"Jerry Lawler: It's Good To Be The King" Blu-Ray Review

WWE's latest DVD and blu-ray release Jerry Lawler: It's Good To Be The King hit store shelves yesterday. Eight years after being inducted into WWE's Hall of Fame, and two and a half years after his tragic heart attack, Lawler finally got his just due in the form of a full-length retrospect on his career.

Clocking in at just over 80 minutes, it seems a little short upon first glance. Lawler's career in wrestling has spanned over 45 years, but given that a lot of that was in Memphis, 80 minutes ended up being just fine, as it avoided being too redundant.

Lawler tells stories in a manner which few others in the business are capable of. His experience as an announcer really plays to his advantage on this set. Also, it's refreshing to see Lawler and Michael Cole both outside of the announce table, and without being overproduced as WWE's commentary can often be. Two guys who are sometimes looked down upon by fans are humanized, and as it turns out, are both incredibly personable and interesting.

Lawler goes through his history wrestling in Memphis, and talks about how his job as a radio DJ landed him the main event in his very first booking. He also talks about working alongside the AWA and WCCW in their dying days. Lawler took great pride in being AWA Champion and bringing a world title to Memphis.

His WWE career is covered, but not to the degree in which I expected. There was a heart-wrenching segment where Lawler spoke about his exit from the company in 2001. While explaining the circumstances of his departure, Lawler looked totally deflated when talking about how matter-of-fact Vince McMahon was about his release. Lawler was also brutally honest about how badly he wanted to return to WWE and jumped at the offer.

Another surreal moment, of course, is the heart attack. There's previously unseen footage of Lawler being given treatment backstage, as well as footage of the incident at ringside. It's almost chilling to watch Michael Cole inform the audience of what happened. This, coupled with the WWE release story bring a sense of emotion to the set that many don't have.

For almost any documentary, the blu-ray version is the way to go. They often contain well over a half-hour of additional footage and stories that weren't used in the feature. Lawler's set is no different, as there are plenty of extras. As for the match selection, it would have been nice to see more matches from Memphis, as that's where the majority of his career was spent.

All in all, the set is a must-buy for a collector. I'll never accuse Lawler of being the most exciting in-ring performer, but his story is a unique one. If you're a younger fan, this is a fantastic way to get acquainted with Lawler's famous feud with Andy Kaufman, which is covered extensively. If you're an older fan, it's a great way to re-live an excellent career.

Rating: 8.0/10