Age of The Nerd
Back in 2000, David Arquette actor turned wrestler turned out to be the biggest heal in the hearts of wrestling fans when he won the World Heavyweight Championship in WCW. Arquette pinned Eric Bischoff in what many fans considered one of the dyer moments of the already dying wrestling promotion that was WCW.
You Cannot Kill David Arquette is a film directed by David Darg and Price James that takes a look at Arquette and the ups and downs that the actor has faced since the day’s Arquette became a heel in the eyes of wrestling fan’s and the jokester of Hollywood. The film is funny, and entertaining, and I dear say heartfelt in Arquette’s persistence to get back in the ring and be taken seriously as a professional wrestler.
We had the awesome opportunity to interview the directors of the film and get an insight into the film. Below are some of the highlights of the interview:
AOTN: How long did it take to film this documentary?
The Directors: We have known the Arquette’s for quite a while and knew that there was a story there. We shot about two and a half years. The whole process took about three years.
AOTN: In the film the way the Mexican wrestlers welcomed David in compared to the American wrestlers was is vastly different and you can see that play out.
The Directors: The way we approached it during the editorial of that piece is that wrestling would have its own identity. In Mexico you get that sense of color and flamboyance and its ingrained in their culture. Whereas in the LA and Hollywood stuff you got a little more animosity. You get death match stuff which is punk and hardcore. And the backyard stuff which is just a bunch of metal kids having loads of fun. It is good to have its own identity as the film progresses.
AOTN: One of the craziest moments in the movie is the death match with Nic Gage where David is stabbed with a fluorescent light tube. How close were you guys to the ring to film that fight?
The Director’s: Darg was right down there. I was covered in blood and glass.
AOTN: One of the most entertaining people in the film is Ricky the Wrestler who Arquette travels with in his 1980’s style van trying to help Arquette get back into the good graces of wrestling fans. How did you find him?
The Director’s: We love Ricky. The funny thing about Ricky is there is a Ricky in every town in America. The beautiful souls that live for wrestling. That is their life blood. We met so many people like Ricky over our journey making this film. It is a love letter to them.
AOTN: What did you guys learn traveling around the world and meeting all these different wrestler’s?
The Director’s: We love wrestling. You kind of drift out of it when you get older. But we fell in love with it again. And you learn about the sacrifices these people make. And how much fun it is. And not just the big Hulk guys. You know the seven-foot muscle giants and how they weave story line’s into everything. We loved it all.
I had a great time interviewing the directors of You Cannot Kill David Arquette. The directors are fans of wrestling and you can tell. They did a great job in executing their vision and showing David Arquette’s rise from a heel to a hero.
Check out the trailer below:
