Review of Dreams with Sharp Teeth

My Hot Docs adventure continues.

This is only one movie I bothered leaving my house for today. Going anywhere other than my kitchen seemed like a daunting experience, so I put off several films until I felt guilty at the prospect at ditching a friend I agreed to meet at this Harlan Ellison doc. Leaving the house is the worst. Although Dreams was, I dare say, worth getting out of bed for. Ellison's is famous for being a celebrated writer of science fiction, mystery, and non-fiction, as well as a curmudgeon of the highest order. All of those facets are on display in Dreams. His temper and rants are legendary and we get a healthy dose of just why that is. Eric Nelson's first feature profiles Ellison through interviews with himself and his famous friends. The best parts of the movie are when the camera simply holds on Ellison while he spouts off about whatever subject has caused him instant grief. He is unyielding, frequently hilarious, and always intelligent. The only aspect I disliked about the film is the way in which I watched it. Dreams is clearly made to be rented at a video store and seen on a television, and it looked terrible on a big theatre screen. The director is a little green screen happy, and the ugliness of the cheap video effects were on full display in the Isabel Bader. I expect it would look considerably less offensive on a TV screen. Oh wait, there is one more aspect I disliked: Robin WIlliams. In addition to being the unfunniest man alive he is also a good friend of Harlan Ellison and gets a lot of screen time because of it. And holy shit, does Robin Williams ever looooove Jew jokes. In fact, they aren't even joke; they are merely statements with the word "Jew" or "Hebrew" appended to them as though that will transform them into jokes. Awful. Unfortunately, I imagine Williams will still be as offensive on television as he was in the theatre. Dreams is clearly a movie made for fans by a fan, but Ellison's personality is large enough that this will appeal to a wider audience among those of us who enjoy seeing how artists work. This doc deserves 3 1/2 stars. I hate this all or nothing rating system.

Posted on 04/26/08 by: Aaron 04:40 PM