Mad Bull – Movie Review

Director: Walter Doniger, Len Steckler

Starring: Alex Karras, Susan Anspach, Elisha Cook Jr., Chris DeRose, Bill Baldwin, Ernie Hudson and Regis Philbin

This Ring Time’s first non-WWE released movie. This title was pulled from Netflix streaming because it was about professional wrestling. The movie is title Mad Bull and stars Alex Karras as Iago “Mad Bull” Karkus(also known as Webster’s dad). He plays a professional wrestler whose world is falling apart around him until he meets a beautiful woman named Christina played by Susan Anspach. Karras actually has some background in professional wrestling. He moonlighted in wrestling during his professional football career.

Released in 1977 this movie was made for television and you can tell by how the screen goes black where the commercial breaks were. This movies have a few sub plots and you really don’t know which is the main one driving the movie. Mad Bull has a failing marriage and a son that he doesn’t get to see much. Then there is his father who is an ex champion wrestler that he has a complex relationship with also. Combine that with his quest for wrestling success and a stalker who is never fully explained this movie has a lot going on.

Despite it being movie about professional wrestling it did not have a lot of actual wrestlers in the movie? The four guys I found through the magic Google were dudes I had never heard of. Now the interesting thing about this movie was that it broke kayfabe. It showed wrestling as a work with predetermined ending which was unheard of in 1977. That maybe a reason wrestlers from major companies didn’t involved.

There are some notable appearances in the movie. A pre-Ghostbusters Ernie Hudson has role as a wrestler in the movie. Kind of funny the only black guy in the movie was named Black Bart. Also there is a cameo from Regis Philbin.

The movies in not a total waste of time but don’t break your neck to see this one.

Keith B Holt

Follow on Twitter @Kholtjr