Customer Reviews

The Mindscape of Alan Moore

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

While I think an objective documentary about Alan Moore is in order, this trip through his current headspace is enough to spark some thought. It divides up into two areas -- first Moore talks about how he got into comics and what inspired his seminal works, but then the interview segues into his current worldview, where it may lose people that aren't his fans. (When he starts talking about magic, both he and the director make oblique references to Promethea, but as a phase of his professional career, it isn't really explained.)

Along the way, the director stages pieces of Moore's work -- a chilling moment from V which is far more effective than the Wachowskis, the diary of Rorschach and repeated imagery which seems to be meant to evoke Swamp Thing and John Constantine.

Moore has a lot on his mind, and it's interesting, though director Vylenz could have culled a bit of his repetition. The second disc consists of interviews with some of Moore's artistic collaborators, which does make this a must-have for discriminating comics fans.

Alan Moore is one of the (if not THE) most celebrated and awarded writers in the comic book (or graphic novel) medium. This documentary film is an indepth look into the life, influences, thoughts and musings of Alan Moore. While I had a hard time understanding Mr. Moore's very thick accent (I watched it with subtitles on), it was by no means a distraction from the contents of the film, namely a journey into Moore's mind and his creative process. This film also has had a very strong impact in how I view life, creativity and the medium of literature and art. This film is a must see for anyone who cares about the creative process and our culture in general. Brilliant, poignant and very thought-provoking.

My expectations were low when I borrowed this from the library, but I was pleasantly surprised to discover that Moore is such a treasure trove of interesting factoids, especially when it comes to his influences, his expectations, and his motivation for writing comics. He is full of interesting ideas and observations about Western society... one would think he wrote books instead of comics.

Icing on the cake for fans who want to know just a little more about the most ambitious comic writer of our era.

I've been a fan of Alan Moore for over half of my life. Naturally, I snagged this documentary up at my first opportunity. I was not disappointed.

The film combines in-depth interviews and monologues with/by Alan Moore with related (although at times, psychedelic) imagery. If you're open-minded enough to read Alan Moore, this documentary should most definitely be up your alley.

I'm really glad I purchased this DVD. Alan Moore said a lot of profound things. Definitely something you can watch again and again.

I didnt have much knowledge of Alan Moores work. I saw the watchmen movie, even though I had never heard of the comic book. I never saw V is for vendetta. I was still very impacted by this DVD. The whole thing is just him sitting in front of the camera and talking about his work and his thoughts on magick, spirituality, and the role of the artist in society, and it is enthralling!

So the first part is just his comic book history, but then he gets into more intellectual subjects and its very interesting how he summarizes the universe. I love this DVD a must have for every conscious being.

I was absolutely entranced by this. As much as it was interesting to hear him talking about comics and his career, I was actually far more interested when it went beyond that and really became about Moore's Mindscape. How he views the world and what drives him. From comics, to pornography and magic, it gives insight into how one of the greatest writers of the last 50 years sees the world.

I realize that to some people Alan Moore is a God. He is interesting for a bit, but no amount of intrusive music and staged Floyd-like film inserts could really cover up for the sheer pretentious gibberish that barrages the viewer of this documentary. The worst aspect of the endless torrent of laconic speaking ... is how quickly the more interesting and publicly consumable works like Watchmen, From Hell, and V for Vendetta are brushed past.

Seriously, this is only for the true blue fan.

I remember reading Watchmen for the first time. I was thrilled, excited, and amazed that someone was willing to take superhero comics that far. I was less impressed with V for Vendetta, as genius as it was, because it was a bit too political for my tastes.

A lot of people must have looked up to Alan Moore as a prolific figure back then. Watching this video makes you realize that their confidence might not be well placed. As brilliant as his earlier works were, this documentary (which is really more of a sit-down lecture with some cute intermission work) exposes Moore as a fading crackpot who seems to take himself far more seriously than anyone else ever did. His self-important ramblings are interesting at first, but you can quickly tell why they had to stage scenes from his comic books to take up space; one can only imagine how much of his diatribes were confusing and unflattering.

By the end, Alan Moore ceases to be a literary genius and appears as what he really is, an aging comic book writer that desperately wants to be Aleister Crowley.

Perhaps I should give the video five stars for truly exposing the Mindscape of Alan Moore, but I feel it more appropriate to give it two stars for the dismally disappointing end result.