The Weirdo Hero

Last updated

The Weirdo Hero
The Weirdo Hero poster 2015.png
Directed byRyan Curtis [1]
Written byTheo Francon
Produced byDerek Hird [2] [3]
Starring Theo Francon [4] [5]
Release date
  • 31 August 2015 (2015-08-31)
Running time
40 minutes [5] [1]
CountryCanada
LanguageEnglish

The Weirdo Hero is a 2015 Canadian independent theatrically released short film about a professional wrestler dealing with depression. [6] [7] [8] [9] The film uses animation together with live-action. [10] The film stars professional wrestler Theo Francon in the lead role as "Fabulous" Frankie Myers, a play on his real life ring name "Ravenous" Randy Myers. [11] [12] The film was partially based on Francon's own life and experiences with depression.

Contents

Plot

After winning the main championship of his promotion professional wrestler "Fabulous" Frankie Myers struggles with depression as his real life responsibilities come crashing down around him. Fighting with undiagnosed depression and treading water financially his efforts are made harder by a cartoon version of his subconscious terrorizing him with doubts of his capabilities until he finds himself on the edge of a breakdown. [1] [13] [14]

Cast

Production

The film was directed by Ryan Curtis who formerly worked on the television series Supernatural . Filming took place in Port Coquitlam. The shooting of the finale for the film done before a live audience after three warmup matches by wrestlers from the wrestling promotion ECCW. [17] [18] Theo Francon rehearsed scenes with director Ryan Curtis and the participating audience was credited in the film as extras. [19] [20]

Release and reception

The film had its red carpet premiere on August 31 at the Rio Theatre in Vancouver. [14] [21] The film was nominated for a Leo Award in the category Best Costume Design in a Short Drama. [22] Ryan Curtis won the Golden Lion Award in 2015 at the London Film Awards for Best First-Time Director. [23] [24] The film was followed by a YouTube webseries. [25] It was selected for the 2017 Whatashort Independent International Film Festival. [26]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maple Ridge, British Columbia</span> City in British Columbia, Canada

Maple Ridge is a city in British Columbia, Canada. It is located in the northeastern section of Greater Vancouver between the Fraser River and the Golden Ears, which is a group of mountain summits which are the southernmost of the Garibaldi Ranges of the Coast Mountains. Maple Ridge's population in 2021 was 90,990. Its downtown core area was once known as Haney.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pitt Meadows</span> City in British Columbia, Canada

Pitt Meadows is a municipality of Metro Vancouver in southwestern British Columbia, Canada. Incorporated in 1914, it has a land area of 86.34 square kilometres (33.34 sq mi) and a population of 19,146 as of 2021. The municipality received its name from the Pitt River and Pitt Lake. Pitt Meadows is one of 21 municipalities plus Electoral Area A that comprises the Metro Vancouver Regional District.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dara Singh</span> Indian professional wrestler and actor

Dara Singh Randhawa was an Indian professional wrestler, actor, director and politician. He started acting in 1952 and was the first sportsman to be nominated to the Rajya Sabha of India. He worked as Hindi and Punjabi film producer, director and writer, and he acted in films and television. His role of Hanuman in the film Bajrangbali (1976) and in Ramanand Sagar's Ramayan made him popular. Singh was inducted into the Legacy Category of the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2018.

The NWA Canadian Heavyweight Championship was the top singles title in Maple Leaf Wrestling from 1978 until 1984, when it was abandoned after the Toronto promotion partnered with the World Wrestling Federation (WWF). Its national scope was in name only, similar to the NWA National Heavyweight Championship in Georgia. The title was reinstated as the present-day, NWA Board-controlled version of the NWA Canadian Heavyweight title. Previous versions also existed in Calgary, Halifax and Vancouver. Has been defended in the World Wrestling Federation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elite Canadian Championship Wrestling</span> Canadian professional wrestling promotion

Elite Canadian Championship Wrestling (ECCW) (formerly known as NWA: Extreme Canadian Championship Wrestling and Extreme Canadian Championship Wrestling) is a Western Canada-based professional wrestling promotion and a former member of the National Wrestling Alliance. By 2014 it was Canada's largest wrestling promotion. It was the focus of the 2010 documentary This Wrestling Life, and was used as the scene for the independent movie Kayfabe.

The ECCW Women's Championship is currently the women's professional wrestling championship of Elite Canadian Championship Wrestling, a wrestling promotion in British Columbia, Canada. The title was first awarded on June 24, 2005 in an attempt to generate interest for SuperGirls Wrestling, a women's wrestling spinoff of ECCW. Rebecca Knox became the first champion by defeating Miss Chevius. The title has been defended in several different promotions, including some promotions in Japan. During Nicole Matthews' near-year-long title reign in 2011, the title was renamed the ECCW Women's Championship.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marc Dalton</span> Canadian politician (born 1960)

Marc Dalton is a Canadian politician. He is the current Conservative Member of Parliament for Pitt Meadows—Maple Ridge after the 2019 Canadian federal election. He was a BC Liberal Member of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia following the 2009 and 2013 provincial elections for the riding of Maple Ridge-Mission.

The ECCW Championship is the top singles championship in Elite Canadian Championship Wrestling. It was first established in 1996 in the then-independent ECCW, and its name was changed when ECCW joined the National Wrestling Alliance in 1998.

Craig Renney is a Canadian professional wrestler best known by his ring name, Juggernaut. He has competed for several North American independent promotions and has competed in several wrestling tours in Asia. He also had a brief stint in World Championship Wrestling (WCW) in 2000.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Adam Firestorm</span> New Zealand professional wrestler (1976 – 2009)

Adam Travis Dykes was a New Zealand-Canadian professional wrestler, known by his ring name Adam Firestorm, who competed in North American independent promotions in the Pacific Northwest and Western Canada during the late 1990s and early 2000s, most notably as a mainstay of Extreme Canadian Championship Wrestling. Several of his most memorable matches include top Canadian independent wrestlers such as "Rocket" Randy Tyler, Dr. Luther, Chance Beckett, "Tornado" Tony Kozina, "Fallen Angel" Christopher Daniels, Bryan Danielson, Bryan Alvarez, Asian Cougar and Juggernaut.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nicole Matthews</span> Canadian professional wrestler

Lindsay Miller is a Canadian professional wrestler better known by her ring name Nicole Matthews. Matthews regularly wrestles for Shimmer Women Athletes and Elite Canadian Championship Wrestling among other independent promotions. She regularly teamed with fellow Canadian wrestler the now retired Portia Perez as the Canadian NINJAs, and the pair former two-time Shimmer Tag Team Champions.

Aaron Idol is a Canadian professional wrestler who is best known for his work in Extreme Canadian Championship Wrestling, where he rose to become the ECCW Heavyweight Champion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">El Phantasmo</span> Canadian professional wrestler

Riley Vigier, better known by his ring name El Phantasmo, is a Canadian professional wrestler. He is signed to New Japan Pro Wrestling, where he is both one-half of the current Strong Openweight Tag Team Champions and IWGP Tag Team Champions along with Hikuleo.

Billy Suede is a professional wrestler based out of Western Canada. He is best known for working for NWA: Extreme Canadian Championship Wrestling, but has competed for independent promotions in Canada and the United States, as well as in the Philippines.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tenille Dashwood</span> Australian professional wrestler

Tenille Averil Dashwood is an Australian professional wrestler. She is best known for her time in WWE, where she performed under the ring name Emma. She is also known for her time in Impact Wrestling, where she performed under her real name.

Dakota Daulby is a Canadian film and television actor, producer, director and screenwriter.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Bollywood Boyz</span> Professional wrestling team

The Bollywood Boyz are a Canadian professional wrestling tag team composed of brothers Gurvinder "Gurv" Sihra and Harvinder "Harv" Sihra. They are best known for their time in WWE, where Gurvinder and Harvinder performed under the ring names Sunil Singh and Samir Singh, respectively.

Len Olson, better known by the ring names Dr. Luther or simply Luther, is a Canadian professional wrestler signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW), where he works as both a wrestler and producer. He is also known for his appearances in Japan for Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling, WAR, and IWA Japan in the 1990s. Olson has also appeared in numerous promotions throughout the Canadian independent circuit in the 1990s and 2000s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lisa Beare</span> Canadian politician

Lisa Marie Beare is a Canadian politician who has represented the electoral district of Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows in the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia since 2017. A member of the British Columbia New Democratic Party caucus, she has served in the cabinets of Premiers John Horgan and David Eby, currently as Minister of Citizens' Services.

Chris and Patrick Vörös, known online as the Voros Twins or the Da Vinki Twins, are Hungarian Canadian identical twins who are a professional wrestling tag team and social media personalities. They are best known for going viral on TikTok after mispronouncing Leonardo da Vinci's last name as "Da Vinki" along with their comedy videos.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "The Weirdo Hero (2015)". Moviefone . Retrieved 25 June 2017.
  2. ↑ "Maple Ridge Pitt Meadows Times March 17 2015 by Maple Ridge Times - Issuu".
  3. ↑ Landreville, Troy (12 March 2015). "Pitt Meadows grappler producing The Weirdo Hero". Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows News . Archived from the original on 25 June 2017. Retrieved 25 June 2017.
  4. 1 2 Dueck, Trevor (11 March 2015). "Knights of Dunsmuir: Ravenous Randy Is Your Weirdo Hero". vancitybuzz.com. VanCity Buzz. Archived from the original on 25 June 2017. Retrieved 25 June 2017.
  5. 1 2 "The Weirdo Hero". Cinema Quebec . Retrieved 25 June 2017.
  6. ↑ "A Wrestler Faces His Toughest Opponent in 'The Weirdo Hero'". Art With Impact . Retrieved 25 June 2017.
  7. ↑ Gillard, Stacey (6 March 2015). "The Weirdo Hero: A Film About Depression and Wrestling". @STAKE . Archived from the original on 25 June 2017. Retrieved 25 June 2017.
  8. ↑ Kurucz, John (12 March 2015). "Film shines a light on depression". Tri-City News . Archived from the original on 25 June 2017. Retrieved 25 June 2017.
  9. ↑ Byer, Matthew (3 April 2016). "'The Weirdo Hero' to wrestle with depression". SLAM! Wrestling. Canoe.com. Archived from the original on 25 June 2017. Retrieved 25 June 2017.
  10. ↑ Heitger-Ewing, Christy (11 March 2015). "The Weirdo Hero: Filmmaker Creates a Movie to Show What Depression Feels Like and to Inspire Those Who Suffer to Seek Help". The Huffington Post . Archived from the original on 25 June 2017. Retrieved 25 June 2017.
  11. ↑ http://www.kisw.com/blogs/steve-migs/who-weirdo-hero https://www.webcitation.org/6wHYbkDiV?url=http://www.kisw.com/blogs/steve-migs/who-weirdo-hero
  12. ↑ "SPN Survivors". Archived from the original on 28 January 2018.
  13. ↑ "The Weirdo Hero". Cinema Montreal . Retrieved 25 June 2017.
  14. 1 2 "The Weirdo Hero". Rio Theatre . Archived from the original on 25 June 2017. Retrieved 25 June 2017.
  15. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "What are the characters in The Weirdo Hero movie". actorole.com. Retrieved 25 June 2017.
  16. ↑ Jonca, Lukasz (13 March 2015). "Wrestlers use film 'The Weirdo Hero' to inform about depression. PoCo's ECCW, wrestlers Theo Francon and Derek Hird involved in short film project to highlight challenges of depression". Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows News . Retrieved 19 August 2017.
  17. ↑ "Wrestlers use film 'The Weirdo Hero' to inform about depression". ECCW. 5 September 2015. Archived from the original on 5 September 2015.
  18. ↑ Gillard, Stacey (13 August 2015). "Weirdo Hero – My Introduction To Movie-Making". @STAKE . Retrieved 19 August 2017.
  19. ↑ Jonca, Lukasz (16 March 2015). "Filming of The Weirdo Hero with Theo Francon a.k.a. Ravenous Randy Myers successful". Tri-City News . Archived from the original on 25 June 2017. Retrieved 25 June 2017.
  20. ↑ "'The Weirdo Hero' Wrestles with Depression: Short film shines a light on the secret life of suffering". dailyjobber.com. 9 May 2015. Retrieved 30 July 2017.
  21. ↑ "Short Film". Los Angeles Cinefest . Archived from the original on 5 October 2015. Retrieved 25 June 2017.
  22. ↑ "2016 Leo Awards Nominees by Program". Leo Awards . Retrieved 29 June 2017.
  23. ↑ "2015 London Film Award Winners". London Film Awards. Retrieved 29 June 2017.
  24. ↑ http://www.brewstarstheseries.com/amenities/ https://www.webcitation.org/6wHYrCWVG?url=http://www.brewstarstheseries.com/amenities/
  25. ↑ "The Weirdo Hero Webseries". YouTube. Retrieved 30 July 2017.
  26. ↑ "2017 official selection". Whatashort.com. Archived from the original on 25 December 2017. Retrieved 19 August 2017.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.