ANDREAS HOPFGARTEN
The Immortals
THE IMMORTALS (2014)
Wrestling is a modern soap-opera-like form of theatre, which combines elements of fighting and acting. So called „gimmicks“, unique character features like masks, backstory or behaviour are used to depict the fight between good and evil. In most cases these gimmicks are strongly connected to the wrestler‘s personality and often symbolize their hopes, fears and desires about themselves or even the world in general.
In the 90s professional wrestling was extremely popular in Germany. Today the broad public considers it as a wannabe-sport, due to the fact that course and outcome of the fights are fixed. Even though the fanbase has shrunk enormously since the 90s, there still are a lot of hardcore fans, who idolize their local wrestling heroes and follow them around the country. Most events attract only a few hundred fans but the vast majority of German and European wrestlers still dream of a shiny career in big promotions overseas.
Often razorblades are used by wrestlers to cut themselves during matches to create the illusion of real injuries. Sometimes injuries really do occur. In any case the blood is real. This is where the difference between theatre or movies and wrestling can be found. In the latter one the pain is real and not a played act.
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