Mad Dog & The Butcher: The Last Villains, is Thomas Rinfret’s documentary about Montreal’s infamous Vachon wrestling family and is told from the perspective of the family’s last surviving member, Paul “The Butcher” Vachon. Both wrestling fans and non-fans will enjoy The Last Villains, as it dives into Vachon’s life and memories. Despite his age – and the toll that years in the ring and multiple battles with illnesses have taken on him – Vachon is a larger-than-life and charismatic figure who loves to tell a story.
The Last Villains timeline alternates between the past and the present, cutting from the grainy footage and pop songs of a bygone era, to the modern-day, where Vachon and his wife travel the US and Canada in their mobile home, attending wrestling conventions, family gatherings, and meeting fans. Vachon describes how his older brother, Maurice Vachon, began his career as an amateur wrestler, coming in seventh at the 1948 Olympic Games. Yet it wasn’t until Maurice developed his unhinged “Mad Dog” persona that he succeeded in the showbiz world of professional wrestling. And succeed he did. With his frightening promos and violent tactics in the ring, “Mad Dog” Vachon influenced the likes of Bruiser Brody, George “The Animal” Steele, Mick Foley, and every other lunatic wrestling character to follow.
It wasn’t long before Paul became “The Butcher,” and joined his brother in the ring. They’d be followed by their sister Vivian Vachon, and later Paul’s daughter, the late Luna Vachon. The Vachons became stars in the wrestling hotbed of Montreal, a scene which included the likes of Andre the Giant and Pat Patterson. Paul and Maurice traveled the world together and enjoyed success both as singles and as a tag team. Maurice won the American Wrestling Association (AWA) World Heavyweight Championship five times, and the brothers together held numerous championships in both the AWA and the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA).
The wrestling fame led to the Vachons also starring in a number of films. Paul notes wryly that he was killed in every movie he was ever in. Unlike other wrestling families like the Harts or the Von Erichs, however, who were the babyface stars of their respective territories; the Vachons were among the biggest heels for decades, before fans finally embraced them as hometown heroes.
Sadly though, one thing the Vachons had in common with other wrestling families was the number of tragedies they had to endure, and The Last Villains doesn’t shy away from the negative impact the wrestling lifestyle can have both on an individual and on an entire family. Vachon admits, “The wrestling life has had more of an effect on my family than I have.” At the same time, he also says that he wouldn’t change a thing. To the film’s credit, The Last Villains doesn’t make a point of view or put words in Vachon’s mouth. It takes a hands-off approach, allowing “The Butcher” to tell his own story. Whatever sacrifices he’s had to make, Vachon has clearly loved the life he’s chosen for himself. The film captures a man who loves to entertain and tell stories, something which he did with great success throughout his storied career.
To find out more on how you can watch Mad Dog & The Butcher: The Last Villains, check out the official Facebook page.
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