The Once and Future Smash

The classic slasher End Zone 2, which is practically forgotten, finally gets its dues in this superb documentary.

Loaded with clips and great interviews from the cast and other heavyweights of horror, it's a great nostalgia trip back to one of the genre's most unsung but influential and terrifying characters ... Smashmouth.

The two actors that played him back in 1970 face off and the truth about who is the real Smash-Mouth is answered once and for all.

I was lucky to catch the FrightFest World Premiere screening, so got to see the double bill, which had the full UNCUT End Zone 2 movie after the documentary.

Not to be missed!

This is the best (d)ocumentary I have ever seen in my life. By and far, the most entertaining, credible, sincere vulnerability to be captured on film. It truly is inspiring and I look forward to more works of fact and fiction. Boy oh boy does this bring back memories. I tried to get on the squad as a kid. No luck though. I didn't have the right stuff unfortunately - so to speak. This masterpiece really opened an old wound and I have to thank you for the additional potential for healing you've given me. I'd also never had the chance to see End Zone 2 before and I am SO glad that I got to experience such a cinematic marvel. 10/10 WOULD RECOMMEND! This team really knows how to take the ball and run with it! TOUCHDOWN!!!

This creative mock-documentary feels like a cousin to "This Is Spinal Tap." Mikey (Michael St. Michaels) and William (Bill Weeden) are totally hilarious as the two actors behind the cannibalistic football player Smash Mouth, and perfectly embody the rivalry between the various actors behind Hollywood's horror icons.

The film is a treat for genre fans. So many stars big and small star in hilariously convincing interviews. A wild ride that I recommend to all folks who can laugh at the strange world of conventions, sequels, and fan culture.

(The film premiered at FrightFest, London UK: August 29, 2022.)

Hey, if horror ain't your thing, don't worry! The Once and Future Smash (TOAFS) is a hilarious love story about the people who love horror films. Innovatingly shot in a pseudo mockumentary format, TOAFS follows the attempted remaking of the famed End Zone horror franchise. You know, the one that was made at the height of the football revenge film craze?

And is this film funny! The End Zone remake isn't so much a remake as a reboot that starts one hour into the original film. The two characters who played the original SmashMouth (don't ask) are competing to be in the reboot and have to share a table at a horror conference where the reboot's producer has failed to pay the fee for the reunion party and has instead hired three crazies to make the scene.

Meanwhile, a parade of horror masters are interviewed about what the original End Zone film meant to them and how it influenced their work.

Terrific performances all around, especially by AJ Cutler whose father played AJ in the original film and whose deathbed wish was that his son should always serve as an unpaid assistant to one of the actors who played SmashMouth.

It's actually a pretty complex layering of stories and story types, people, and characters. Highly recommend.

This film was a fine experience overall, especially if you're into quirky meta-commentary about cult horror. It centers around the fictional legacy of "End Zone 2" and succeeds in crafting a world that feels steeped in nostalgia. For me, the real highlight was seeing Michael St. Michaels again-his presence added an enjoyable and familiar touch. The interviews with real people from the horror world gave it an authentic vibe that horror fans will appreciate. While it may not be revolutionary, there's a certain charm to "revisiting" these characters, and it's a solid watch for fans who enjoy a niche, self-aware take on genre history. Even if it wasn't completely for me, it still has its merits.