WEW NUDE AND NASTY
DVD region 1. DVE.

Sometimes, a DVD pops through the letterbox that leaves you bemused as to who it's actually aimed at. Like this one, for instance.

Any wrestling fans amongst you might be familiar with Women's Extreme Wrestling, which appeared late at night on the now-defunct Fight Network (just after the insane Japanese catfighting show, which I'd frankly much rather be reviewing). The show is pretty much standard US professional wrestling, only with women, and there is nothing rude, lewd or nude about it. The ladies get into the ring, beat the hell out of each other and then leave - clothing intact. On the rare occasion that something pops out unexpectedly, the footage is censored.

It would seem, then, that WEW is trying to be a 'real' wrestling franchise, unlike older efforts like G.L.O.W. or any other the mud / jello / food wrestling videos that were big in the 1980's. In a male-dominated industry, these women seem determined to make it on their own merits, rather than as eye candy for the fans.

So this DVD of a Pay Per View show is decidedly odd.

It takes the regular style of the WEW and mixes in a few soft striptease sequences by sexy Playboy playmates, which are entirely unrelated to any of the ring action. None of the wrestlers strip; none of the strippers wrestle.

So I just can't work out who this is for. Erotica fans and wrestling enthusiasts alike will surely feel short-changed. But I suppose if you like grappling and stripping, it might be just the thing. or, more likely, not.

TNA Wrestling fans will be amused to see familiar faces SoCal Val and ODB in action here (in the case of the latter, it's possibly a relief that she stays clothed!), suggesting that this is not the most recent of productions.

DAVID FLINT