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Hot Docs 2014: 'The Sheik' Review

Hot Docs 2014: 'The Sheik' Review

Posted: Apr 28th 2014 By: Mark Wigmore

There are so many great docs on the various institutions, characters, fans and businessmen that make up professional wrestling. Stories about Hulk Hogan, the Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling, Bret Hart, and even the feature film "The Wrestler" have not only stocked festivals like TIFF and Hot Docs, they have also been very successful in theatres and on television. "The Sheik" is yet another tale from this so-called sport, but this time it features one of the most disliked heels to ever enter the ring. Lucky for us, the story of Khosrow Vaziri and his roller-coaster of a life is just as compelling as fake wrestling.

The Iron Sheik is one of the most memorable and iconic characters to ever come out of Vince McMahon's WWF/E machine. In a time when caricature (or maybe even racism) was something a little more up-front in the culture, the Sheik and his 'camel clutch' was how the World Wrestling Federation decided to deal with America's disdain for Iran and the Middle East in the 1980s. For the better part of a decade, Vaziri was ubiquitous in the wrestling world, adorned by his trademark Arabian keffiyeh. He fought greats like Hulk Hogan, Tito Santana, Bob Backlund, Sgt Slaughter and Hacksaw Jim Duggan, but unlike most of his WWF alumni, The Iron Sheik was more than a trumped-up muscle man. Vaziri was the real deal.

The Sheik started wrestling in Iran at age 14. He competed while in the army, tried out for the Olympics, and worked hard to become like his idol, Iranian national treasure, Gholamreza Takhti. Takhti was a celebrated Olympian, but was found dead in his hotel room in the late '60s. Vaziri new that the suspicious death of his hero meant Iran was the wrong place to live, so he made his way to the States. For years he helped Americans learn to wrestle and compete, working with top-tier national contenders. Vaziri was a success, taking full advantage of the American dream, but it would be his willingness to be hated as The Iron Sheik that would make him into a household name.

Vaziri's rise and fall is well-told in the film, with Vaziri telling much of the story himself in interviews. If you were brought up on weekend wrestling and Saturday Night's Main Event, you will love to journey back to the great WWF matches, but this doc doesn't stop there. The film documents the Sheik's fall from grace in the ring, his struggles with addiction, and the sad realities a wrestler must face after the big show is finished. The story includes a Canadian connection too. The filmmakers behind "The Sheik" initially met Vaziri in Toronto where he was wrestling for a few dozen people in a dive bar, and befriended him.

For fans of '80s wrestling, get ready to be dazzled, if not a little shocked, at the roster and condition of wrestlers who show up in this doc. Director Igal Hecht uses detailed interviews with Jake 'The Snake' Roberts, Bruce 'Brother Love' Prichard, and Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson. He juices up the rest of the film with cameos from Hulk Hogan, King Kong Bundy, Brett Hart, Koko B. Ware, Mick Foley, Jimmy Hart, The Nasty Boys, Hacksaw Jim Duggan and even The Sheik's former tag-team partner, a very weary looking Nikolai Volkoff.

"The Sheik" adds texture and colour to the bigger story of the WWE as we understand it today. His willingness to be a despised Arab in a boiled-down cartoon version of world politics made him a star. His hubris, lifestyle and the fickle relationship between a wrestler and his bosses left him with an ocean of problems. "The Sheik" succeeds in showing us that there are real men in a fake sport.

Hot Docs runs from April 24 - May 4 at various venues in Toronto.

 

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  • 1961 The Bolos (The Great Bolo [1st] & The Mighty Bolo) became the TSW Champion
  • 1987 Frankie Lancaster & Eric Embry def. The Fantastics (Tommy Rogers & Bobby Fulton) for the WCCW World Tag Team Titles
  • 1999 Tarantula def. Original Renegade for the OPW Oklahoma Light Heavyweight Title
  • 2005 Li'l Joe def. Phillip for the ACW Hardcore Title
  • 2009 Brandon Groom def. The Handsome Spoiler for the TOPW Oklahoma Heavyweight Title
  • 2009 Kevin James Sanchez def. Bobby Starr for the BYEW Entertainment Title
  • 2009 The Handsome Spoiler became the TOPW Oklahoma Heavyweight Champion
  • 2021 Most Wanted (Dan Webber & Reese) def. Los Loco Moscas (Elijah Sparks & El Greengo Loco) for the WAH Tag Team Titles
  • 2025 Microman def. Mini Abismo Negro for the EDW Heavyweight Title

Week of Sun 06-21 to Sat: 06-27

  • 06-21 1982 Junkyard Dog def. Bob Roop for the MSW North American Heavyweight Title
  • 06-21 1987 Al Perez def. The Dingo Warrior for the WCCW Texas Heavyweight Title
  • 06-21 2003 Kitty def. Manservant for the TPW Womens Title
  • 06-21 2008 Tim Rockwell def. El Super Colibri for the ComPro Oklahoma X Division Title
  • 06-21 2008 Li'l Joe def. Xavior for the GPCW Cruiserweight Title
  • 06-21 2014 Buster Cherry def. Havoc for the SWCW All-American Title
  • 06-21 2024 Big Sed def. Sam Adonis for the TexPro Heavyweight Title
  • 06-21 2025 Dan Webber became the LCW Lionheart Champion
  • 06-22 2005 Phillip def. Se7en for the ACW Hardcore Title
  • 06-22 2018 Joe Cuedo def. Brock Baker for the ComPro Oklahoma X Division Title
  • 06-22 2024 Pastor Brent def. Daniel Aaron Michalles for the WAH Hunger Dojo Title
  • 06-22 2024 Daniel Aaron Michalles def. Pastor Brent for the WAH Hunger Dojo Title
  • 06-22 2025 Billie the Kiid def. Dan Webber for the ASP Heavyweight Title
  • 06-23 1972 Billy Red Lyons def. The Spoiler for the WCCW American Heavyweight Title
  • 06-23 1980 Mr. Hito & Mr. Sakurada def. Jose Lothario & Tiger Conway Jr. for the WCCW American Tag Team Titles
  • 06-23 1982 Ted DiBiase def. Junkyard Dog for the MSW North American Heavyweight Title
  • 06-23 1984 Gino Hernandez became the WCCW Texas Heavyweight Champion
  • 06-23 1989 The Stud Stable (Robert Fuller & Brian Lee) def. Jeff Jarrett & Mil Mascaras for the WCCW World Tag Team Titles
  • 06-23 2001 Big Daddy Moore def. Adam Lacroix for the OPW Oklahoma Television Title
  • 06-23 2001 Grenade became the OPW Oklahoma Light Heavyweight Champion
  • 06-23 2009 Joshua Michael & Epic became the ACW Tag Team Champions
  • 06-23 2023 Dustin Tibbs def. Thrash for the WFC Prime Title
  • 06-24 1972 Stan Stasiak def. Red Bastien for the WCCW Texas Heavyweight Title
  • 06-24 1974 Bull Ramos def. Rip Tyler for the TSW North American Title
  • 06-24 1977 John Studd became the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Champion
  • 06-24 1985 The Dynamic Duo (Gino Hernandez & Chris Adams) def. The Fantastics (Tommy Rogers & Bobby Fulton) for the WCCW American Tag Team Titles
  • 06-24 2000 Great Bolo [2nd] def. Ichiban [2nd] for the OPW Oklahoma Light Heavyweight Title
  • 06-24 2000 Ichiban [2nd] became the OPW Oklahoma Light Heavyweight Champion
  • 06-24 2005 Spoiler 2000 became the NWA-U Television Champion
  • 06-24 2006 Prophet SteVens became the AACW Television Champion
  • 06-24 2007 Matt Garza became the MSWA Mid-South Cruiserweight Champion
  • 06-24 2016 Dynamic Shields (Justin Dynamic & Shawn Shields) def. Terry Montana & Mighty Mouse for the ComPro Tag Team Titles
  • 06-24 2016 Seth Angel def. Steven Cruze for the ComPro Showtime Title
  • 06-24 2016 Adrian Dell def. Nathan Estrada for the ComPro Oklahoma X Division Title
  • 06-24 2017 Drake Gallows became the ASP Heavyweight Champion
  • 06-24 2017 Excellence Personified (Duke Swellington & Dustin Heritage) def. Shawn Hendrix & Aaron Anders (substituting for Anthony Andrews) for the ComPro Tag Team Titles
  • 06-24 2017 Dynamic Shields (Justin Dynamic & Shawn Shields) def. Big Smooth & Zakk Sinizter for the UWE Tag Team Titles
  • 06-24 2018 Shawn Sanders def. Chaz Sharpe for the ASP Inter-County Title
  • 06-24 2018 Canadian Red Devil def. Adam Patrick for the ASP Mid-American Title
  • 06-24 2020 Warren Powers def. Giganto for the BPW 365 Title
  • 06-24 2023 Stage Dive Mafia (Rook Tyler & Axel Savage) became the BCW Tag Team Champions
  • 06-24 2023 C. M. Burnham def. Lunchador for the WAH Hunger Dojo Title
  • 06-24 2023 Lunchador def. C. M. Burnham for the WAH Hunger Dojo Title
  • 06-25 2011 Sam Stackhouse def. Shane Morbid for the BYEW Heavyweight Title
  • 06-25 2011 The Sons of Ireland (Devan Scott & Shane Scott) def. The New Age Syndicate (Scott Sanders & Shawn Sanders) for the BYEW Tag Team Titles
  • 06-25 2011 Chris Chaos became the BYEW Caution Champion
  • 06-25 2011 The Future Hall of Famers (John O'Malley & Brad Michaels) def. Bernie D & Aaron Neil (subbing for Max McGuirk) for the IZW Tag Team Titles
  • 06-25 2016 Brian Breaker def. Zakk Sinizter for the UWE Heavyweight Title
  • 06-25 2017 The Cub Scouts (Grizzly Gates & Brock Landers) became the MSWA Mid-South Tag Team Champions
  • 06-26 1961 The Bolos (The Great Bolo [1st] & The Mighty Bolo) became the TSW Champion
  • 06-26 1987 Frankie Lancaster & Eric Embry def. The Fantastics (Tommy Rogers & Bobby Fulton) for the WCCW World Tag Team Titles
  • 06-26 1999 Tarantula def. Original Renegade for the OPW Oklahoma Light Heavyweight Title
  • 06-26 2005 Li'l Joe def. Phillip for the ACW Hardcore Title
  • 06-26 2009 Brandon Groom def. The Handsome Spoiler for the TOPW Oklahoma Heavyweight Title
  • 06-26 2009 Kevin James Sanchez def. Bobby Starr for the BYEW Entertainment Title
  • 06-26 2009 The Handsome Spoiler became the TOPW Oklahoma Heavyweight Champion
  • 06-26 2021 Most Wanted (Dan Webber & Reese) def. Los Loco Moscas (Elijah Sparks & El Greengo Loco) for the WAH Tag Team Titles
  • 06-26 2025 Microman def. Mini Abismo Negro for the EDW Heavyweight Title
  • 06-27 1969 Wahoo McDaniel & Thunderbolt Patterson became the WCCW American Tag Team Champions
  • 06-27 1971 Johnny Valentine def. Toru Tanaka for the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Title
  • 06-27 1976 Jose Lothario def. The Mongolian Stomper for the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Title
  • 06-27 2009 Randy Price def. Dustin Heritage for the IZW Impact Division Title
  • 06-27 2009 Martin Justice became the OECW Southwestern Champion
06-26
  • Jax Samuel Jun 26th Today!
  • Paul Rodriguez Jun 26th Today!
  • D. K. Bradley Jun 26th Today!
  • Sylvia Richmond Jun 26th Today!
  • Ignition Jun 27th
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  • Kuda Jun 27th
  • Boris Malenko Jun 28th
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  • Kenny Mack Jun 28th
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  • Malico Jun 28th
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  • John Tidwell Jun 28th
  • Doc Hearon Jun 28th
  • Claire Jun 28th
  • Voltio Santiago Jun 29th
  • Barbara Galento Jun 29th
  • Killaman Jaro Jun 29th
  • Kenneth Caine Jun 30th
  • Ed Lewis Jun 30th
  • Terry Funk Jun 30th
  • Tim WarCloud Jul 1st
  • Li'l Joe Jul 1st
  • Jake Hollister Jul 1st
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  • Crowson D. Calhoun Jul 2nd
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