Customer Reviews

Comic Book - The Movie

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

A funny, laugh out loud inside look at comic book fandom, Mark Hamill's Comic Book: The Movie chronicles Don Sawn's (played by Hamill) quest to save his favorite Golden Age hero, Captain Courage, from being butchered by Hollywood in the upcoming big budget movie.

What Swan is hired to be a consultant on the film, it seems he has his chance prevent his childhood hero from being modernized. What results is an epic and hilarious battle between Swan and Hollywood producers.

While this movie is full of comic book in-jokes, it is also full of celebrities such as Kevin Smith, Hugh Hefner, Bruce Campbell, and Stan Lee. Also comic book creators including Peter David, Mark Evanier, Maggie Thompson, and multiple others appear through the movie. However, even bigger than that is the treat of seeing voice actors being able to step in front of the camera.

Now for the comic books fans: one of the best gems of this movie is that at least half of the movie was filmed during Comic-Con International in San Diego. Seeing the convention center, creators, fans, and over all wackiness brought back many sweet memories of having been there. It was a great bonus!

The bottom line is this is a hilarious, laugh out loud film treat, especially for comic book fans.

Mark Hamill shines in this brilliant mockumentary about the inside world of the big BIG business of comics. As a tremendous fan myself, the most enjoyment I took from this film was seeing how much fun Mark had digging into his character, Don Swan, the obsessive comics old-schooler who's prepared to go to the ends of the earth to preserve the integrity of his cherished childhood hero, Commander Courage.

In this the era of the pure genius of Christopher Guest and Eugene Levy and their improvisational masterpieces Waiting for Guffman, Best in Show, and A Mighty Wind, Comic Book: The Movie sings sweetly the song of our fandom. Some performances are a little flat, but Mark Hamill could esily hold his own with the likes of improv masters like Michael McKean, Harry Shearer and Catherine O'Hara. His depth and attention to detail with evey aspect of his character is stunning. For those of you who can't seem to get beyond his living legend in the days of 'space operas', this is your chance to see Hamill break out. He produces, directs and stars in this absolute gem of a film.

Of course going in, the only downside is the overall appeal of this production. To fans like me, this will be a treasure... and to those looking for a more polished mockumentary style film like Rob Reiner's This is Spinal Tap, you may feel a little disappointed. This is intended for a select audience and not for mass consumption... and I wouldn't have it any other way!

Brilliant work, Mark... please give us more!!

Mark Hamill is obviously a knowledgable and passionate fan of comics. He has made a movie for fans, about fans and starring fans. It's a hillarious look at what happens when a Hollywood studio tries to make a comic book into a film. Keeping the die hard fans happy isn't easy, especially when the world's biggest fan is working for you (but secretly working against you).

This is a faux documentary a bit on the lines of Spinal Tap or Best in Show. It's loaded with guest stars like Donna D'Errico, Stan Lee, Tom Kenny, Kevin Smith, Matt Groening, Peter David, Bruce Campbell, Sid Caesar and Jonathan Winters.

This is a good little movie. The beginning is a little slow, and the ending is lacking a big emotional impact, but the middle part of the movie is a lot of fun, very enjoyable.

The film follows our hero, Don Swan (Mark Hamill), a high-school teacher who also owns and operates a comic book store in Wisconsin. Swan is an expert on the fictitious Golden-Age comic book hero Commander Courage. (Is "fictitious comic book hero" an oxymoron? Oh well, you know what I mean.) A movie studio wants to make a movie about Commander Courage, but they want to use the darker, more modern version, Codename: Courage, and they've hired Swan to go to ComicCon where the studio plans to make their big announcement and film some footage which they can use on the DVD version to jack up the price of the DVD. Swan has a different idea, though, to drum up support and convince the studio to use the kindler, gentler Golden-Age version of Commander Courage.

The movie is shot in the mock-documentary style most recently and successfully used by Christopher Guest in Best In Show, A Mighty Wind, and Waiting For Guffman. The actors only had a rough outline for a script, so most of the movie is improvised. One thought that occurred to me watching the movie is that this might have been better if it had been scripted a little more. While the cast is great and very funny, I don't think improvisation is their strongest skill.

The beginning of the movie is hurt by an unnecessary interview with Hugh Hefner. Why Hamill thought this was necessary, I'm not sure. Hefner apparently wanted to be a comic book artist at one point. But this doesn't really advance our plot, and we don't really do anything with Hefner. The beginning is also slowed down with an interview with Kevin Smith, who (in the movie) worked on the Commander Courage screenplay at one point. This interview is too long, really, and in the end, again, seems pointless. Other comic book and cartoon writers and artists are interviewed for the movie, but their bits are short and to the point; Smith's interview really should have been along the same lines.

The movie begins to pick up, though, when Leo (Billy West) enters the movie and our gang arrives in San Diego at ComicCon. Leo is the great-grandson of Jackson Whitney, who created the Commander Courage character. Leo has no idea about comic books or movies, he's a metal worker from the mid-west. Swan brings Leo along to convince him to side with him and pressure the studio to use the original Commander Courage; a humorous power struggle ensues over Leo, with the studio trying to keep Leo ignorant of things like "royalties". In the meantime, Ricky (Jess Harnell), Swan's cameraman, tries to get Leo to break out of his shell and meet girls at the convention.

There's also a very funny interview between Swan and Bruce Campbell, who is being considered for the role of Codename: Courage in the movie. Swan is trying to win Campbell over to his side. Campbell is great, and plays the scene completely convincingly. Contrasted with the Kevin Smith interview earlier in the movie, Campbell's scene is integral to the plot and moves the story along.

There are a whole host of star cameos at the convention which only comic book or cartoon enthusiasts will recognize. But even more entertaining are the scenes with real, ordinary people at the convention. This movie would have succeeded just as well, I think, if it had just been a straight-forward documentary of the ComicCon. Unlike the somewhat mean-spirited "Trekkies" documentary from some years ago, "Comic Book: The Movie" respects and affectionately admires the subjects of these scenes, and that's nice to see.

The big ending, with Swan confronting the studio execs, is somewhat anti-climactic. After a humorous scene of Swan running through the convention floor in a Commander Courage costume, and picking up a few random costumed convention-goers like Flash and Aquaman along the way, Swan makes an impassioned plea to the convention audience to reject the movie's version of Commander Courage. But the speech just falls flat, to me. This is an example of what I said earlier: I wonder if the movie would have been better if this speech had been better scripted? Even a soundtrack might have helped.

Overall, the movie is enjoyable because of all the little things in it: Don Swan explaining in excruciating detail the differences between Golden Age and Silver Age comics to a polite but indifferent Leo; Ricky's obsession with The Hulk; Derek's (a friend of Swan) son being dragged because he's just too tired to walk; Derek's son not wanting to open his new "collectible" figure; Jonathan Winters and Sid Ceasar improvising a scene; stuff like that.

The bonus features though are also wonderful, and are worth the price of the DVD alone! The making-of feature, and a "Behind The Voices" feature filming a question-and-answer session at the convention with famous voice-over actors from your favorite cartoons, are priceless. Interviews and footage of convention sessions with Stan Lee are fun and informative, as usual. And in the deleted scenes, there is a wonderful scene of a real independent comic book creator hawking his book, "Robots R Cool, Zombies R Jerks".

Overall, this gentle, good-humored, comedic look at comic books, Hollywood and cartoon voice-over actors is a nice movie, and I highly recommend it.

well, Mark Hamill has done it! If you have any interest in cartoons, voice overs, cult icons or, yes, even comic books this movie has something for you! Made so convincingly that people who've never heard of the cast members or know enough about Comander Courage to know he's made up, this mockumentary takes the viewer on a ride of fantasy, imagination, fandom and hollywood remake. The movie itself is hillarious, but what really sells it is the performances (which are for the most parts more or less improvised on the spot!). Roger Rose and Lori Allen are perfect as the hollywood producers who's only ambition is to sell their new revamped movieversion of "Codename Courage", Mark Hamill IS Don Swan as he runs around fighting vigorously for his love of the golden age version: "Comander Courage and Liberty Lad", Billy West looks sort of confused in the middle of the whole spectacle and Jess Harnell makes funny commentaries (mostly about the hulk) from the sideline as the wizecracking camera man Ricky. And Donna D'errico proves that it IS possible to have looks AND talent at the same time! for anyone who knows what a comic con is or is at all into cult classics there are cameos aplenty on this thing: Stan Lee, Kevin Smith, Bruce Cambell, Ray Harryhausen, (for fans of star wars there's even and out of costume apperance from David prowse, Peter Mayhew and Jeremy Bulloch -better known to fans as Darth vader, Chewbacca and Boba Fett) and the list goes on... The 50 minute feature "behind the voices" on disc 2 should get cartoon fans of all ages exited. Ever wonder what Pinky and the Brain look like i n real life? Wonder no more.
This movie confirms that there are people out there who get to live out their dreams and make hundreds of others happy at the same time. A very uplifting thought. The only criticism I can offer is, that this movie possibly dosn't have a very wide appeal. I mean you basically have to like comic books, cartoons or something from our of pop culture stew. But if you do, this is it. The motherload!

COMIC BOOK: THE MOVIE is a mockumentary tribute film to comic book fans and film geeks that also pokes fun at the power, corruption, and greed of major studios. The film was directed and "written" (the general plot of the film) by Mark Hamill, who is forever known as the guy who played Luke Skywalker. Hamill is an avid comic book collector in real life and since RETURN OF THE JEDI finished up twenty-five years ago, he has had a very active career doing voice work for cartoons.

Hamill also stars in COMIC BOOK: THE MOVIE as Donald Swan, a man who claims to be one of the world's biggest comic fans. Swan has been hired by a major studio as a consultant for their upcoming Commander Courage movie. Swan is the leading authority on this particular comic and the studio wants to get some cred from the comic geeks and hiring Swan seems like a good idea. When they discover that Swan is more trouble than they original planned, they send him off to do a documentary about Courage. When Swan's vision of the character clashes with what the studio is planning it turns into crazy chaos at the world's biggest comic book convention, Comic Con in San Diego.

Though I was never as geeky as some of my friends, I do have some geek tendencies. I really enjoyed COMIC BOOK: THE MOVIE. Unlike many films of a similar vein, the movie doesn't really make fun of comic book collectors and instead attempts to portray them in a positive light. There is some satire involved and at points, but geeks are never disparaged in the film. Instead, the "villains" of the movie are the major studios and corporations that take characters and properties people grow up with and love and warp them solely for profit with no regard to the art and artists.

The DVD is loaded with extra features and for anyone interested in comic books and comic book movies, COMIC BOOK: THE MOVIE is worth owning for the extras alone. There's a behind the scene featurette with the cast, who is largely composed of voice actors; a making of featurette about the movie; extended interviews with Kevin Smith, Stan Lee, Bruce Campbell, and Hugh Hefner; there's a featurette with Stan Lee discusses comic books and the movies; a radio show of the fictional "Commander Courage"; director and cast commentary; deleted scenes; bloopers; and cast and crew biographies.

Highly recommended for anyone who has an interest in comic books and movies.

P.S. Look for the scene where Donald asks to sit next to Peter Mayhew (Chewbacca), David Prowse (Darth Vader), and Jeremy Bulloch (Boba Fett).

Comic Book: The Movie is an unpretentious film with mostly-improvised dialogue, a lot of laughs and a very warm heart. Much of the movie was filmed at San Diego's ComicCon, an annual gathering of 60,000 comic book enthusiasts. Mark Hamill stars as Don Swann, an obsessive comic book collector and fan of a Golden Age superhero named Commander Courage (invented for the film). Swann is horrified to learn that a major motion picture studio plans to film an updated, ultra-violent version of his beloved hero. As a well-known authority on Commander Courage, Swann is hired by the studio as a "consultant" in order to placate the fans. To humor him and keep him busy, they send him off to San Diego Comic Con to make a documentary short about Commander Courage, to be packaged as a DVD extra with their film. Swann takes every opportunity to rally support for the "classic" Commander Courage, which sets him on a collision course with the studio.

The movie is a bit uneven, with some scenes that are very, very funny and others that don't work as well. It isn't consistently hysterical along the lines of "Spinal Tap," but one advantage it has over "Spinal Tap" is its heart: it's about the love and joy the fans feel, and it doesn't go for laughs by treating the fans as freaks (although the nerdiness of Swann and his friends is played for laughs, it's done in such a way that any fan with a sense of humor about him or herself can laugh too). Instead, the comic book nerds are the heroes, and we get to empathize with their love for comic books and for the wonderful world of make-believe that is the comics convention. A number of scenes are touching, as when Don Swann meets Ray Harryhausen. The scenes set at and around the convention are especially funny, and as Don's conflict with the movie producers comes to a head, you get drawn deeper into his passionate quest to protect his childhood hero from the ravages of Hollywood. The ending is wonderfully uplifting (watch the credits, too; there are additional clips interspersed that tell the very end of the story). The movie left me with a silly smile on my face.

Quite a few major names in the comic book and animation industries have small parts in the film; the features menu includes a guide to all the cameos. The DVD comes with a second disc full of extras which merits reviewing in its own right. Probably the best item there is the "Behind the Voices" panel, at which several of the best voiceover artists in the business, who were also in the movie, do a wonderful range of voices; it's very funny, and for anyone who's a fan of voiceover work, it's great fun to actually get to see these people do their thing. There are also full-length versions of the interviews with Kevin Smith, Bruce Campbell and others, of which shorter excerpts appear in the movie itself.

Fanboy legend Mark Hamill has gathered the finest animation voice talent in Hollywood to create a magnificent and heartfelt tribute to the comic book art form and its fans in the shape of, "Comic Book: The Movie." In the film, Mark plays high school history teacher Don Swan, a man who, like more of us than society admits, is completely obsessed with comic books and pop culture. Don's favorite character is one Commander Courage, a patriotic superhero from the 1930s that has been revamped over the years into his current incarnation, a terrorist fighting secret agent known as Codename: C.O.U.R.A.G.E., much to Don's dismay. The Commander's faithful sidekick/nephew, Liberty Lad, has been replaced with the ultra-sexy Liberty Lass, no relation, and now a movie is going to be made using this completely distorted new version of Don's heroes. It's all too much for the humble history teacher to take, but the "powers that be" seem to have given him one chance to swing things his way. The major movie studio that is planning to make the big-budget blockbuster, Codename: COURAGE, has hired Don, known as the "go-to guy" for Commander Courage, to make a brief documentary; a little something to give their film credibility with the oldschool fans, as well as a future DVD extra. Don sees this as his opportunity to convince the studio that they should change their plans completely, or at least, as much as possible.
So, our hero sets forth with his new sidekick, studio provided cameraman and self-professed chick-lover Ricky, on a quest to interview anyone and everyone who MIGHT be in his corner. Don's little documentary, which was supposed to be a brief background on the roots of Codename: COURAGE , quickly becomes an all out petition to make Commander Courage: The Movie! But his first interviewee, Playboy Founder Hugh Hefner, seems to support the Codename COURAGE idea. Big surprise, what with Liberty Lass and all. He fares somewhat better with Kevin Smith, who seems to take the middle ground. And finally, Don finds a true crusader in B-Movie Legend, Bruce Campbell. Unfortunately, Bruce's choice to side in with Don only manages to get him dropped from consideration for the starring role, and also clues the studio in on the danger of Don's influence. Now, Don, Ricky, and their new pal, the clueless Leo (newly discovered grandson of the Commander's creator), must thwart the efforts of studio execs while continuing to make their documentary and spread the gospel of the Commander at the San Diego Comic-Con, the world's largest sci-fi and comic book convention. Leo doesn't turn out to be much help though. He knows absolutely nothing about comics, and didn't even know who his grandfather was! The studio execs see his weakness, and quickly attempt to turn him over to the dark side. Ricky is a little too preoccupied with chicks, and the Incredible Hulk, AND his hilarious efforts to teach Leo to be a chick-magnet like himself. And even Don's hometown friend and fellow Commander fanatic, Derek, is too busy struggling with his frustrated wife and exhausted little son, who had no idea he was dragging them out of Wisconsin just to see a comic book convention. It seems that it's all up to Don Swan to save the day, and when he gets his hands on a copy of the secret script on the eve of the studio's big Codename: COURAGE publicity launch, our hero finally snaps! Only Commander Courage can help now!

Comic Book: The Movie is a wonderful gift from the mind of Mark Hamill, a true and knowledgeable fan. Filmed in mockumentary style, but without mocking the subject at all, it is a tribute to the creators and readers of this overlooked art form, as well as a showcase for some of the greatest untapped (onscreen anyway) acting talent in show business, the voice actor. Filled to the brim with legends, not just from the comic world but other areas too, emotions run from nostalgic, to hilarious, to downright tear-jerking. There's something in it for every type of comic fan. Mr. Hamill even manages to mention my personal favorite comic legend, Carl "the Duck-man" Barks, creator of Disney's Uncle Scrooge. And there's plenty of eye-candy too, not just in the form of laughter and drool inducing Donna D'errico as Liberty Lass, but also from various comic con fan-girls in even more delectable costumes. So THIS is where you meet cute girls who actually LIKE comics and cartoons (and don't mind wearing costumes, *ahem*)! In fact, the real star of this film is the San Diego Comic Con itself, and all its participants! It definitely left me with a strong desire to visit the annual event someday! It must be great to be surrounded with so many folks, of all types (and both sexes), who are as obsessed with comics, movies, and toys as you are!
This DVD is a gem for all it has on it. The audio commentary is great, especially for a wannabe voice actor and cartoonist like me, not to mention another of Hamill's Star Wars junkie fans. And the 2nd disc practically has a feature of its own in "Behind the Voices," a great interview session at the Comic Con with several current cartoon greats, from Jim Cummings to Billy West (who plays Leo). The complete interviews run the gamut from informative to hilarious! Bruce Campbell's is a real treat! Everything that supplements Comic Book: the Movie is worthy of a thorough look, and the movie itself can be rewatched over and over. In fact, I'm not even sure how many times I've seen it by now. If you love comics, collecting, or anything even vaguely associated with the subject matter in this film, do yourself a favor and pick it up! And anytime Jess Harnell's "Ricky" character is onscreen, keep your eyes and ears at attention! That guy is hilarious!

The 'plot' was fluff, but seeing the faces behind the voices of some great animation was priceless. Jim Cummings known to millions (billions?) as Pooh passed out on absinth? Worth the ticket price alone!

Mark Hamill gives his greatest acting performance as a comic book nerd who's trying to keep his favorite comic from being ruined by Hollywood. Great cameos and so true situations (the tired kid being dragged through the San Diego Comic Con is particuarly funny) make this a great experience for any veteran of sci-fi/fantasy conventions.