Bret "Hit Man" Hart: The Best There Is, The Best There Was, The Best There Ever Will Be (also known as The Bret Hart Story) is a documentary film released as part of a three-DVD set in 2005 by World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). The documentary chronicles the career of popular WWE wrestler Bret Hart. Hart himself collaborated with WWE to make the documentary, contributing hours of new interview content to the film. This collaboration marked the first time Hart had worked in an on camera capacity with WWE since the infamous Montreal Screwjob, which was Hart's last in-ring appearance with the company.
Contents |
Overview
The documentary chronicles Bret Hart's wrestling career, from how he broke into the business as a member of the famous Hart family to his run in WCW. Highlights of matches from his days in his father's Stampede Wrestling promotion, as well as his time in the WWF and WCW are shown while insight is provided from Hart himself about what went on behind the scenes. This is the second documentary about Bret Hart, the first being Hitman Hart: Wrestling with Shadows (which was produced with cooperation by the WWF, but not released by WWF/E Home Video) which chronicles Hart's last days wrestling in the WWF and talks about his relationship with his brother Owen.
History
Originally, Hart was not slated to contribute to the documentary and the film was reportedly to be predominantly negative (just as The Self-Destruction of The Ultimate Warrior), with particular emphasis on Hart's unpleasant exit from the WWF/E. A working title for the film was reported to be Screwed: The Bret Hart Story, a reference to Hart's on-camera interviews during his heel turn claiming he was "screwed" out of a WWF title win at WrestleMania XII as well the "You Screwed Bret" chants fans chanted at WWE shows after the Montreal Screwjob. However, Hart eventually relented and agreed to contribute to the DVD, claiming that it was a longtime project that he always wanted to do, and that a personal incident involving a young fan he met at the dentist who only knew Bret through his Video Game was enough to convince himself to contribute towards the project. In a historic part of professional wrestling history, Hart met and took a promotional photo with WWE chairman Vince McMahon. Afterward, Hart contributed hours of new interview footage and was allowed full creative input in the project. His influence allowed the documentary to focus more on the positive aspects of his career with particular focus on his days in Stampede Wrestling. McMahon noted Bret's participation with a message before the main program in which he thanked Bret for putting aisde the various personal and professional differences the two men had in order to produce the DVD for the fans. After the DVD's release, Hart did an interview for WWE.com's show ByteThis! and promoted the DVD with a series of appearances to meet and greet fans, but no appearances on WWE RAW or WWE Friday Night SmackDown! wrestling shows. He also appeared at the next year's WWE Hall of Fame to be inducted by Steve Austin, in a farewell to the fans. However, Hart didn't appear on the Hall of Fame segment on the next evening's WrestleMania 22.
Bonus content
Matches
The bonus matches span the last two DVDs of the three-DVD set and part of the first DVD. Hart himself chose all the matches presented on the DVD.
- Hart Foundation vs. British Bulldogs (Madison Square Garden, 07/13/85)
- Hart tags with future brother-in-law Jim Neidhart against future brother-in-law Davey Boy Smith and frequent rival in Stampede Wrestling Dynamite Kid.
- Hart Foundation vs. The Killer Bees (Madison Square Garden, 02/17/86)
- Another match from the Hart Foundation's heel run, this time against the popular tag team The Killer Bees.
- Jimmy Hart briefly joined the commentary team at ringside.
- Bret Hart vs. Ricky Steamboat (Boston Garden, 03/08/86)
- A rare match featuring Hart representing the Hart foundation against the popular Steamboat.
- Bret Hart vs. Ted DiBiase (Odessa, TX, 03/08/89)
- The original commentary was edited out of the match.
- Hart Foundation vs. The Rockers (Saturday Night's Main Event, 04/28/90)
- A tag team match in which Hart faces real-life rival Shawn Michaels, then a part of the popular tag team The Rockers.
- This match is missing the original commentary by Jesse "The Body" Ventura, due to an early 1990s lawsuit involving videotape royalties filed by Ventura against the WWF.
- WWF Tag Team Championship Match
- Hart Foundation vs. The Nasty Boys (WrestleMania VII, 03/24/91)
- The face Hart Foundation are tag team champions going against former manager Jimmy Hart and his Nasty Boys. The Hart Foundation's loss in this match set up Hart's successful singles career.
- WWF Intercontinental Match
- Bret Hart vs. Mr. Perfect (SummerSlam, 08/26/91)
- Hart credits Hennig with helping put him over the top in this, his first Intercontinental title win.
- WWF Intercontinental Match
- Bret Hart vs. British Bulldog (SummerSlam, 08/29/92)
- Hart has frequently mentioned this match as one of his favorite matches of all time.
- Bret Hart vs. Bam Bam Bigelow (Barcelona, Spain, 04/24/93)
- A rare match from Spain, featuring Spanish commentary.
- King of the Ring Semi-Final Match
- Bret Hart vs. Mr. Perfect (King of the Ring, 06/13/93)
- Bret Hart vs. Owen Hart (Opening match, WrestleMania X, 03/20/94)
- Bret faces his brother Owen in a match with a surprising ending.
- WWF Championship Match
- Bret Hart vs. Owen Hart (White Plains, New York, 09/29/94)
- Hart's favorite match with his brother.
- Bret Hart vs Hakushi (In Your House 1, 05/14/95)
- Hart credits two Japanese wrestlers, Mr. Hito and Mr. Sakurada, with teaching him during his early wrestling career. He faces off against WWF newcomer Japanese Hakushi here.
- WWF Championship Match
- Bret Hart vs. Diesel (Survivor Series, 11/19/95)
- Hart ends the one year WWF title reign of Diesel, The longest WWF title reign since the 1980s.
- The match is also noticeable for being the first match in which a wrestler was driven through the Spanish announcer's table- something that occurs much frequently nowadays.
- WWF Championship Match
- Bret Hart vs. British Bulldog (In Your House, 12/17/95)
- Hart faces a heel Bulldog, who is accompanied by Hart's sister Diana and new manager Jim Cornette.
- Bret Hart vs. Stone Cold Steve Austin (WrestleMania 13, 03/23/97)
- A match known from its double turn by both wrestlers, credited with helping launch the career of Austin as a face. The special referee for the match is Ken Shamrock, who would later wrestle for the WWF.
- WWF Championship Match
- Bret Hart vs. The Undertaker (One Night Only, 09/20/97)
- Owen Hart Tribute Match
- Bret Hart vs. Chris Benoit (WCW Monday Nitro, 10/04/99)
- Hart's tribute to his late brother Owen in the same arena Owen fell to his death. He faces one of his and Owen's friends, Chris Benoit.
- The match features the same gaps for the commercial breaks as originally broadcast and alters the soundtrack so Benoit comes out to one of his earlier WWE themes and Hart comes out to different theme music, presumably to prevent paying royalties to the copyright holders to the songs.
