Comic book confidential is a featurelength documentary that profiles twentytwo of the most significant artists and writers working in comic books, g. Comic book confidential videorecording a sphinx productions in association with don haig, martin harbury, charles lippincott. Ron manns comic book confidential, however, is not that film. What qualifies comic book confidential as canuxploitation is its decidedly low. Hve hit us with ron manns grass not long ago, and savant was impressed with that docus breezy style and clever use of graphics.
Comic book confidential is an americancanadian documentary film, released in directed by ron mann and written by mann and charles lippincott, the. Throughout the film, any comic book which does not meet manns exacting standards is. Continuing in this tradition is ron mann, he most famous canadian documentary maker of the last 20 years. Comic book confidential was rereleased on cdrom in 1994. His 1988 film comic book confidential even won a genie award, and still stands out as his best work, which includes other documentaries like twist and grass. Ronald mann born june, 1958 is a canadian documentary film director focusing primarily on aspects of canadian and american popular culture, including his acclaimed 1988 documentary comic book confidential he does most of his work through his company sphinx productions, while also running a film distribution company on the side called filmswelike. But it is so well executed that one has to admire manns witty, creative and heartfelt approach. The video quality of the film is significantly degraded since the cds storage capacity is very. Directed by ron mann and written by mann and charles lippincott, the film is a survey of the history of the comic book medium in the united states from the 1930s to the 1980s, as an art form and in social context. In 1988, sphinx productions released a promotional comic as a companion to the film under sphinx comix.
A survey of the artistic history of the comic book medium and some of the. Comic book confidential dives in to the history every comic book reader should know. Directed by ron mann, the film lists unknown or not available as a castmember. A survey of the artistic history of the comic book medium and some of the major talents associated with it. Highlights from the festival included spotlights on orson welles and ron mann, a showcase devoted to. Directed by ron mann and written by mann and charles lippincott, the. Comic book confidential is one of the best documentaries on comics and has a timeless feel about it. Raw magazine was starting, independent artists like harvey. He is a producer and director, known for comic book confidential 1988, grass 1999 and twist 1992. In ron manns doc, the history of comic books and sequential art in twentieth century america is presented by a nonpareil cast of major creators including will eisner, jack kirby, stan lee, lynda barry, and r. Mann has limited his scope to the development of the american comic book form, from the famous funnies of the 30s to the present. Canadian director ron manns comic book confidential, a nonpretentious, stripbystrip overview of comicbook america, past and present, smudges those connotations and draws you right in.
Comic book confidential is a funny, smart, eye popping history that finally gives comic books the respect they deserve. Comic book confidential 1989 stream and watch online. Comic book confidential is documentary by ron mann that examines the phenomenon of comic books in the united states since their inception in the 1930s up to the present which at the time was the late 1980s. As kevin smith observes in his 2002 introduction to the dvd, ron manns 1989 documentary comic book confidential hasnt lost a bit of its relevance. Comic book confidential 1988original movie poster27x41. Hear underground artist robert crumb confess why he killed fritz the cat.
Combines historical footage, interviews, animation, and live action to trace the history of comic books from 1933 to 1988. In the 20th century, no artistic medium in north america with so much potential for creative expression has had a more turbulent history plagued with less respect. Nor, to be fair, was it intended to be, which is more the shame. Ron manns comic book confidential athabasca university. Original movie poster for the film released in 1988 other ebay dealers are saying 1985 but that is incorrect poster is rolled, never folded, stored rolled in our gallerys dark storage. Ron mann was born in 1959 in toronto, ontario, canada. Ron mann traces the development of the comic book through interviews, historical footage, animations, and montages of comic book art. Comic book confidential is a featurelength documentary that profiles twentytwo of the most significant artists and writers working in comic books, graphic novels and stripart in north america today. Lynda barry robert crumb will eisner 1988 filmmaker ron mann surveys comicbook culture, from the 1930s to 50s censorship to. Ron mann on the making of comic book confidential hazlitt. Wonder at congressional hearings from the 1950s proving the link between comic books and juvenile delinquency.
Comic book confidential was cowritten and directed by canadian documentarian ron mann of sphinx productions. Canadian director ron mann traces the history of the comic book industry, the idiotic purging of socalled violent comics in the 1950s, and the growth of the collectibles industry. Comic book confidential 1988, directed by ron mann film. Comic book confidential is an americancanadian documentary film, released in 1988. Ron manns films include examined life, comic book confidential, imagine the sound, brakhage. The english soundtrack is rendered in dolby digital stereo. Comic book confidential is a featurelength documentary that profiles twentytwo of the most significant artists and writers working in comic books, graphic novels and stripart. Comic book confidential by charles lippincott, ron mann.
Comic book confidential s creatordirector, ron mann, calls this process filmography. With lynda barry, charles burns, sue coe, robert crumb. Filmmaker ron mann surveys comicbook culture, from the 1930s to 50s censorship to underground comix. There is a great film to be made of this symbiotic relationship. Once you get the bluray youll notice the cover looks a little different than the dvd, but dont fear. Sixteenpage booklet with quotes from the comic book artists animated, musical menu with 17chapter sceneselection keepcase. Once you get the bluray youll notice the cover looks a. Generally, its a historical rather than a confidential look at the medium. Looking to feast your eyes on comic book confidential on your tv or mobile device at home. With the comic book industry now enjoying unprecedented respect, manns documentary is a timely if unsatisfying look at four decades of comic history, and inter.
Home latest news ron mann bio about contact films we like store sphinx productions. This 1988 film delineates the meteoric rise of the comic book art form beginning with its fervently nationalistic characters and stories of the 1930s and 40s, its underground rebellions of the. The documentary comic book confidential comes to dvd with a standard fullframe transfer. Features influential authors and artists reading from their works. Directed by ron mann and written by mann and charles lippincott, the film is a survey of the history of the. There are neither subtitles nor closedcaptions on this release. Stories by the 22 artists in slideshow format trailers for ron mann films comic book confidential, grass, and twist. This 1988 film delineates the meteoric rise of the comic book art form beginning with its fervently nationalistic characters and stories of the 1930s and 40s, its underground rebellions of the 60s and 70s, and the dark and human stories of the 1980s. History, not just any historybut comic book history.
From the awardwinning director of comic book confidential and grass comes tales of the rat fink, ron manns wildly inventive bio about renaissance man ed big daddy roth, who engineered a shift in midtwentieth century culture with his customized cars, monster tshirts and americas alternative rodent rat fink. Ron mann on the making of comic book confidential by chris randle the filmmaker behind the seminal documentary, which just celebrated its 25th anniversary, talks to hazlitt about how the project came together, underground comics in reaganera america, and a memorable call to mad magazine. This was a time when comic books were considered to be more adultoriented. Comic book confidential er en amerikansk og kanadisk dokumentarfilm som ble utgitt i 1988. The press office at the 1986 united states film festival, which had a program of over 70 feature films and 20 shorts.
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