Search - Auto Focus [Special Edition] on DVD

Kurt Fuller - Werner Klemperer/Klink
Ed Begley, Jr. - Mel Rosen
Michael E. Rodgers - Richard Dawson
Michael McKean - Video Executive
Christopher Neiman - Clary
Bruce Solomon - Feldman
Lyle Kanouse - John Banner/Schultz
Nikita Ager - Julie

The story of an obsessive man, Auto Focus explores the rise and fall of actor Bob Crane, whose bent for sexual exploits contradicted his image as a devoted family man. Remembered for his starring role in the groundbreaking television sitcom Hogan’s Heroes in the 60s ad 70s, Paul Schrader’s film offers no judgement, but concentrates on Crane’s friendship with the perverse video sexpert John Carpenter who offers Crane the opportunity to make use of his libido via his celebrity. Crane’s addiction to fame offers the indulgence of a ‘secret’ life. From conservative and respectable family man to sexual predator and voyeur, Crane’s duality and subsequent fall from grace is a tragic, yet fascinating tale. We first meet the man at work on radio: he is quick-witted, charming and confident. The irony of his unmasking his radio guest Clayton Moore (The Lone Ranger), is not lost on us. This is a film that strips away the mask and every façade, leaving us with a vulnerable, flawed human being, struggling to come to terms with himself and his life. With the advent of his successful television show, Crane goes from a ‘one-girl guy’ to an obsessed womaniser, having been introduced by Carpenter to a night-life beyond his wildest dreams. His obsession with photography is further gratified by Carpenter’s groundbreaking video-making equipment, allowing Crane repeated proof and reinforcement of his sexual prowess. Crane and Carpenter make a fascinating team – on the surface, they are totally different, yet their friendship is based on a mutual need. Greg Kinnear is striking as the darkly complex Crane. What a different role this is for Kinnear, whose good looks and genial nature have made him a natural in comedies as a leading man (romantic or otherwise). In fact, to those who are familiar with Bob Crane or indeed Hogan’s Heroes, it may come as somewhat of a surprise of the physical resemblances between Kinnear and Crane. And Willem Dafoe is splendid as the seedy Carpenter: he is not a likeable character, yet we connect with him, and even sympathise with him. Although there are many images of naked women and fornicating bodies, they are hardly erotic, but seem illustrative and perfunctory, rather than emotional. I especially like the intensity that Schrader creates with haphazard camera work and great use of dischorded sounds, as life around Crane unravels. Because of his violent death, Crane’s narration is somewhat eerie – reminiscent of Sunny’s narration in Reversal of Fortune. Auto Focus is a tense and gripping film, filled with surprises and overt contradictions of the human condition. It’s also a terrifying look at a man who loses his sense of himself and is caught in his own net of deceit as he self destructs.

By Louise Keller - UrbanCinefile.com

An interesting look into the life of Robert Crane, best known for his role as Colonel Hogan on the 1960s hit TV Show 'Hogan's Heroes'. Greg Kinnear plays the lead role and is a very convincing Bob Crane, both in looks and mannerisms. Willem Dafoe plays his sycophantic friend John Carpenter and, as usual, plays creepy very, very well. The cinematography in the movie is excellent, complementing the timeline with the mood being upbeat and carefree in the beginning (as was Crane's life) to dark and dismal as it neared the end (again, as did Crane's life).

This movie can really be considered a tragedy, in that Bob Crane really had everything going for him early in his life. He had a good career and a great wife and family. He was a religious man, who neither drank nor smoked. At that time, his only vice seemed to be an interest in 'dirty magazines'. He doted on his children and they never knew him as anything but a wonderful father - even later when his life was out of control.

In the middle of this idyllic life while filming 'Hogan's Heroes', Crane had a chance encounter with a man named John Carpenter. From this moment on, his life became a downward spiral into an obsession with sex - thinking about it, talking about it, filming it, having it - he couldn't get enough. It's really an interesting study in how serendipitous life can be. If Crane had never met this man and been influenced by him, how differently things probably would have turned out - for both of them.

I found this movie to be well-made and interesting to watch. I would not recommend it for children or teens or anyone who finds nudity and frank talk about sex to be offensive. Many times while watching the movie I wondered how accurate the details and scenes were, however with Bob Crane having documented so much of his escapades on film, there was obviously a good record. Also, his eldest son, Bob Crane, Jr., was not only involved in the behind-the-scenes filming, but also appeared in the film in a small role as an interviewer. In addition, the DVD has extra features including a documentary of the actual Crane murder case, including interviews with his first wife and children. I would think with the family having been a part of the film, they felt it accurately portrayed Crane's life.

This is the movie about the sexually perverse life of Bob Crane, star of the show Hogan's Heroes. It seems to pretty much follow the same storyline as the version told on Unsolved Mysteries. There is a "Murder in Scottsdale" documentary which is interesting. Also a "Making of" featurette and a decent commentary. Willem Defoe is kind of creepy and strange in this one.

A work of complete fiction!No family helped write this crap and it's full of lies! besides Greg Kinnear is not even half as good an actor or good looking as Bob was!