American Splendor on DVD |
Harvey Pekar is a touchy, self-analytical,
remarkably clear-headed guy, but he's not exactly what most people think of when they hear
the term "comic-book hero." He worked as a file clerk at a Veteran's
Administration hospital in Cleveland, collected old jazz recordings, and, oh yes, wrote
comic books.
His genius was that he didn't write fantasies about
galaxy-spanning supermen, he wrote about what it was like to be stuck in a boring job, to
have money problems, to be frustrated by all of life's petty indignities. He wrote about
what it was like to be Harvey Pekar, in other words.
If you're not a comics fan, this probably sounds very
strange. In fact, if you are a comics fan of the superhero variety, it probably
sounds even stranger, but to those of us who thought that sequential narrative art
(to use Will Eisner's high-falutin' term) has as much potential as any other of the
plastic arts, Pekar is a major figure.
You might say that Pekar's narrative art illustrates
Chekov's dictum that "any fool can rise to a crisis -- it's this day-to-day living
that wears you out." And yes, it is an unlikely subject for a comic book, and
just as unlikely a premise for a movie.
But darned if directors Shari Springer Berman and Robert
Pulcini don't pull it off. Like the American Splendor comics, the film experiments
with different narrative styles, mixing real documentary footage (such as several of
Pekar's Late Night appearances) with fictitious recreations of real events. There
are even animated sequences depicting, even alternating with, the live action.
Then there's Pekar's voice-over, frequently referring to
"the guy who is playing me." It sounds confusing, but it all plays out
seamlessly.
Paul Giamatti is that guy playing Pekar, and he's
marvelous. Hope Davis is even better as Pekar's wife, Joyce Brabner, who -- you must see
this coming -- also plays herself
If all of this sounds overly self-referential, rest assured
that it doesn't come across that way. At its core, it's a romance. It shows how Pekar and
Brabner forge a working relationship that lasts through all that life has to throw at
them. It certainly isn't soppy or sentimental, but it’s a depiction of how two people
can create something enduring and desirable with each other.
That's typical of Harvey Pekar -- he's also the least
likely romantic you're ever going to encounter. Naturally, that's precisely why he's so
effective as one. Any fool can be a movie hero -- it's day-to-day living that wears you
out.
The DVD is a treat. The video transfer is crisp and offers
great color, as is appropriate for a film that draws its inspiration from the comics
(although, technically speaking, American Splendor is a black-and-white comic).
The commentary track is a hoot that is not to be missed --
the fact that it adds another level of self-reference is just icing on the cake. The
package also includes a 12-page comic, My Movie Year, that Pekar wrote for Entertainment
Weekly. If you haven't experienced American Splendor on the page, it gives you
a pretty good idea of the comic's quirky appeal.
These aren't "extras," at least not as they are
typically presented on DVDs. They deepen and expand upon the movie in an organized fashion
and extend logically from its sources and artistic choices. That means that the DVD
actually improves upon the theatrical version. When was the last time you heard
anybody claim that?
Thank God for Harvey Pekar and Joyce Brabner-- not to
mention American Splendor. They give all the rest of us un-superheroes reasons to
persevere.
...Wes Phillips
wes@onhometheater.com
