The pro wrestling world has lost the man behind one of the industry’s most beloved documentaries.
Barry Blaustein, the filmmaker responsible for the critically acclaimed wrestling documentary “Beyond the Mat,” has passed away at the age of 72 following battles with pancreatic cancer and Parkinson’s disease.
News of Blaustein’s passing was announced on Tuesday.
According to reports, he had been living with Parkinson’s disease since 2017 and only recently learned last month that he was suffering from stage four pancreatic cancer.
Blaustein was best known in wrestling circles as the writer, director, producer, and narrator of “Beyond the Mat,” the groundbreaking 1999 documentary released during the height of the Attitude Era boom period.
Despite coming from a comedy background that included work on “Saturday Night Live” and collaborations with Eddie Murphy, Blaustein earned widespread praise for the way he approached the wrestling business.
“Beyond the Mat” managed to blend humor and humanity while also presenting an unfiltered look at the physical and emotional toll of professional wrestling.
The documentary famously centered around several larger-than-life personalities, including Mick Foley, Terry Funk, Jake “The Snake” Roberts, and New Jack.
At the time, WCW declined to participate in the project entirely. WWE and ECW both granted Blaustein access, although Vince McMahon later reportedly regretted allowing WWE’s involvement and ultimately chose not to promote the film.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Blaustein once described “Beyond the Mat” as “the favorite thing he had ever done.”
While the documentary ultimately did not receive an Academy Award nomination, it still finished among the final 12 selections for Best Documentary.