Review of Crumb (1995) by Eric F — 17 Jan 2009

Robert Crumb was the founder of an underground comics movement started in the 1960's, and his "Keep on Truckin'" logo became a national phenomenon. He also created the comic strip "Fritz the Cat", which later became a film that Crumb himself had nothing to do with. Since the early nineties, however, Crumb has completely distanced himself from his work. Now residing in France with his wife and daughter, Crumb has only left behind his peculiar, often disturbing images that depict things most people would desperately try to repress.

Terry Zwigoff, who would go on to direct the wonderful "Ghost World", chronicled the lives of Robert Crumb and his family in a film released in 1994, which would go down as one of the most fascinating character studies ever presented in this medium. Zwigoff, an acquaintance of Crumb who shared a passion for 1920's and 30's records, literally gave up everything in order to complete the documentary. In an infamous story told by Roger Ebert, Zwigoff slept with a gun on his pillow - just waiting for the night he'd have the courage to pull the trigger.

You may have never heard the name Robert Crumb, which isn't surprising. I had only heard of him due to his depiction in the wonderful film about fellow underground comic artist Harvey Pekar, "American Splendor". He's a man who did his best to reject fame. He turned down offers to license slogans like "Keep on Truckin'", as well as countless offers for talk shows and even Saturday Night Live. When he speaks of the animated film version of "Felix the Cat", he does so with disgust and disappointment. There's a scene at a comic shop where an acquaintance tells Crumb that he's responsible for every comic that sits before him, and Crumb can't do anything but laugh and try to deny it. In this same comic shop, he turns down a man who asks for an autograph, claiming to be a huge fan, because Robert "doesn't believe in autographs". Crumb himself is a peculiar subject for a documentary, indeed, as you have to imagine it's the last thing he ever wanted. Perhaps this, combined with the painful memories of home, is why Crumb would ultimately head for France. The film, which has become a cult hit of a documentary, is exactly what Crumb had avoided his entire life.

Crumb's drawings are bound to offend many people. Many of his drawings depict women being raped, sometimes women without their heads. He also has startling controversial images of African-American's with the classical caricatured large lips eating watermelon. To Crumb, drawing is a desire that satisfies his deepest fetishes. It has been said that Crumb does get off to his own works (some of them inspired by a trip on LSD), and the film reveals that Crumb masturbated to Bugs Bunny as a child.

The film isn't all about Robert, as his two brothers are equally colorful and tragic. Charles Crumb, who would commit suicide before this documentary's release, was the one who started drawing comic books in the very beginning. He seemed to be the one destined for success, in fact, but at the time this was filmed he spent his life sitting in his room and reading. He was a virgin whose only revealed sexual fantasy was a young boy in "Treasure Island", and he was a complete recluse for his entire life. We imagine that Robert would end up like Charles without the comic book medium to keep him on his feet. His other brother is Max, a sex offender, who now is a sort of practicing monk. Everyday, he meditates on a bed of nails and passes a 30 foot cloth through his body. The three boys had two sisters, who refused participation in the film.

What makes "Crumb" so successful as a film is how open it's subjects are to reveal everything about their lives. Rarely in life do you see people admitting such dark fantasies, and Crumb tells you these really disturbing anecdotes while smiling and chuckling. But the film doesn't make you disturbed by Robert the man at all, nor his family. Instead, you almost form a deep admiration and respect for the family, as tragic as they might be. "Crumb" helps you understand minds that seem completely unsolvable on the surface, and due to it's fascinating subjects it makes for an extraordinarily involving documentary. A documentary, by the way, which is perhaps the best i've ever seen. Subscribers can watch it on NetFlix Instant View.