Best Horror Films of the 1970's

Many refer to the 70's as the "golden age of horror," which is very hard to argue. We had huge blockbusters like "Jaws" and "The Exorcist," as well as under-the-radar gems like "Surpiria." All in all, it is a decade which produced many memorable horror films, so let's take a look at the 10 best that the 70's had to offer.

1. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974). Truly one of the greatest horror films ever made, the original "Chainsaw" has been horrifying and disgusting audiences for 40 years now. The poster for this movie would absolutely be on the "Mount Rushmore" of horror films. The documentary style, gritty film making only add to the aura of this macabre tale. In reality, we see very little gore in this film, but the movie is so well done that you look back on it and think you witnessed an absolute blood bath. The first time we meet Leatherface is one of the most iconic and jaw-dropping scenes in the history of the genre. While making the movie, the cast suffered through brutally hot and disgusting conditions which really comes to life on screen. "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" completely re-invented the wheel when it comes to horror and shocking audiences.

2. Halloween (1978). The quintessential slasher film! John Carpenter's little independent movie would wind up creating an entire horror sub-genre and created one of horror's greatest characters in the babysitter-stalking Michael Myers. This movie is perfectly paced and brilliantly atmospheric. The simple musical theme, created by Carpenter himself, serves as a chilling backdrop as Myers stalks his victims. "Halloween" may not have been the first "slasher flick" but it absolutely perfected the formula and dished it up on a platter for many pretenders that would try to emulate the success of this timeless piece of horror gold.

3. The Exorcist (1973). The Exorcist is one of those movies that genuinely shocked people upon its release in 1973. This was extremely original and groundbreaking for its time as the idea of demonic possession had rarely been used in the horror genre. This film has more of an epic feel to it and was generally recognized as a classic movie regardless of genre (it was up for Best Picture in 1973). Obviously, the possession of a 12 year old girl served as the catalyst for all the controversy that would follow the movie's release. In this regard, "The Exorcist" can be very hard to watch considering the nature of its content which is ripe with anti-religious rhetoric. There is no doubt that "The Exorcist" is widely known as one of the most influential horror movies ever made and its impact has been well documented over the years.

4. Jaws (1975). Just how good were horror movies in the 1970's? Well "Jaws" is fourth on this list, and we are obviously looking at one of the great summer blockbuster films of all time! "Jaws" made each and every one of us scared of the water in some form or another. Some wouldn't swim in a lake or ocean, others wouldn't even go in a swimming pool or bathtub after seeing the great white shark terrorize the small, ocean community in the film. The crew had a hard time getting the shark to work throughout filming which wound up adding to the dread and suspense of the movie. You rarely get to see the actual shark which make it absolutely terrifying during the scenes when you do see it. The opening scene where the girl goes swimming in the ocean by herself at night is one of the great scenes in the history of horror. You see nothing but black, endless ocean in the distance and the audience winds up feeling like anything could be out there.

5. Dawn of the Dead (1978). The sequel to 1968's "Night of the Living Dead" took the zombie genre to new heights with "Dawn." Widely heralded as the essential zombie film, director George A. Romero shows us a world that is starting to be overtaken by the walking dead. A group of survivors trapped in a mall try to fend off the creatures as the film subtly makes societal statements about commerce and our unbridled desire to shop. Romero paints a perfect picture of a post-apocalyptic America and hints that the real horror may exist within the human race itself.

6. Carrie (1976). One of Stephen King's best film adaptations, "Carrie" is an extremely original and entertaining movie that probably deserves even more praise than it gets. The religious fanaticism that is exhibited by Carrie's mother, brilliantly and creepily played by Piper Laurie, serves as a tremendous backdrop for the haunting tone of the film. Laurie and the group of teenage girls who constantly tease Carrie portray the true villains in this movie, as we find ourselves cheering for Carrie to exact revenge on those who have wronged her.

7. The Omen (1976). In the 70's, we saw religion as a re-accuring theme for popular horror films. In "the Omen," a family finds that they have adopted the son of Satan himself who was played brilliantly by Harvey Stephens. And by brilliantly, I mean that the kid was creepy as could be and was perfectly cast as a child-demon. The babysitter hanging scene is still etched in many people's minds today as one of the most disturbingly shot scenes you will ever see.

8. Tourist Trap (1979). This is more of a fun, drive-in type horror movie but is vastly underrated all the same. A group of friends wind up stranded at a road-side museum where mannequins are coming to life and killing people. There is something about the feel of this movie that is wildly entertaining and impossible to turn away from. "Tourist Trap" would influence many similar films over the years like "House of Wax," "Rest Stop," and many more. If you haven't seen it, do yourself a favor and dig up an old VHS copy (for effect only) and enjoy a forgotten piece of horror history.

9. Suspiria (1977). It's horrible things happening to people, but done in a beautiful way. This might best describe Italian director Dario Argento's  hypnotic masterpiece. "Suspiria" is one of those films that is not for everyone, but many horror fans appreciate the entrancing style and feel of the movie. Visually it is as stunning as anything you will ever see in horror and the soundtrack (provided by Goblin) is wonderfully strange and macabre. There is one infamous death scene in "Suspiria" that will likely cling to you for life should you ever happen upon a copy of this classic.

10. Black Christmas (1974). Given credit as the original slasher film, "Black Christmas" certainly provided a formula that would be  emulated countless times over the next 40 years. In "Black Christmas" a deranged killer begins stalking members of a college sorority. He kills them off one by one in true horror movie fashion, but the real surprise to this movie is that **SPOILER ALERT** the killer remains nameless and faceless throughout the film. This was a very gutsy decision by the film makers. As the slasher genre really began taking off in the late 70's, it was unheard of not to introduce a killer that would serve as the face of the franchise.








Honorable Mentions: The Wicker Man, Alice Sweet Alice, The Hills Have Eyes, Phantasm, The Last House on the Left, The Town the Dreaded Sundown, Alien.

Top 10 Horror Films of the 1980's

With the advent of VHS, the horror genre experienced a revolution during the 1980's. Literally hundreds of  titles started being produced and some even became smashes at the box office. Others  found their way to a cult following on the direct-to-video market, but there is no denying the impact that horror films had on the decade and pop culture itself. So, without further adieu lets take a look at the top 10 horror films of the 80's.

1. The Evil Dead (1981). Sam Raimi's low budget "Evil Dead" began captivating horror fans upon its release in 1981. With the art of extremely clever film-making, atmosphere and storytelling, this became one of the biggest cult movies of all time. It is one of those movies that has the same effect on you today as it did the first time you had the guts to watch it as a cowering child. In an era of computers and CGI, you really have to marvel at the incredible film wizardry that this group of film students came up with on a $350,000 budget. The film would also create one of horror's great heroes in Ash, who spends the bulk of the film in a terrifying fight to the death with demonic entities. In a decade filled with amazingly good (and equally bad) horror films, this is the movie that all the others must be compared to.

2.  The Shining (1981). Stanley Kubrick's vision of the horrifying Stephen King novel has been widely regarded as a horror classic for over 30 years. Jack Nicholson provides a riveting portrayal of a hotel manager spiriting into madness as he slowly succumbs to the spirits of the Overlook. The film's visuals are almost as stunning as the macabre events that are taking place within the hotel themselves. Set in the dead of a Colorado winter, you feel as if you are trapped inside the hotel along with the characters which only adds to the dread. There are many scenes in this film that stand out in horror lore, but no one will ever forget the sea of  blood rushing down the hallway as the little boy peddles his trike.

3. The Lost Boys (1987). This is a film which certainly transcends the horror genre and may well have been more of a quintessential pop-culture piece for the 80's. We have a group of cool, sexy vampires terrorizing a California beach community which provides a tremendous setting visually. The music, hair and clothing absolutely scream "80's" and  having younger characters help blurr the line between horror and comedy. This is the movie that our parents would actually let us watch, which takes some of the true magic away, however, there is no denying the impact that "The Lost Boys" had on the vampire genre and the 1980's in general.

4. A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984). Director West Craven based this film on a story that he once read that people were dying in their sleep after having severe nightmares. And with that, we are introduced to Freddy Kreuger in 1984 and none of us have likely been the same since. Obviously, this movie spurned many sequels throughout the decade, and created a horror icon in Freddy, but as a stand alone, "A Nightmare on Elm Street" is an instant classic. This was very original for the time and threw a new kink into the formulaic slasher genre. The dream sequences and special effects are top notch for the era and we will never forget watching the poor teenage girl getting dragged around and clawed to death on the ceiling of her room.

5. Day of the Dead (1985). Long before AMC's "The Walking Dead," we were left with George A. Romero films to quench our thirst for zombies. "Day of the Dead" is actually the third installment of Romero's "Dead" trilogy following "Night of the Living Dead" and "Dawn of the Dead." This film takes place in an underground military bunker where a group of survives are trying to keep the zombies at bay. The social commentary here is certainly not subtle as we are shown a glimpse of how humanity faces extreme adversity. The gore effects (created by legendary Tom Savini) are amazingly done in this film. No two zombies look the same and you cringe every time one of them happens to get a hold of a human victim.

6. Friday the 13th (1980). We started the 1980's with a small, low-budge independent film that would wind up changing the genre as we knew it. "Friday the 13th," which as an admitted "Halloween" ripoff, steered the slasher genre in the right direction and provided us with a perfect horror setting in Camp Crystal Lake. Of course, the original film did not feature Jason Voorhees as the killer, but it was his vengeful mother who started all the mayhem. "Friday the 13th" is a solid and impactful slasher film as a stand-alone, but the fact that it created the greatest horror icon of all time in later films bumps it up on the list for sure.

7. Return of the Living Dead (1985). They are back from the grave and ready to party!  In this zombie parody, we find out exactly why zombie want to eat us: because it hurts to be dead! Makes sense right? "Return of the Living Dead" provides a fun, humorous view of the zombie genre long before it became cliche'. Despite the campy feel of the movie, there are still some wonderful zombie effects and kills. If the horror universe wasn't zombie-crazed before 1985, it definitely would be after as both "Return" and "Day of the Dead" fed our appetite for mindless zombie killing.

8. Silver Bullet (1985). Based on Stephen King's novella "Cycle of the Werewolf," "Silver Bullet" would provide us with a wonderfully told story based on the popular werewolf legend. A young Corey Haim plays a handicapped boy who believes that a werewolf is responsible for several killings around town that just happen to occur during full moons. Gary Busey is a huge highlight playing Haim's uncle, who might be the only one in town who believes that a werewolf is actually alive and well in Tarker Mills. There is something about movies that take place in small towns that give you a different vibe and this is no different. You really do not know who the werewolf is until very late in the movie and everyone is a suspect!

9. Fright Night (1985). This is just a really fun movie from the word go and reminds you why the 80's were so great. Definitely a perfect drive-in type film that also combined horror and comedy wonderfully. "Fright Night" plays off the 80's cliche of something horrifying occurring and a kid (high school student in this case) seeing it happenwith NO ONE believing him of course. Here, we have a cunning vampire moving next door to this kid and starts preying on various women from the town. Charlie Brewster must enlist the help of a TV "vampire hunter" (who doesn't believe him either) to stop this prince of darkness before it's too late!

10. Waxwork (1988). Waxwork is one of those movies that deserves far more accolades than creeping on to this top-10 list. This is the ultimate USA "Up all Night" flick and if you've seen it, you probably love it. A local wax museum opens up although there seems to be something fishy going on inside. When a group of friends take a tour, they find themselves being lost in various terrifying wax scenes. The visuals are stunning and the story is quite creative as the group navigates through the different wax horrors.









Underrated Gems Also Deserving of Mention: American Werewolf in London, The Howling, Sleepaway Camp 1 and 2, Night of the Creeps, Hellraiser, Creepers, The Burning, Near Dark, Aliens, The Thing, Trick or Treat, Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2, Critters. 

Top 10 Most Underrated 80's Movie Classics

The 1980's served as an extremely important decade for all of pop culture. The music, movies, hairstyles and clothing live on and are often still referenced today. There is no denying the impact such films as "The Breakfast Club," "Back to the Future," and "Ferris Bueller's Day off" had on the world both then and now. But if you dig a little deeper, you will find many gems from the 80's that may have flown a bit more under the radar but offer just as much nostalgia. I now offer you the 10 most underrated 80's classics:

1. Adventures in Babysitting (1987). This is a movie that most people have seen at least once. It lacks the critical acclaim that a movie like "Breakfast Club" has attained but its memory lives on just the same.  The always lovable Elisabeth Shue stars in this epic tale about a night of babysitting gone horribly awry. It's one of those films that after you watch it, you feel like six or seven hours have gone by because so much happened. You have an ill-fated trip to downtown Chicago, a group of car thieves chasing the kids through the ghetto, a house party, a jazz club, and a gang fight on a subway train...And that just sums up about half the mayhem. This film had me begging my mother to get Elisabeth Shue to babysit for me (the offer still stands), and will always be remembered as a classic 80's adventure.

2. The Lost Boys (1987). This is a movie that transcends the horror genre and made vampires cool and hip. The "Twilight" series owes at least a vile of blood to this cult-classic. Director Joel Schumacher created a very visual film that might be the quintessential pop-culture based movie of the entire decade. The film always seems to be stuck in limbo because it blurs the lines between horror, comedy and action, but does so beautifully. The young, good-looking vampires were groundbreaking at the time and helped set a trend for future screen appearances from the creatures of the night. This would also be the first of many "Corey and Corey films." No explanation should be needed there. This is one that we all remember renting at the video store and staying up late to watch with our friends while eating from one of those old Doritos bags and drinking Pepsi Free.

3. Revenge of the Nerds (1984). On the heels of the timeless "Animal House" came "Revenge of the Nerds," a very underrated comedy about a fraternity of nerds who are trying to fit in at a large university. Hilarity ensues as they battle with members of the Alpha Betas for college supremacy! So many memorable one liners came from this awesome film such as the unforgettable character "Booger" belching out "we've got bush!" following a hilarious panty raid scene. This movie also helped us realize that nerds are just as cool as party-crazed football players. The intellectual elite CAN get the girl in the end and none of us will truly be free until nerd persecution ends. Oh by the way..."Just clap your hands everybody and everybody clap your hands, we're Lamda Lamda Lamda and..Omega Moo."

4. Vision Quest (1985). This flick did for amateur wrestling what "The Karate Kid" did for Karate. This movie develops a wonderful blend of action film and love story as Matthew Modine plays a head-strong high school wrestler bent on wrestling the best prospect in the state. His "vision quest" is well documented throughout the film as he draws strength and direction from a woman who he falls in love with early in the movie. The climax is fantastic and in the end, you are genuinely cheering this kid on as he faces both of his toughest challenges at once (wrestling Shute, and starting a relationship with Carla). The soundtrack to this movie keeps you going throughout as artists like Journey, Dio, Madonna and John Waite valiantly guide you through the film.

5. License to Drive (1988). The "Corey and Corey" shenanigans continue in this coming-of-age classic about a kid trying to get his drivers license and the freedom that it represents! We can all relate to this time in our lives and "License to Drive" depicts our feelings of teenage angst and rebellion to a tee. This is one of those films that you wish you could live just once. Corey Haim's character steels his grandpa's car so he can take out a very lovely Heather Graham, only to have her pass out mid-date as he and his friends encounter numerous whimsical adventures before returning the car home safe and sound.The nostalgia is strong in this one, and it's a movie that you can watch as a 30 year old and still wish to live just one night like Corey Haim in this movie.

6. The Monster Squad (1987). And here we have "the Goonies" meet "The Wolfman." A group of young kids who are obsessed with monsters find out that THEY ALONE must stop the forces of evil from taking over our world. That premise alone should send you directly to Amazon.com to purchase a DVD copy of this awesome 80's trip down memory lane. This is actually the only time in movie history that Frankenstin, Dractula, Wolfman, the Mummy and Creature from the Black Lagoon are together in the same film. You can tell this was heavily influenced by the aforementioned "Goonies" as you basically have this lovable cast of kids trying to work together to defeat these monsters. If you are reading this right now and have seen the movie, surely right now you are imagining the film's most memorable quote "Wolfman's got nards!"

7. White Water Summer (1987). Kevin Bacon stars as an over-the-top summer tour guide or sorts as he takes four young boys out into the wilderness in hopes of turning them into men. A young Sean Astin opposes Bacon's teachings which leads to many tense moments as the group finds themselves at odds with the majestic landscape and each other. Despite some dramatic moments, "White Water Summer" still provides necessary 80's cheese complete with some tremendous music and scenery. If it makes any difference, I would still venture out into the wild with Kevin Bacon as my fearless leader despite some of the events that occur in the film.

8. Teen Wolf (1985). Long before MTV ripped off this title and used it to make a show about a "Twilight" ripoff, there came this little movie starring Michael J. Fox from 1985. Fox had just done "Back to the Future" and was one of the biggest stars in the world when he made this. Obviously, this movie does not get nearly the press as "Future" did and deservedly so, although you can't deny the greatness of the wolf! Fox becomes a wolf, becomes good at basketball, and finds popularity with the prettiest girl in school. But the real story here is that we should all feel comfortable in our own skin and be comfortable with who we are...Ok that might be a little deep for a film like this but Michael J. Fox as a wolf playing basketball is just 80 kinds of awesome and you know it.

9. Summer School (1987). Mark Harmon plays a cool PE teacher forced to teach an English class during summer school. This one reeks of 80's cheese, but lets face it, that smells oh so good. This is one of those that you would catch on the USA Network at 11:00 at night on a Friday. There is just something so charming about Harmon and the way he deals with this group of underachieving malcontents. He teaches them how to drive, lets them use his an apartment for a house party and takes them to the beach for field trips. What could possibly go wrong?

10. The Wizard (1989). This was THE film for the "Nintendo Generation" and was basically a 90-minute commercial for the company wrapped up in a feature-film starring Fred Savage. This movie is as ridiculous as it is awesome as a group of kids run away in hopes of becoming video game champions. As a kid, there was just nothing cooler than this imaginable. The final scene where the game "Super Mario Bros. 3" was revealed for the first time might be one of the most nostalgic moments in all of film. The groups adversary Lucas is hilarious beyond belief as he is allegedly a master of every Nintendo game ever made. He also has a powerglove, which is "so bad!" They also managed to weave a heartwarming tale about family in with all the video game playing but as a kid it was all about the gaming!

Broncos Load Up For Lombardi Run

Still hurting from their 43-8 Superbowl XLVIII defeat to the Seattle Seahawks, the Denver Broncos appear to be going all in on a final stampede towards a championship. The Broncos began snagging players left and right as the NFL's free agency period opened last Tuesday. They were able to ink ultra-talented corner Aquib Talib right out of the gate with players like T.J. Ward, Demarcus Ware, and Emmaunel Sanders following suit. On paper, it is easy to deduce that this will be the team to beat in the AFC once again, and likely the team to beat in the entire NFL. With Peyton Manning's future with the team uncertain, Broncos Owner Pat Bowlen and VP of Football Operations John Elway are doing the right thing in trying to secure the franchise's first Superbowl since 1999.

Of course there are many fans and media pundits who are already making comparisons to the 2011 Philadelphia Eagles "super team" which failed to even make the playoffs that season, despite signing enough high-profile free agents to make Dan Snyder jealous. The difference however, is that this Denver team has Peyton Manning, one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time, who just enjoyed his best statistical year as a pro at the age of 37. No disrespect to Michael Vick, but that Eagles team did not have near the pieces in its arsenal that the 2014 Broncos will have at their disposal. The team could certainly find itself in a disastrous salary cap situation in 2016, but no Broncos fan will be complaining about a few 4-12 seasons if they are able to add another Lombardi Trophy or two to the case. Clearly, the "Superbowl or bust" situation puts immense pressure on the Broncos front office and onto Manning himself, as leaving Denver without any hardware would have many labeling the final stage of his career as a failure.

Obviously, Denver won't be entering the 2014 season without some key talent losses of their own. There are a few key contributors from the 2012 season that could not be re-signed most notably receiver Eric Decker who recently signed with the Jets. Wesley Woodyard and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie were two solid defensive starters who also found themselves going elsewhere, but these are not losses that are likely to impact a Superbowl run with the additions that the team has already made. The return of Von Miller from injury will also make a big impact on a defense that continued to improve a season ago even in his absence. Emmanuel Sanders will be a tremendous weapon playing opposite Demaryius Thomas, especially if Wes Welker is able to continue his effectiveness in the slot.

Another factor at play here is the current state of the Broncos Division, the AFC West. The Kansas City Chiefs were a playoff team a year ago, but a team that has lost key depth to free agency, meanwhile they have not been able to secure any pieces to help build a team that can compete with their rivals from Denver. Since Peyton Manning's arrival to the division, only the San Deigo Chargers own a victory over the Broncos. Phillip Rivers is coming off a very good season (shockingly) and it appears that they will be the only team with a chance to compete for a division crown. The Raiders are still trying to find their path under head coach Dennis Allen and have found themselves on the wrong end of several blowouts to Manning's two previous Denver teams.

No one earns a Superbowl trophy in March and the Denver Broncos will still have to prove themselves from September-February, but it is hard to argue with the potential of their immediate future. Teams like Kansas City and Oakland will likely have to stand back and wait for Manning to retire and for this talented roster to disband. The spotlight will be on Denver every Sunday and every game will be picked apart and every decision their front office made will be analyzed daily. In an era where players and front office personnel are placed under a microscope more than ever, it is important to recognize the fact that this franchise is clearly making every attempt possible to give their fans the ultimate prize.

Ranking the First 15 Wrestlemanias

We are almost a month away from the 30th edition of Wrestlemania; the grandest stage in all of sports entertainment. This years spectacle promises to feature many stars past and present, and with the 30th anniversary of this transcendent event approaching, I thought I would take a nostalgic look back through time and rank the first 15 Manias.

15. Wrestlemania XI (1995, Hardtford Civic Center, Hartford, CT). Many believe this to be the worst Wrestlemania of all time and I am inclined to agree. The show just did not feel "big" to me. The man event featured a retired football player (Lawrence Taylor) and a midcard wrestler (Bam Bam Bigelow) and the WWF Title Match was a bit of a disaster as Shawn Michaels and Disel were really not into the match from the get-go. The rest of the card was extremely poorly booked and forgettable. Wrestlemania XI also took place at the Hartford Civic Center which is hardly a venue that elicits images of grandeur and spectacle.

14. Wrestlemania IX (1993, Caesars Palace, Las Vegas Nevada). The WWF really did a great job with the aesthetic aspects of this event. The ancient Rome theme looked awesome draped around a makeshift stadium at Caesars Palace. The problem is, the actual event did not deliver in the way they had planned. At the time, Hulk Hogan's WWF career was winding down and they were trying to push new stars. Bret Hart vs. Yokozuna was the evening's main event for the WWF Title. The problem is, Hogan wound up interjecting himself in this match after Hart was "cheated" out of a victory. Hogan attacked Yokozuna and actually won the WWF Title as the show went off the air. Just a really weird situation that never did feel right. It was definitely an awkward time for the company as you had veteran guys like Hogan, Beefcake etc hanging around and new stars trying to gain the spotlight.

13. Wrestlemania XV (1999, First Union Center, Philadelphia, PA). This Mania absolute wreaks of WWF Attitude era writing and wrestling. Honestly, it felt like an overblown episode of "Monday Night Raw" with most of the card being extremely forgettable (Bart Gunn vs. Butterbean in a boxing match anyone?) But the saving grace is certainly the title match between the Rock and "Stone Cold" Steve Austin who were both red hot at the time. Austin re-gained his belt which probably saved this show.

12. Wrestlemania II (1986, Chiago, New York, Los Angeles). The second version of Wrestlemania was just as large of a gamble as the first one was the previous year. The WWF put this event on from three different locations and also provided the show on closed circuit television all over the U.S. The card had its moments including Chicago Bears legend William "The Refrigerator" Perry competing in a battle royal and Rowdy Roddy Piper fighting Mr. T in a boxing match. The main event featured Hulk Hogan vs. monster heel King Kong Bundy in a cage match which was solid if not somewhat unspectacular. Overall, this was quite a production for the WWF at the time and it set the standard for what was to come.

11. Wrestlemania XIII (1997, Rosemont Horizon, Chicago, IL). Wrestlemania XIII was all about one thing: Bret Hart vs. Steve Austin. This match would make "Stone Cold" a huge star despite passing out from blood loss in Hart's Sharpshooter. This was supposed to feature a re-match between Hart and Shawn Michaels, but Shawn did not want to lose to Bret so he fore-fitted the title. Sid Vicious vs. Undertaker would headline the card and Taker would win his second WWF Title on this night, but this show was all about Austin/Hart in the "I Quit" match.

10. Wrestlemania I (1985, Madison Square Garden, New York, NY). This was the event that started it all. WWF owner Vince McMahon gambled the future of his company to try to make the WWF a global phenomenon. He definitely succeeded with a star-studded show that featured many celebrities in addition to a loaded rosters of wrestlers. Liberace, Muhammad Ali, Billy Martin, and Cyndi Lauper all contributed their talents to help make this Wrestlemania a resounding success. Television star Mr. T wound up wrestling in the event as he teamed with Hulk Hogan to take on Rowdy Roddy Piper and Mr. Wonderful in the nights main event.

9. Wrestlemania XII (1996, Anaheim Pond, Anaheim, CA). Wrestlemania XII came at an odd time for the WWF. This was pre attitude era and the company was counting on a 60-minute Iron Man Match between Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels to sell this show. The idea was a huge success as many contend that the Iron Man Match was one of the greatest matches in wrestling history. The athleticism and in-ring-wizardry of Michaels and Hart was astounding during that match and helped establish both individuals as guys that could be counted on to carry the company into the future. HBK would win his first WWF Title on this night and would set himself up as "the guy" for the foreseeable future.

8. Wrestlemania IV (1988, Trump Plaza, Atlantic City, NJ). Wrestlemania IV featured a tournament to crown a new WWF Champion. This was the WWF's attempt at doing something different and trying to move away from Hogan as Champion as he was wanting to take some time off to film a movie. The tournament was a fun idea and the crowning of the "Macho Man" Randy Savage as the new champion was a big step for the company at the time. The atmosphere was not great as the Trump Plaza was filled with high rollers from Donald Trump's casino and the energy in the crowd suffered from that a bit.

 7. Wrestlemania X (1994, Madison Square Garden, New York, NY). This is the first post-Hogan Wrestlemania and the results wound up being tremendous. You had Shawn Michaels and Razor Ramon tearing the house down during their ground-breaking ladder match and Bret Hart stealing the show with two unbelievable performances (including a loss to his brother Owen). This show helped catapult the WWF into the "new generation" which featured younger and more athletic stars.

6. Wrestlemania VIII (1992, Hoosier Dome, Indianapolis, IN) This could easily have been the greatest Mania of all time but a huge botch on the WWF's part kept that from happening. Ric Flair had defected to the WWF in 1991 and was clearly on a collision course to take on Hulk Hogan for the title at Wrestlemania VIII. Unfortunatley, things wound up getting changed although we got a wonderful title match between Randy Savage and Flair. Hulk Hogan (billed as his final match...um nope!) wound up taking on Sid Justice in the headlining match which ended with the Ultimate Warrior returning to help Hogan fend off Justice and Papa Shango who had interfered causing the DQ. Overall, this is probably the final "golden era" Wrestlemania as many things would be changed by Wrestlemania IX.

5. Wrestlemania XIV (Fleet Center, Boston, MA). This event certainly helped usher in the "attitude era" of the World Wrestling Federation. Shawn Michaels was on his way out of the company due to injury and "Stone Cold" Steve Austin was the hottest thing in the world at the time.Austin would leave Boston that night as a legendary force in sports entertainment after beating Shawn Michaels. Mike Tyson being involved in the main event was a huge catalyst in the WWF's popularity surge around this time. The Undertaker finally meeting his "brother" Kate one-on-one was a giant cherry on top to this tremendous card.

4. Wrestlemania VII (1991, Sports Arena, Los Angeles, CA). The WWF decided to capitalize on the Gulf War which America was involved in at the time. Sgt. Slaughter was billed as an Iraqi sympathizer and it was up to the real American, Hulk Hogan to stop him and to re-gain the heavyweight championship. Slaughter may have been passed his prime, but the storyline was executed beautifully. Wrestlemania VII also featured the tremendous career ending match between The Ultimate Warrior and Randy Savage. The Warrior emerged victorious, but the highlight of the match consisted of Savage being re-united with his former girlfriend Miss Elizabeth during one of the most emotional moments in WWE history.

3. Wrestlemania III (1987, Pontiac Silverdome, Pontiac, MI). There is no questioning that one match alone put 93,000 people in the Silverdome to help break the indoor attendance record. Hulk Hogan and Andre the Giant clashing at Wrestlemania III is one of the most pivotal moments in wrestling history. Hogan slammed the giant and won the match which became a defining moment for the WWF as the company had reached a zenith by this time.

2. Wrestlemania V (1989, Trump Plaza, Atlantic City, NJ). In 1989 the Mega Powers did indeed explode! The Hogan and Savage storyline had been a year in the making and was beautifully told. Randy Savage became jealous of his manager Miss Elizabeth and Hulk Hogan's relationship and turned heel forcing a match with Hogan with the title on the line. The hype for this event was massive and the card was stacked. The Ultimate Warrior and Ravishing Rick Rude even had a solid match for the Intercontinental Title, but the Mega Powers would rule the day in the end. Hogan went on to re-gain his title with his theme music "Real American" playing in the background of the epic celebration.

1. Wrestlemania VI (1990, Skydome, Toronto, Canada). To me, this is the greatest wrestling extravaganza of all time! There is something about Wrestlemania VI that makes me feel so nostalgic that it's almost palpable. The build-up for Hogan vs. Warrior was unreal. The venue was perfect (68,000 people in the brand-new Skydome) and the crowd was split right down the middle on who they wanted to win. Something about this production just feels newer compared to the preceding Wrestlemanias. The graphics, lighting, crowd, atmosphere all felt really huge at the time. Of course the wrong person won the match as Warrior clearly was not ready to carry the torch as WWF Champion. Regardless, the ultimate challenge at Wrestlemania VI will certainly live on for eons to come.