Films/DVD Asylum

"American Splendor"

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rico

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Paul Giamatti is wonderful and perfectly cast in this film based on the series of graphic novels by Harvey Pekar. The novels are autobiographical and Pekar supplies the story line while others draw the characters. The film is based on the novel called "Our Cancer Year" and follows Pekar as he dicovers a growth on his groin, goes into denial, and finally seeks treatment. He is also a vinyl fanatic. Our Summer book/film group is reading the novel and watching the film for discussion at our next meeting. I enjoyed the film. off beat as it is. Now I am reading the novel. So far the film has captured the novel perfectly.

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Someone once said that most artists are the most boring people - tinear 16:45:04 07/01/05 (0)
alive: they put their souls into their work.
This movie puts and exclamation point to that sentiment. Now the movie about R. Crumb? That had a bit of inventiveness to ease the ho-hum life of the principal.
Re: "American Splendor" - jamesgarvin 13:18:27 07/01/05 (0)
I, too, found this a much enjoyable gem. The D.V.D. contains interviews with the real life characters. Seeing the film, you almost think they are caricatures. Until you see the interviews, and realize that the actors were pretty close to capturing the real persons. I got a hoot out of Pekar's friend who went to Detroit to see Revenge of the Nerds. I never realized that film meant so much to some people.
I liked the documentary Crumb, not as much as many who are fans of his work. I suspect that many Pekar fans would love this little gem.
It was somewhere between pretty good and OK. I've been reading Pekar since... - clarkjohnsen 12:15:47 07/01/05 (0)
...Issue #1! But in the genre of comix guys getting documented, "Crumb" was a total gas.
clark
PS Once back in the mid-Nineties I called Harvey as a fan and he & Joyce both actually talked to me. Harvey was far the nicer.
Re: "American Splendor" - Analog Scott 09:11:34 07/01/05 (0)
IMO this is a great movie. One of my favorites in many years.

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