Movie: When Wrestling Was Golden: Grapples, Grunts and Grannies

Top 10 Billed Cast

Christopher Eccleston
Christopher Eccleston

Narrator

Peter Blake
Peter Blake

Self

Will Hodgson
Will Hodgson

Self

Simon Garfield
Simon Garfield

Self

Max Crabtree
Max Crabtree

Self

Adrian Street
Adrian Street

Self

Johnny Kincaid
Johnny Kincaid

Self

Klondyke Kate
Klondyke Kate

Self

Kendo Nagasaki
Kendo Nagasaki

Self

Atlantis Chronos Goth
Atlantis Chronos Goth

Self - Spiritual Advisor to Kendo Nagasaki

  • HomePage

    When Wrestling Was Golden: Grapples, Grunts and Grannies

  • Overview

    Timeshift turns back the clock to a time when villains wore silver capes, grannies swooned at the sight of bulky men in latex and the most masculine man in the country was called Shirley. In its heyday, British professional wrestling attracted huge TV audiences and made household names of generations of wrestlers from Mick McManus and Jackie 'Mr TV' Pallo to Giant Haystacks and Big Daddy. With contributions from inside the world of wrestling and surprising fans such as artist Peter Blake, this is an affectionate and lively portrait of a lost era of simpler pleasures, both in and out of the ring.

  • Release Date

    2012-12-13

  • Average

    7.2

  • Rating:

    3.6 starts
  • Tagline

  • Genres

  • Languages:

    English
  • Keywords

Recommendations Movies

Struggle: The Life and Lost Art of Szukalski
75%

Struggle: The Life and Lost Art of Szukalski(en)

2018-12-20

Artists in LA discover the work of forgotten Polish sculptor Stanislav Szukalski, a mad genius whose true story unfolds chapter by astounding chapter.

Downloaded
65%

Downloaded(en)

2013-06-20

A documentary that explores the downloading revolution; the kids that created it, the bands and the businesses that were affected by it, and its impact on the world at large.

Charlie: The Life and Art of Charles Chaplin
69%

Charlie: The Life and Art of Charles Chaplin(en)

2003-05-01

Brilliant, long in-the-works story of the life and art of the world's greatest comedian and the cinema's first genius, Charlie Chaplin. Produced, written and directed by renowned film critic Richard Schickel.

Shadow Dancer
59%

Shadow Dancer(en)

2012-02-12

In 1990s Belfast, a woman is forced to betray all she believes in for the sake of her son.

The Class of ‘92
71%

The Class of ‘92(en)

2013-12-01

A detailing of the rise to prominence and global sporting superstardom of six supremely talented young Manchester United football players (David Beckham, Nicky Butt, Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes, Phil and Gary Neville). The film covers the period 1992-1999, culminating in Manchester United's European Cup triumph.

Facing Ali
73%

Facing Ali(en)

2009-05-29

Ten of Muhammad Ali's former rivals pay tribute to the three-time world heavyweight champion.

Gunslingers
61%

Gunslingers(en)

2025-04-11

When the most wanted man in America surfaces in a small Kentucky town, his violent history -- and a blood-thirsty mob seeking vengeance and a king’s ransom -- soon follow. As brothers face off against one another and bullets tear the town to shreds, this lightning-fast gunslinger makes his enemies pay the ultimate price for their greed.

The Last Waltz
77%

The Last Waltz(en)

1978-04-26

Martin Scorsese's documentary intertwines footage from The Band's incredible farewell tour with probing backstage interviews and featured performances by Eric Clapton, Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Van Morrison, and other rock legends.

For the Love of Spock
74%

For the Love of Spock(en)

2016-09-09

The life of Mr. Spock, as well as that of Leonard Nimoy, the actor who played him for almost fifty years, written and directed by his son: Adam.

Spider-Man: All Roads Lead to No Way Home
68%

Spider-Man: All Roads Lead to No Way Home(en)

2022-05-03

JB Smoove and Martin Starr host a celebration of 20 years of "Spider-Man" movies, from the Sam Raimi trilogy to Marc Webb's movies and the trio from Jon Watts.

Avatar: Creating the World of Pandora
65%

Avatar: Creating the World of Pandora(en)

2010-02-07

The Making-of James Cameron's Avatar. It shows interesting parts of the work on the set.

Beyond the Mat
73%

Beyond the Mat(en)

1999-10-22

A heartfelt documentary focusing on the day-to-day lives of professional wrestlers, some on the rise, some on the wane, and others fighting for their lives.

You Cannot Kill David Arquette
68%

You Cannot Kill David Arquette(en)

2020-08-21

Following his infamous championship as part of a marketing stunt for the film Ready to Rumble, David Arquette is widely known as the most hated man in pro-wrestling worldwide. Nearly 20 years after he "won" the initial title, through ups and downs in his career, with his family, and with his struggles with addiction, David Arquette seeks redemption by returning to the ring...for real this time.

Gilbert
67%

Gilbert(en)

2017-04-20

The life and career of one of comedy's most inimitable modern voices, Mr. Gilbert Gottfried.

In Search of the Last Action Heroes
70%

In Search of the Last Action Heroes(en)

2019-09-01

The most comprehensive retrospective of the '80s action film genre ever made.

Marwencol
72%

Marwencol(en)

2010-03-12

After a vicious attack leaves him brain-damaged and broke, Mark Hogancamp seeks recovery in "Marwencol", a 1/6th scale World War II-era town he creates in his backyard.

The Marine 3: Homefront
62%

The Marine 3: Homefront(en)

2013-03-05

A Marine must do whatever it takes to save his kidnapped sister and stop a terrorist attack masterminded by a radical militia group.

The Marine 4: Moving Target
63%

The Marine 4: Moving Target(en)

2015-04-10

WWE Superstar Mike "The Miz" Mizanin returns as Jake Carter where he is assigned to protect a whistleblower who wishes to expose a corrupt military defense contractor. However, the military hires a heavily armed team of mercenaries to kill her and it's up to Carter to stop them at any cost.

I Am Heath Ledger
74%

I Am Heath Ledger(en)

2017-04-23

The life and career of an actor, artist, and icon. His own journey through his own camera.

The September Issue
66%

The September Issue(en)

2009-08-28

A documentary chronicling Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour's preparations for the 2007 fall-fashion issue.

Similar Movies

Attack! The Battle for New Britain
70%

Attack! The Battle for New Britain(en)

1944-06-20

Actual footage by the United States Signal Corps of the landing and attack on Arawe Beach, Cape Glouster, New Britain island in 1943 in the South Pacific theatre of World War Two, and the handicaps of the wild jungle in addition to the Japanese snipers and pill-box emplacements.

Tales of Masked Men
79%

Tales of Masked Men(en)

2012-09-28

Directed by award-winning filmmaker Carlos Avila, this documentary program profiles three legendary wrestlers in a creative and imaginative exploration of the colorful, fascinating and mysterious world of lucha libre Mexican wrestling.

Sadermania
0%

Sadermania(en)

2011-10-15

In this inspirational tale, Chris Sader and Hulk Hogan relate how they met and developed a bond through mutual struggles and personal loss that each would have faced alone if not for the unlikely friendship that develops between them.

Hogwood: A Modern Horror Story
70%

Hogwood: A Modern Horror Story(en)

2020-09-03

Hogwood: A Modern Horror Story takes you beyond the factory farm walls and follows an intrepid group of undercover investigators as they enter some of Britain's biggest factory farms for the very first time.

George III: The Genius of the Mad King
60%

George III: The Genius of the Mad King(en)

2017-01-30

After 200 years under lock and key, all the personal papers of one of our most important monarchs are for the first time seeing the light of day. In the first documentary to gain extensive access to the Royal Archives, Robert Hardman sheds fascinating new light on George III, Britain's longest reigning king. George III may be chiefly remembered for his madness, but these private documents reveal a monarch who was a political micromanager and a restless patron of science and the arts, an obsessive traveller who never left southern England yet toured the world in his mind and a man who was driven (sometimes to distraction) by his sense of duty to his family and his country. Featuring Simon Callow and Sian Thomas as the voices of King George and Queen Charlotte.

Video Nasties: Moral Panic, Censorship & Videotape
68%

Video Nasties: Moral Panic, Censorship & Videotape(en)

2010-08-30

A documentary analyzing the furore which so-called "video nasties" caused in Britain during the 1980s.

Andre the Giant: Larger than Life
78%

Andre the Giant: Larger than Life(en)

1999-01-13

Documentary, released by the World Wrestling Federation, about the late wrestling superstar Andre the Giant, portraying his childhood in a small French village, his rise to fame as a professional wrestler, and his slow physical decline and eventual death in 1993. With commentaries by Vince McMahon, Classy Freddie Blassie, Killer Kowalski and Gorilla Monsoon, as well as Andre's brother and friends.

Daredevil
100%

Daredevil(ja)

2015-03-28

Yuka Yasukawa is an actress and also a professional wrestler with the nickname of Act Yasukawa. An in-depth look is given into her personal life as well as her in the ring. Her past experiences are also told including being bullied, refusing to go to school, rape and attempted suicide.

Dan Cruickshank and the Family That Built Gothic Britain
80%

Dan Cruickshank and the Family That Built Gothic Britain(en)

2014-10-21

As good as any Dickens novel, this is the triumphant and tragic story of the greatest architectural dynasty of the 19th century. Dan Cruickshank charts the rise of Sir George Gilbert Scott to the very heights of success, the fall of his son George Junior and the rise again of his grandson Giles. It is a story of architects bent on a mission to rebuild Britain. From the Romantic heights of the Midland Hotel at St Pancras station to the modern image of Bankside power station (now Tate Modern), this is the story of a family that shaped the Victorian age and left a giant legacy.

The Wrestlers: Fighting with My Family
71%

The Wrestlers: Fighting with My Family(en)

2012-07-18

A year in the life of the Knight wrestling dynasty from suburban Norfolk, a family who pack a real punch... often at each other.

E:60 – WWE: Behind The Curtain
60%

E:60 – WWE: Behind The Curtain(en)

2015-05-05

E:60 Pictures presents WWE: Behind The Curtain, a one-hour documentary film featuring unprecedented access behind the scenes of Vince McMahon's empire, set to air May 5th on ESPN.

North Korea; Off-Piste
65%

North Korea; Off-Piste(en)

2017-05-13

Having been granted special permission to film inside one of the most secretive countries in the world, Britain's fastest snowboarder sets off to experience first hand this country we know so little about.

NXT All Star Panel
80%

NXT All Star Panel(en)

2015-09-28

Hear from Triple H, Seth Rollins, Finn Balor, Sasha Banks, Kevin Owens and Corey Graves in the NXT All Star Panel! Hosted by Byron Saxton.

Viva Lucha Libre
0%

Viva Lucha Libre(en)

2012-09-14

A documentary on Lucha Libre. Leap off the top rope into the world of Mexican wrestling.

Dreamcatchers
0%

Dreamcatchers(fr)

2013-12-29

A group of trainee wrestlers spurred on by the energy of Salvatore Bellomo (age 60) trains relentlessly in the back room of a café in the Borinage district (former mining region in Belgium). Tarzan, the Gigolo, Andynamite, Priscilla, La Rage, Eddie Dark... they all dream of becoming professional wrestlers, like their teacher. Salvatore fought with top wrestlers for more than 30 years, particularly within the prestigious WWF. Today, he has decided to bring his students to the U.S to follow the traces of his past. Waiting for the big day, they live out their passion together, sometimes taking foolish risks to satisfy the local audience and lay out their future.

Ivan Koloff the Most Hated Man in America
0%

Ivan Koloff the Most Hated Man in America(en)

2003-08-13

Documentry about "The Russian Bear" Ivan Koloff

A Tale of Two Thieves
66%

A Tale of Two Thieves(en)

2014-04-12

In 1963 in the countryside in England, fifteen men pulled off 'The Great Train Robbery' netting today's equivalent of $85million. This incredible film features Gordon Goody, one of the instigators of the crime, for the first time ever, revealing the identity of the missing mastermind behind Britain's most famous heist- the elusive and mysterious 'Ulsterman'.

Erkans Farben
0%

Erkans Farben(en)

2013-05-21

Documentary about German pro wrestler Erkan Sulcani a.k.a. Cash Money Erkan.

Mark of the Hand
0%

Mark of the Hand(en)

1987-01-01

Guyanese painter Aubrey Williams (1926-1990) returns to his homeland on a “journey to the source of his inspiration” in this vivid Arts Council documentary, filmed towards the end of his life. The title comes from the indigenous Arawak word ‘timehri’ - the mark of the hand of man - which Williams equates to art itself. Timehri was also then the name of the international airport at Georgetown, Guyana's capital, where Williams stops off to restore an earlier mural. The film offers a rare insight into life beyond Georgetown, what Williams calls “the real Guyana.” Before moving to England in 1952 he had been sent to work on a sugar plantation in the jungle; this is his first chance to revisit the region and the Warao Indians - formative influences on his work - in four decades. Challenging the ill-treatment of indigenous Guyanese, Williams explored the potential of art to change attitudes. By venturing beyond his British studio, this film puts his work into vibrant context.

STRONGHOLD: In the Grip of Wrestling
60%

STRONGHOLD: In the Grip of Wrestling(en)

2009-10-18

Adult men grapple with social stigmas to pursue their passion for wrestling. Includes an in-depth look at wrestling homoeroticism and homophobia.