Two Documentaries, Two Jerks

 

Regular readers know I love a good documentary, particularly if it's historical and the subject is a renowned celebrity.   There are those cases where I don't like the individual being profiled.   But I still watch because I am curious to see how they will be depicted.

Of late, I have watched two such documentary films with subjects that feel a lot to be desired.   Both were well known for years as complete assholes.   Hmmm.  With such a challenging target, I wondered how the filmmakers would handle their films.

Folks, here's one blog movie review of two films.

The first you can see above.  It's the CNN-produced "I'm Chevy Chase and You're Not."  Okay, it's a well known fact that Chevy, formerly of SNL, is a dirtbag.   Bad behavior in spades.  I've heard plenty of lurid and nasty tales.   The film confirms most of them and even expands to stories you don't know.

The curious thing is that Chevy Chase actually participates with the film makers.  He sits for several long interviews and CNN, not exactly the bastion of unbiased journalism, does nothing to whitewash their subject matter.   Regardless of what Chevy says on screen, there are dozens of other talking heads who confirm what we have heard for years.

Chevy Chase is a jerk.  And, for the simple reinforcement of that truth, this film does exactly what a decent documentary should do.

Now, let's consider the other documentary.

HBO's newest celebrity profile about the legendary teen idol Paul Anka now in his 80s but still touring with his five or six hit songs.  Anka's been around so long that I have a faint memory of my mother taking me along to see him at Atlantic City's Steel Pier.   There's even footage of that theater marquee.

Now, Anka has been successful over the years, not only with his hits but also composing the Johnny Carson Tonight Show theme as well as some songs for (????) Michael Jackson.  It's all relived in this film which certainly did its homework on Anka.   

This movie is part documentary and part road show as we follow Paul on tour all over the world.   Apparently, he is revered in Japan for some reason.  We hear him tell his life story and it is interspersed with tour footage.   Yes, it is interesting.

But there is a bias at work here.   Anka comes off as a hero and a saint, largely because I believe he is one of the producers of the film, which also includes a rousing endorsement from Paul's son-in-law, Jason Bateman.  Something seems very forced and whitewashed as you view this film.  I go back several years when shock jock Howard Stern got a hold of some recording studio tapes which featured Paul abusing everybody around him.  I've heard other stories as well and he clearly has his own Chevy Chase-like moments.   

Because you know there's a distinct phoniness at work here, this documentary from HBO comes out a little empty.   It was well made but...

So when you look at the ratings I am giving these films, please know that I am judging the content of the film, not the despicableness of the subjects.

LEN'S RATING:   Three stars for Chevy, two stars for Paul.

Dinner last night;  In the hospital on no food regimen.