THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, July 15, 1995 TAG: 9507140074
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E5 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Movie Review
SOURCE: BY MAL VINCENT, MOVIE CRITIC
LENGTH: Medium: 74 lines
``I 'VE BEEN disgusted with American culture from the time I was a kid,'' Robert Crumb says during the exhausting two-hour documentary called ``Crumb.''
If only there were more examples of his disgust, ``Crumb'' might have fulfilled its promise to explore the underground artist as a rebel. As it is, the film, photographed over a six-year period by R. Crumb's former friend Terry Zwigoff, is, at best, an antidote to political correctness. At worse, it is something of a bore.
``Underground artist'' is most accurately translated as: ``someone few people know but those who do know think they are superior for knowing.'' In Crumb's case, his ``art'' amounted to irreverent comic books with big-legged women and racist outlooks. He is best known for creating Fritz the Cat (``star'' of the first X-rated animated film, which Crumb has since disavowed) and for the ``Keep on Truckin' '' drawings seen everywhere.
For Zap Comix, he created characters like Flakey Foont, Mr. Natural and Angelfood McSpade - starting the wave of underground comics.
The film is more interesting for showing Crumb's familial background. His father, who is not shown, was a violent ex-Marine who was disappointed that all three of his sons turned out to be nerds rather than football players. His mother, who is seen, was addicted to amphetamines.
His older brother, Charles, who committed suicide two years ago - shortly after filming was completed - was a recluse who lived with his mother and fought depression with medicine.
The other brother, Max, lives in a ramshackle hotel and meditates by sitting on nails for two hours a day. Two sisters, quite understandably, refused to be interviewed.
Why should we care? What is Crumb's importance either as a person or as an artist? The film seems proud of avoiding answering either question, even though either could easily be answered. Ultimately, the film's purpose is to suggest that here was an underdog, a misfit who drew because he had to draw - because it was the only way he could reach other people.
Robert Crumb grows up wondering why girls like aggressive, rude guys rather than the sensitive, polite boys like him. His drawings reveal an obvious contempt for women. This aspect of his art is explored, almost endlessly, by ``experts'' who ponder his relevance as well as his self-confessed misogyny. Curiously, though, little or no time is spent explaining his racism - even though there are a few examples of his anti-black stance.
Crumb comes off as something of an egotist - obviously reveling in the attention the camera gives him as he patronizingly grins at his less-famous family and friends.
There is a fleeting suggestion that he was a pioneer voice of rebellion in the 1960s. He is shown on the phone denouncing Hollywood's money - in a scene that looks staged. He is also seen refusing to draw a cover for a Rolling Stones album. Eventually, he gives away six of his notebooks in return for a house in the south of France, where he now lives.
``Crumb'' has been overly praised by those who feel it would be uncool not to be engrossed in an underground being. The documentary brings up many ideas that are not developed.
At its best, it is a reflection of the way an artist's work is shaped by his life - in this case, dysfunctional. ILLUSTRATION: MOVIE REVIEW
``Crumb''
Cast: Interviews with Robert, Charles and Max Crumb
Director: Terry Zwigoff
MPAA rating: R (graphic sex-related cartoons and language)
Mal's rating: **
Locations: Naro in Norfolk
by CNB