Filmmaker Rich Walton gives us a peek at the everyday life of a luchador.
One of my favorite lucha stories involves the masked luchador Fray Tormenta. Fray Tormenta was a good wrestler, but he was a complete mystery. He never removed his mask and none of the other wrestlers knew who he was. However, Fray Tormenta’s secret identity was finally revealed when another wrestler attended Mass one week and recognized the priest’s voice as that of Tormenta.
Lucha Libre holds a special respect for the masked wrestlers that is lacking here in the United States. After all, look at the major promotions today. There has not been a masked wrestler in either TNA or the WWE for years that a thirty second Google search could not show you a picture of them without the mask. Kane? When he was masked, we knew he was Isaac Yankem. WCW unmasked Rey Misterio. We know that Curry Man is really Christopher Daniels. Want to see Abyss without his mask? There are pictures readily available of his face in previous gimmicks.
In lucha, there is a great difference. The mask is not removed. No one knows what a masked wrestler really looks like. How much respect is there for the mask? CMLL released a luchador a year or two ago for shooting video backstage with his cell phone that included luchadors unmasked and uploaded it to Youtube.
The film starts by introducing Kayam and his brother Enigma de Oro. Both are masked second-generation luchadors, sons of Chivo Garcia who compete as the tag team Los Chivos. We also get a quick look at them in action in a match against Fantasma Jr. and Mano Negra.
We then meet Dinamic, a luchador and a promoter in the Los Angeles area who is looking toward one final match. Dinamic also owns a barber shop known as El Cuadrilatero, which we see is decorated with lucha masks and figures.
We head back to Kayam, and get a look at his everyday life and his job as a school teacher. A great moment is when he explains the elegant way he answers the kids’ questions about any injuries to his face from the matches – he says that he plays sports but never says exactly which one.
Principe Unlimited is introduced next. He’s been wrestling for six years and is definitely a tecnico (good guy) as opposed to Kayam, who competes as a rudo (bad guy). Principe gives us a look into his life as the camera follow him to a church in Tijuana where he volunteers and works with children.
From there we head back to the barber shop where Dinamic reveals that his hair will be on the line in his upcoming match for the first time in his thirty year-plus career. He also discusses how he had worked as a dentist for illegal immigrants until he was arrested for practicing without a license. He also talks about how he hopes that will not stand in his way of becoming a US citizen.
Kayam and Enigma de Oro are training next and Kayam says something very interesting. He talks about how they are training (in their late father’s workout room) and are wearing their masks because there is a camera there. He says that this is their responsibility to protect their image. This is a great look at how luchadors feel about their masks.
Dinamic takes a moment to talk about how he “lost” his mask, and then we hear from Kayam and Principe about how wrestling under a mask changes your behavior and actually who you feel you are.
From there Principe heads to the man who makes his outfits and masks. We also meet the tailor’s young son, who shows that although he knows these luchadors without their masks he can never tell anyone who they are.
Next we meet an 11 year old named Albert who wants to be a masked luchador, the son of Acero Dorado and the grandson of Dr. Muerte. We get a peek into the life of a third-generation wrestler as Acero Dorado says that he will support Albert’s decision to carry on the family legacy.
Dr. Muerte and Albert head to Dinamic’s barber shop where Dinamic and Dr. Muerte discuss the upcoming match. In a great moment, they rib Albert for deciding he wants to be a tecnico when he grows up instead of a rudo like his father and grandfather.
From there Dinamic, Muerte, and Albert head to Dinamic’s workout facility and train in the ring. Dinamic explains a bit of a normal lucha workout and Albert says that he hopes to debut in about four years before explaining what he wants his mask to look like.
Kayam then arrives at the facility the next day for a workout and discusses the growing popularity of lucha in the US.
Principe discusses the importance of training daily and the danger inherent in a match before he discusses an injury he’d recently suffered where his ear was nearly ripped off. He then shows us the stadium in Tijuana and discusses its history.
Back at the barber shop, Dinamic is planning out his upcoming match on Sunday. Finally the decision is made that the match will be Dinamic, Dr. Muerte, and Al Murriete taking on Aguila Azteca, Rayo de Plata, and Amenaze Blanca in a hair vs. masks match. Instead of the traditional lucha teams, the match will be everyone vs. everyone. When a luchador makes a pin, he leaves the ring. The last man remaining will lose his hair or mask.
Also, Saturday they will hold a show in Mexicali with an autograph session in the barber shop beforehand.
We next see Dinamic discussing his thoughts of possible retirement with his wife before Kayam and Principe begin packing for their Mexicali match. We see a glimpse of the autograph session and then the luchadors head to Mexicali (unmasking once they’re away from the fans).
During the match, we see Dinamic seated at the top of the bleachers to watch the show. He gives more insight into why lucha fans love the sport. It’s extremely interesting – not only to see how it ties into lucha but also gives a glimpse at what many fans in the United States have lost.
From there it’s back to Los Angeles for Dinamic’s match. We get a glimpse of the ring being prepared, and then the match is on. Albert is shown in the crowd. After Dinamic is left alone against two rudos, the match turns into a bloodbath. In the end, Dinamic loses after he is disqualified for a low blow on Rayo de Plata (the final rudo).
Dinamic’s head is shaved and he is carried to the back by a referee. Of course, in true lucha form, he promises revenge against his foes. Afterward we follow him home where he discusses the match with his family.
The next morning Dinamic returns to the barber shop where his hair is cleaned up and he talks about what he sees in the future of lucha.
The film closes with updates on the four primary luchadors.
Overall, the film is an interesting look into not only the life of a luchador but also a promoter. We see what Dinamic does to prepare for upcoming shows as well as looks into a luchador’s normal life – a life made normal by their hidden identities.
One of the film’s greatest strengths is the respect that is shown to the luchadors. Although several luchadors (including Principe and Kayam) appear unmasked in the film, their faces are always blurred out and never revealed.
That’s not to say that the film doesn’t have flaws. Although nothing feels rushed, it’s only 70 minutes long. I wish that we could have spent a little more time with Kayam and Principe.
Another flaw is the lack of special features. I would have enjoyed seeing at least the full Kayam/Principe match from Mexicali and the full Dinamic hair match included. It also would have been nice to have seen some film from Chivo Garvia included while Kayam was talking about his father.
One item that needs to be mentioned is the fact that the movie is mostly subtitled. Logistically, this is the only way to make the film accessible to both English-speaking and Spanish-speaking audiences because several of the luchadors switch back and forth between English and Spanish a great deal.
As I said above, I believe that lucha fans will enjoy the film. Relatively inexpensive (retail is $14.99), it’s definitely worth checking out. Non-lucha fans may not enjoy it as much, but it is still an interesting look into another culture of wrestling.
