Steve's Crumb thread made me think of this. I just watched the DVD last weekend. I thought it was incredibly creative how they interwove the comic characters, the actors, and the real people into the narrative. Early in the movie Pekar befriends Crumb through their mutual love of record collecting and Crumb winds up drawing Pekar's early autobiographical comics. I was a big fan of the Pekar comics and his Letterman appearances in the 80s and really enjoyed the flick. Anyone else see this yet?
One of the best movies of 2003. Superb acting, and, as you note, brilliantly directed to incorporate actors, animation, and the real people involved. Another one to catch up with on DVD.
Haven't seen the movie. I'll check Netflix for the DVD, if it's out yet. I do have all the AMERICAN SPLENDORs, even issue #1!
I just saw it last night and it was indeed great. I will have to be picking up some of the comics now.
Paul Giamatti(Pig Vomit in Stern's Private Parts)does a great job on Pekar. They did a good job of weaving in the real Pekar in the movie as well(such as the original Letterman appearances). Despite being a long time comic book collector, I only recently got into Pekar's comics. Goes to show you that you don't have to be able to draw to make a good one. Evan
My wife and I watched it over the weekend. She has proceeded to reserve all the American Splendor book in our library system! Check out http://www.harveypekar.com . Harvey, Joyce, and Danielle all have Blogs!
Netflix is sending me American Splendor as we speak. Can't wait. I watch another very good Paul Giamatti film yesterday called "Storytelling" which is about him trying to do a documentary on troubled teens (its very funny in a sad way)...John Goodman also stars.
I really enjoyed the movie also. I think it's a shame and typical of the Oscars that Giamatti didn’t get nominated for one. If you see him back to back with the real Pekar, his acting job is all the more amazing. I was actually enjoyed Hope Davis in her role also and that’s saying a lot as she usually annoys me with her acting. A very very good movie that deserves as wide an audience as it can get.
My favorite film from last year. The DVD has one of the most entertaining commentary tracks I've heard in a while. It's "hosted" by Toby Radloff, with commentary by Shari Springer Bergman, Robert Pulcini, Paul Giamatti, Judah Friedlander, Joyce Brabner, Danielle Batone, and Harvey Pekar. True to form, our hero is a reluctant participant, but points out a couple of discrepancies between the film and real life. Favorite moment in the commentary is when Toby talks about the pattern on the shirt he is wearing when he makes an appearance in the film sampling jelly beans. It's his favorite shirt, over twenty years old, and it has little Pac-Men characters on it. I didn't notice this when I saw the movie in the theater or re-watched it on DVD. I can sort of make them out now that I'm looking for them.
Fresh Air on NPR had a nice interview with them on Friday on the west coast. You should be able to look it up on the net and listen to it that way. It's definitly worth hearing if your a fan of the film, comic or man.
Just watched the movie tonight and it was wonderful. Very entertaining. Great to see a movie be so real yet so fantastic. It's nice to know their are real people out there who form a community of artists helping each other out. I loved the use of the real Harvey Pekar and his wife Joy. Those Letterman clips are priceless!
Finally picked this up, and it's a wonderful movie. I thought the charactors were sharp, real, bitingly honest. Everyone should check this one out.
Everyone needs to see this movie. Of course my wife got a kick out of the fact Harvey is a record collector like myself. He's right...collecting Music is like being addicted to junk...we're always on the prowl for a new fix or in my case....a new DVDA!
Excellent film, my favorite of last year by some stretch. I just watched the DVD for the second time last night. Every time I see it I find more to like in it. The soundtrack CD is worth picking up as well. I'd never known Pekar through his comics or his Letterman appearances; but I did recognize him as one of the interviewees in Alan Zweig's Vinyl film, which I saw for the first time last year as well.
My girlfriend and I saw American Splendor when it came out theatrically last year. Brilliant! In my top films for 2003. Hope Davis was great as Joyce Brabner. "I'm a self-diagnosed anemic."
