with 1980s WWF these days. I’ve been re-reading through a lot of my old reviews, and surprisingly there are still a number of classic Coliseum Videos that I’ve not watched in many, many years or ever! After watching the terrible George the Animal Steele tape, I naturally got excited about 80s era Macho Man, and it was due time to give this tape another viewing. I haven’t seen this in forever, maybe last watching it as a kid? A lot of the 86/87 Macho Man matches are featured on other tapes and collections, so quite a bit of this is familiar. But I never get tired of it!

Despite the clunky name of this tape, it’s a perfect release for this early chapter of the Macho Man’s career, capitalizing on the success of one of the biggest and best villains of the era. When you look at all the Coliseum tapes they were releasing, it’s kind of interesting to see who did and didn’t get a tape and I wonder how those decisions came about.

WWF Even More Unusual Matches

Continuing on with more 1980s WWF action, I wanted to re-watch one of the Coliseum Videos that I’ve seen the most, Even More Unusual Matches. This is a hugely memorable tape for me, as I found a copy at the flea market in the late 90s, albeit with no cover or case. It was still an actual, real Coliseum Video though, which seemed so rare to own at the time. I watched the shit out of this tape and love all the matches on here. It’s from that sweet first half of 87 era, with some late 86 mixed in.

WWF George “The Animal” Steele

I’ll just get this out of the way at the start. Every match on this tape completely sucks. It’s negative stars across the board, which is exactly what you’d expect going into a tape on George the Animal Steele. But is it a fun and entertaining watch? Kind of, sort of – depending on whether or not you’re nostalgic for 1986-87 WWF nonsense.

Steele was very much a fixture of my childhood introduction to wrestling and was one of the most notable and recognizable characters for any young WWF fan. He was unlike any other wrestler on the roster, with this zany personality and unique look. He personified the cartoonish, large-than-life presentation of the WWF. And his matches sucked. I knew that even as a kid. Steele, in the twilight of his career, was booked like a borderline jobber to the stars, and was getting his butt kicked more often than not.

WWF Slamfest 95

Slamfest 95 is the third tape of the “Holiday 3 pack” group, and strangely I don’t actually own this one. Weird that I have both Off The Top Rope and the Undertaker tape, but not the third one from the set. I thought maybe I had it, but nope. Maybe my parents could never find it? Maybe they only decided to buy me two out of three for Christmas? No clue!

This hour tape is one of the more highly regarded Coliseum Videos, as it packs a lot of action into 60 minutes. It opens with the exact same Todd Pettingill strategy tips, and the Million $ Man is once again the host. He questions why he’s even bothering hosting these tapes, but concludes that it’s because of the MONEY and laughs heartily! Dibiase is so great.

WWF The Undertaker… He Buries Them Alive

What a gruesome fucking title for a Coliseum Video! And what better way to kick off this macabre madness then with Todd Pett… HEY! It’s the same recycled strategy tips from the last tape! I already know all the NBA Jam and True Lies secrets! Well, what do you expect for a budget release such as this.

Once again, this is another huge memory. I found this tape under the Christmas tree on the same morning as Off The Top Rope, and watched it right after, and countless times after that. It was so damn cool owning actual Coliseum Videos, even if they did completely stink.