Are you fascinated by religion? Wrestling? Dirty soda? if you are interested in any of these mysterious phenomena, you've found your event of the semester.
The Mormon Giant explores the relationship between religion and professional wrestling in the twentieth century. Focusing on wrestlers with Mormon “gimmicks,” the film shows how they presented as “heels” (villains) or “faces” (heroes) in auditoriums throughout North America and abroad, and how such representations proved usable (or not) to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints writ large. The Mormon Giant narrates the “face-turn” of Mormonism in twentieth-century American popular culture, while showing also how religion and wrestling generally work together—how they shape and reflect each other—in the modern world. This event will feature live narration by David Walker and live soundtracking by Timothy Albro. Free Dirty Soda Bar for attendees.
This event is co-sponsored by the Department of Religious Studies and the Society for the Study of Religion. Please register for the event on Mason 360.