MovieChat Forums > Crumb (1995) Discussion > Um, really?

Um, really?

posted 11 years ago by ddmaingot
3 replies | jump to latest

I just watched this for the first time and by all of the reviews on the case, you'd think one would never need to see another movie again. I thought it was good, but certainly not one of the greatest movies ever, not even one of the greatest of the nineties. It's as engaging as a documentary should be and as revelatory as is necessary. I don't know how people could have been calling it the best film of the year the same year that Pulp Fiction came out. It isn't groundbreaking in any way. I don't understand the astonishment; of course it's interesting, no one would make a doc about someone/thing that isn't. Very overpraised. Everything people fell all over themselves about is simply the characteristics that a documentary should embody. I'd give it 3 out of 4 stars, but I've seen many documentaries that were much better.

[–] Henry_Framus_Valentine 10 years ago

the same year that Pulp Fiction came out

I thought Pulp Fiction was fair, but certainly not one of the greatest movies ever, not even one of the greatest of the nineties.

Eat every carrot and pea on your plate. ~ Mom

[–] Grimm-Grimm 10 years ago

I've always thought that about Pulp Fiction. It was a good movie but to me it isn't THAT great. I feel that way about a number of hyped up classics such as the Catcher in the Rye book by Salinger. Lots of these have in common with each other that they were considered ground breaking when they came out, had a lot of promotion or buzz, & some sort of rebellious shock to them by some of the public. I think if I would have read the Catcher in the Rye in highschool like my English teacher wanted, it would have made a huge impact on me, (knowing me it might have pushed me over the edge of rebellion...) Citizen Cane is another one.

I've been watching Crumb over & over while I do my art. The soundtrack is really rubbing off on me. I really like the soundtrack. But I don't know anything about public reaction or critic reviews toward this.

[–] pacwarbuff 10 years ago

Very overpraised. Everything people fell all over themselves about is simply the characteristics that a documentary should embody. I'd give it 3 out of 4 stars, but I've seen many documentaries that were much better.

Just for conversation's sake, which documentaries would those be?

When I saw Crumb I thought it was an mesmerizing and fascinating narrative. I knew very little about R. Crumb or his artwork. The film was able to make an instant impression. The fact that it did this is testament to the filmmaker's subject and ability to convey who that person is as well as providing information about the era from which he emerged.