Amazon.com Video Essentials206205
Robert Crumb is known for his disturbing, yet compelling, underground cartoons: his most famous works made countercultural icons out of Mr. Natural ("Keep on Truckin'...") and Fritz the Cat. Terry Zwigoff delves into the odd world of the cartoonist in his documentary film
Crumb, and the picture that emerges is not always pretty--at moments, it's almost repellent--but it's a fascinating glimpse into a very strange mind. Interviewing immediate family--Crumb has one suicidal brother, one semi-psychopathic brother, two sisters who declined to be interviewed, and a tyrannical mother--Crumb begins to look a bit saner. Given his surroundings, it's remarkable that he has survived so well. His hostilities toward women may turn some viewers off, but his wife, Aline, seems to be a grounding point, and she provides a solid counterbalance to the man. No one shies away from discussing incredibly intimate things (namely, sex!), which explains much of R. Crumb's cartoons. This documentary can definitely be considered a masterpiece for the cult crowd, and as for the rest of us, it's sure to make us feel a little better about our own lives!
--Jenny Brown
Additional Features
Criterion embellishes director Terry Zwigoff's breakthrough documentary with only a handful of extra features, but they're substantial: two commentary tracks, the first a genial, reflective monologue by Zwigoff, the second a conversation between Zwigoff and movie critic Roger Ebert, one of the early champions of
Crumb. Ebert's input, it has to be said, ranges from redundant to smarmy, but he does nudge Zwigoff in directions that take the director's already engaging anecdotes a step further. Over 50 minutes of additional footage prove every bit as compelling as what was included: Crumb and his first wife on their marriage, Crumb on his sex life and other people's fetishes, some troubling memories of Crumb's father, a clip of the Cheap Suit Serenaders playing, and more. Anyone who's been fascinated by
Crumb's glimpse into the life and mind of a unique artist will savor these extras.
--Bret Fetzer
