American comedian Bill Hicks is celebrated on film. Here’s my review.
Hicks was the Sex Pistols of U.S. stand-up – a blast of vicious vulgarity pointing up the absurdities of political and suburban life.
Ironically, he found more favour in this country than he ever did back home, selling out not just comedy clubs but large theatres in the late 80′s and early 90′s.
Directors Matt Harlock and Paul Thomas do a great job of assembling key footage of the man, dating back to his earliest gigs in Houston, Texas – and they cleverly overcome the lack of off stage archive with smart photo animation that elevates this above standard doco fare.
Key friends and family members share their reminiscences, and the only gap appears to be any “significant other” in Hick’s life before his premature death from cancer in 1994.
Maybe he never had one -but if that’s the case why is it never addressed?
That apart, this is a fine chroicle of a comedy legend’s career, detailing his battle with booze and drugs; and later the authorities who tried to down tone his vicious attacks on the U.S.A. – the United States of Advertising.
A fine tribute to one of the greats.
Great film for Hicks lovers. Saw the filmmakers q&a it at doc/fest last year, and on being asked about the lack of ‘significant other’ in the film
as you say, they said of the relationships he had, some had passed away and others didn’t want to discuss it on film. Since the film’s whole ethos is to stick to the record as told by those closest to Bill, they didn’t want to deal with that side of his life without first-hand accounts.
Fair enough, but might have been better if they’d at least addressed that – if only to satisfy natural human curiosity.