Can WWE's experiment in horror cinema make 

the company's film division a success? Richard Luck ventured onto the set of Goodnight to find out.

"That's show business," responds Kane when he's asked about his infamous necrophilia story line with Triple H in 2002.

We imagine 'The Big Red Machine's' attitude toward show business in general has undergone a transformation recently. For no longer do the ropes of RAW's wrestling ring represent the boundaries of the former WWF World champion's celebrity - not now that Kane has gone Hollywood.

Actually, Glen Jacobs' unlikely bid for movie stardom is taking place on a sound stage on Australia Gold Coast, not in Lost Angeles, California. Previously the home to Peter Pan, Jackie Chan's First Strike and the Scooby-Doo series, Warner Bros. Movie World is now host to the horror film Goodnight (formerly Eye Scream Man), part of a two pronged attempt to prove that WWE's movie division is a viable entity and not just another Vince McMahon ego boost. And while the critics are hinting at artistic disaster, the impressive sets and the cheerful atmosphere among the cast and crew suggest that Goodnight might be quite good. Honest.

"I think we're making something pretty special," smiles Jacobs as he clutches a prop axe to his chest.

In Goodnight, Kane (as he insists we call him) stars as Jacob, a reclusive psychopath, who holes up in an abandoned hotel, only to have his peace disturbed by a group of teenagers who've been ordered to clean up the building as part of their community service. Cue all sorts of graphic nastiness as Jacob - complete with an horrific head wound and an unsavory past - tries to take one of the young cons as his bride, while relieving the others of their ocular organs.

"It's fun playing the bad guy," continues Kane, "And as for playing a psychopath, it's not that hard, especially if you are one."

Yes, Jacobs is answering in character. Why, we're not sure, because filmgoers aren't going believe a word of it, nor are wrestling fans, who know that Glenn 'Kane' Jacobs is a happily married family man - not The Undertaker's crazed half-brother. Thankfully, our Glenn realizes this (we later find him pouring over The Rise and Fall Of Western Civilization) and he only keeps up the pretense for so long.

"I wouldn't say I was nervous," he says in regard to fronting a feature film. "It's an exciting opportunity and, as I've always wanted to stretch myself, I've really relished the challenge. I've certainly surprised a few people as far as the acting goes: no one expects that much from a wrestler. But we're gifted physical performers, and that translates well to film, especially when you're playing a character who doesn't speak."

During a scene in which Jacob attacks his so-called girlfriend, it's impossible to deny Kane's screen presence. It's also apparent that the camera loves his face - an idiosyncratic puss, that is, by turns, innocent and grotesque. But while these encouraging excerpts suggest Jacobs' movie career could extend beyond Goodnight, the big man is under no illusions as to where his immediate future lies.

"Goodnight's been a great experience, and I've loved working in Australia, although if anyone else calls me 'mate', I'll kill somebody. But while I haven't missed being on the road, I've missed wrestling, and getting back to it is a priority."

And what of Kane's in-ring career?

Clearly a wrestling fan before he became a wrestler himself, the 37-year-old Jacobs happily chats about his favourite grappler (Chris Benoit), his relationship with his story line brother The Undertaker ("it's not hard keeping things interesting between us - we know what makes our characters tick. What did he make of me getting the first stab at a film? I haven't talked to him about it yet. That could be an interesting conversation."), and the day his character was turned upside down, June 23, 2003. ("Taking the mask off changed everything. It was a risk, but I was confident I could pull it off.") As for the future? Nothing is set in stone: "I'm up for anything," Jacobs enthuses…

The oversized leading man isn't the only thing in Goodnight's favour. Although the smallish budget (around $15 million) could militate against the production, WWE Films deserves credit for investing in respected pros such as the Australian character actor Steve Vidler (Two Hands, The Thin Red Line), talented young hottie Rachel Taylor, and Jason Baird, whose JMB Studio is pioneering ground-breaking work in the world of make-up effects.

McMahon's company has also coughed up for an experienced director in Gregory Dark, Unfortunately, most of his previous work is of the soft-core porn variety: Gregory Dark is better known as Gregory Hippolyte - the creative force behind such flicks as Deep Inside Vanessa Del Rio and Hootermania.

But while Dark's involvement might trouble some, it should be noted that he is an inventive filmmaker, and is hot thanks to his music video work with the likes of Britney Spears and Linkin Park.

The man guiding Goodnight's investments is WWE Films' head honcho Joel Simon. Active in Hollywood for more that 25 years, Simon's list of producing credits includes the cult hit Married to the Mob and the bona fide blockbuster X-Men. He also infamously executive-produced Wild Wild West, the mega-flop (budget: $170 million; final U.S. take: $120 million) that threatened the viability of blockbuster cinema. That said, Simon claims he has learned from his mistakes.

"With Wild Wild West, we found out the problems of over-investment. Now, we know the secret of successful filmmaking is agreeing a budget and then making it work for you."

The upshot of this approach is that Goodnight's cast is bereft of A-list talent. But by cutting corners (shooting in Australia and sharing Movie World's facilities with the John Cena vehicle, The Marine, saved the production a packet), Simon has been able to afford technicians who have created an awesome set, which is what a haunted house should really look like.

But while all looks well aboard the good ship Goodnight, the big question remains: Why is Vince McMahon gambling so much of his own money on the risky world of film production?

Those who have seen Barry Blaustein's excellent documentary Beyond The Mat will know that McMahon has long held ambitions to make movies (he financed the dire No Holds Barred back in 1989, remember, which totally bombed). Having put his name on the horrific Rollerball remake, it would seem ego rather than artistic endeavour is McMahon's primary motivating factor.

Not surprisingly, Joel Simon offers a different reason for WWE's expansion into cinema.

Asked whether the purchase of WCW inadvertently caused problems for McMahon, the executive replied: "buying up your opposition can create difficulties - it can stifle creativity and breed complacency. But Vince has never seen himself as only being in competition with other wrestling organisations. He has to compete with every other entertainment form, be it the movie, basketball, baseball, theme parks. The entertainment dollar is finite, so WWE has to fight for every dollar it can…"

By climbing into the ring with Hollywood studios, McMahon probably sees himself as a plucky entrepreneur, taking the battle to the industry veterans, just as he did with the old guard of wrestling promoters in 1984. However, he must know that if Goodnight and The Marine fail to perform where it counts, WWE Films will be written off as yet another XFL-style indulgence.

It is rather worrying that, after Goodnight and The Marine, WWE Films has a poor slate of projects lined up. The Triple H vehicle Jornada Del Muerte might boast a decent writer/director (Big Wednesday's John Milius) but the picture is in a perpetual state of postponement. The Condemned, the first of three proposed pictures starring Steve Austin, also looks dodgy, given the former champion's rocky relationship with the company (not to mention all that adverse publicity stemming from his woman troubles). And while The Rock is now a genuine film industry presence, he is no longer under contract to WWE and cannot be relied upon to step in and save the day.

A greater concern still is that although WWE trumpets its talent as superstars, their names mean nothing to the man in the street who does not follow wrestling. Kane, Cena and Austin certainly don't have the crossover appeal of Michael Jordan, Dennis Rodman or Shaquille O'Neal, all of whom became bigger than the sport that first made them famous. And, as Joel Simon discovered when he produced Steel - Shaq's abysmal bomb - even having a global sporting celebrity in the leading role doesn't guarantee bums in seats.

Of course, there are few sure things in the business world; almost every project involves an element or risk. And this does as well.

As promising as Goodnight looks so far, there are many factors which may prevent it from achieving commercial success: Kane's lack of name value with the movie-going public; the fact that Scream-led slasher movie revival peaked several years ago; and, above all, the knowledge that it is extremely difficult to make money from feature films.

Combine all the movie budgets from 2004 and then count all the box office receipts and you'll find the movie industry lost money last year. In fact, It's been in the red every year since the Lumiere brothers invented moving pictures. That Vince McMahon thought such a financially unstable medium was a good way of raising revenue says much about the man and his approach to business.

You might want to sell your WWE stock now: It wouldn't surprise this writer if the on-screen horror of Goodnight split over onto the trading room floor.

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