Review by Adam Stephen Kelly
UK Certification 15 | UK RRP £29.99 | DVD Region 2 | Runtime 473 minutes
It's about time we had a release like this. No other family are more deserving of their own anthology DVD than the Harts, and this is truly the definitive collection. Three discs contain a dozen matches and a feature-length documentary about the family, a grandiose story decorated in rich history and success told by various members of the Harts. As Canada's most famous export, Bret Hart doesn't shadow the documentary as the main attraction. Instead he is shown less than most of his brothers and sisters, which is definitely a good thing because it's a collection about the family. The same applies for the selection of matches. Bret had his DVD, this one is for the Harts collectively.
The doc starts at the very beginning with the early life of Stu Hart detailed by his children, from his start in professional wrestling to his marriage to Helen, who birthed the twelve Hart offspring. Through the film we meet various members of the family, as well as take a detailed look at each individual member, including the three who tragically died. They have no problem sharing their memories and sadness at their sibling deaths, so thankfully it's an insightful, tell-all kind of documentary—tears are shed about Owen's passing; true opinions are finally voiced in the same place about the division in the family as a result of the accident in 1999. Similarly, the film provides us with their thoughts on the Montreal Screwjob, so you've got an idea of how much ground is covered historically in Hart & Soul.
The collection contains some great matches, many of which haven't received much credit in the last few years, which adds another element of uniqueness to the set. Each match sees The Hart Dynasty giving introductions and linking the six hours worth of bouts together, which is far more enjoyable than just being able to choose what you want to see off the bat, although you can still do that of course. As I mentioned at the top, this isn't a Bret Hart DVD, this is about family and teamwork, which is why there are only a couple of singles matches in the anthology, and those included all involve the Harts, whether it be the sibling rivalry of Bret and Owen, or the awesome Wembley Stadium encounter between The British Bulldog and the Hitman.
All in all it's an excellent set, so props to the WWE on this one. They never fail to produce a good documentary and this is certainly no exception. A great mix of matches and an interesting, enjoyable documentary make Hart & Soul the best there is, the best there was, and most likely the best there ever will be in terms of the Harts on disc.
The three-disc set contains the following Hart Family match-ups:
Stampede Wrestling: Keith, Bruce & Bret Hart vs. The Kiwis & The Dynamite Kid
World Tag Team Championship: The Hart Foundation vs. The British Bulldogs
SummerSlam '92 – Intercontinental Championship: Bret Hart vs. The British Bulldog
Survivor Series '93 – Bret, Owen, Bruce & Keith Hart vs. Shawn Michaels & his Knights
Bret & Owen Hart vs. Rick & Scott Steiner
Royal Rumble '94 – World Tag Team Championship: Bret & Owen Hart vs. The Quebecers
SummerSlam '94 – WWE Championship Steel Cage Match: Bret Hart vs. Owen Hart
Bret Hart & The British Bulldog vs. Owen Hart & Jim “The Anvil” Neidhart
European Championship: Owen Hart vs. The British Bulldog
Canadian Stampede: The Hart Foundation vs. Steve Austin, Goldust, Ken Shamrock & The Legion of Doom
6-Man Tag Team Flag Match: Bret Hart, Owen Hart & The British Bulldog vs. Steve Austin, The Undertaker & Dude Love
WWE Unified Tag Team Championship: The Hart Dynasty vs. D-Generation X
EXTRAS ★★★ Stu the Athlete: a look at Stu Hart's history in sports outside of wrestling; Helen's Car Accident; Terrible Ted the Wrestling Bear; A Letter from Dean; Stu vs. The Tiger: when Stu Hart faced off with a real tiger; A Hart Family Thanksgiving – 1987: a home movie of the day; Helen Throws in the Towel: Bret Hart remembers the funny moments of a match with Bob Backlund; Owen the Prankster; Chris Jericho's Flight with Owen; The Uninvited Guest; Bret “Hit Man” Hart Returns to WWE; Post-RAW Celebration – 4 January, 2010.