Search - American Splendor on DVD

MPAA Rating: R Content Advisory: Adult Situations, Adult Humor, Profanity, Sexual Situations Movie Release: 2003 DVD Release: 02/03/2004 Format: DVD - Enhanced Wide Screen Letterbox for 16x9 TV - Closed Captioned Audio Tracks: English SwapaDVD Credits: 1 Number of Discs: 1 Run Time: 1 hrs 41 mins Studio: HBO Home Video Total Copies: 13 Genres: Comedy Drama, Marriage Drama, Biopic [feature]

The documentary directing team of Robert Pulcini and Shari Springer Berman makes their narrative feature debut with the biographical comedy drama American Splendor. Harvey Pekar (Paul Giamatti) is a comic book writer inspired by the work of his friend Robert Crumb (James Urbaniak). Pekar writes his comics about the sad monotony of everyday life, based on his own life in Cleveland, OH, working as a file clerk at a veteran's hospital and spending his time reading books and listening to jazz. He meets up with Joyce Brabner (Hope Davis) and they enjoy a depressive relationship together. The filmmakers employ a combination of live-action film, video, and animation, including narration and commentary from the real-life Harvey Pekar. The screenplay was based on Pekar's comic book series -American Splendor, which he has been writing since 1976 on Dark Horse Comics, and the 1994 book-length comic -Our Cancer Year, written by Pekar and Brabner. American Splendor won the Grand Jury Prize in the Dramatic Competition at the 2003 Sundance Film Festival. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide

Paul Giamatti - Harvey Pekar
Hope Davis - Joyce Brabner
Harvey Pekar - Real Harvey
Shari Springer Berman - Interviewer
James Urbaniak - Robert Crumb
Judah Friedlander - Toby Radloff

The story of independent comic writer and everyman Harvey Pekar comes to life in the American Splendor DVD from HBO Video. Packed with extras and wonderful animated menus, the disc is a perfect companion to the critically acclaimed film and one that should be good for more than a few repeat viewings. Technically, its 1.33:1 picture makes for a fine presentation for the film's brownish, worn look, while the 5.1 Dolby audio track also does a commendable job for the picture's jazz score and low-key audio levels (a stereo track is also available). Extras begin with a group audio commentary track that's well worth the disc's price tag and one that will be remembered for a long time to come! Featuring both directors, along with star Paul Giamatti and the real-life Harvey Pekar, his wife Joyce Brabner, and their adopted daughter, Danielle Batone, the commentary is a blast (especially with real-life nerd Toby Radloff and his actor-twin Judah Friedlander joining in on the fun, too). From virtually anything that Toby says to Harvey taking a cell phone call during the taping, you never quite know where the track will head next -- making it a brilliant standout among the usual Hollywood tripe written off as commentaries at the time of this release. Extras continue with the six-minute HBO featurette "Road to Splendor," as the cameras and microphones follow Harvey and his family through various film festivals and screenings. Other extras include an audio version of Eytan Mirsky's "American Splendor" song (as seen in the film during the stage adaptation), along with the original theatrical trailer and a spot for other HBO productions. Also included inside the packaging is the -My Movie Year comic book (written by Harvey with art by Gary Dumm and colorist Laura Dumm) that chronicles the years leading up to and after the film was completed. Finally, there's a wonderful DVD-ROM segment featuring an animated Harvey and Toby eating hamburgers and talking about the DVD, with additional icons, wallpapers, and screensavers for you to sink your teeth into. ~ Jeremy Wheeler, All Movie Guide