The man behind the “movie Vince McMahon didn’t want you to see,” Barry Blaustein, died at the age of 72 on Tuesday, according to the Hollywood Reporter. The news of his death was first reported by Chapman University’s Dodge College of Film and Media Arts, where Blaustein was a professor.
The 72-year-old screenwriter, director, and producer reportedly died at his Los Angeles home. According to the Hollywood Reporter, Blaustein battled with Parkinson’s disease, which he was diagnosed with in 2017, and was also diagnosed with stage-four pancreatic cancer last month.
THR noted in its report that Blaustein called his wrestling documentary, “Beyond the Mat,” his “favorite thing he had ever done.” In addition to directing the 1999 film, Blaustein also wrote, produced, and narrated it. “Beyond the Mat” focused on the lives of Terry Funk, Jake Roberts, Mick Foley, and other aspiring wrestlers. Blaustein, who had been outed as a professional wrestling fan ahead of creating the documentary, wanted to understand the mindset of someone who had chosen to become a wrestler.
After seeing the film, McMahon wasn’t thrilled and pulled all advertising for it from WWF broadcasts and threatened to sue to prevent it from ever being seen, earning the movie its tagline, “The Movie Vince McMahon Didn’t Want You to See.” Blaustein said that the former chairman also told its wrestlers not to speak about the movie publicly. The documentary, however, was a hit, with multiple wrestlers praising it, including Roddy Piper and Hulk Hogan.
In addition to his well-received professional wrestling passion project, which was a finalist for the “best documentary” Oscar, Blaustein most notably also wrote for Eddie Murphy on “Saturday Night Live,” as well as co-wrote “Coming to America” alongside David Sheffield.
