American: The Bill Hicks Story (2009)

Why is Bill Hicks, the American comedian-philosopher poet-sage who passed away in 1994, hotter than ever? Is it his uncanny comical skewering of governmental nonsense? Is it his influential take on religion and life? Is it his startlingly refreshing viewpoints? Yes! Here is the amazing, true story of one of modern culture's most iconic figures as told by those who knew him best. "A brilliant and beguiling film"-Esquire. Extras include three hours of interviews, two hours of featurettes, Bill's personal audio journals and more.

Three years in the making, AMERICAN: The Bill Hicks Story brings the tale of one of modern culture's most iconic heroes to the big screen.
Much more than a comedian, Bill Hicks was and still is an inspiration to millions. His timeless comedy tackled the contradictions of America and modern life head on. But his unique gift was to tease apart the essence of religion, the dangers of unbridled government power and the double standards inherent in much of modern society, using nothing but his hilarious ideas and the uncompromising observational style that continues to resonate with successive generations.
Like many who have a strong sense of their place in history, Hicks left a large unseen legacy; his collection of video recordings and hundreds of photographs and these became the starting point for this feature-length animated documentary.
But why animation? Bill's complex story had never been adequately told and this demanded pushing documentary storytelling in a new direction to boldly recreate the key unseen scenes of Bill's life and, for the first time fully reveal the worlds that shaped his character and his comedy. Real locations, such as the bedroom window he snuck out of to perform with comedy partner Dwight Slade, the dark alleys of Houston where he nearly met his end, and the spellbinding theatre auditoriums where he played his most famous concerts; are all meticulously recreated in stunning three dimensional photorealism to provide a fresh new sense of the challenges the lone comedian faces and a real sense of what his journey was like.
Bill's story is told by the 10 people who knew him best; his family and closest friends who recount the twists & turns of his life with a freshness that hasn't faded in 15 years. From Kevin Booth, Bill's talented lifelong friend to the Outlaw Comics who introduced Bill into their heady world of drugs & alcohol, to photographer David Johndrow who perceptively captures some of the most revelatory moments of Bill's life, each speaker is a compelling narrator who still carries a piece of Bill with them and, woven together, they bring a palpable sense of Bill's presence to the screen.
Their story provides the platform for Bill's own voice and for the first time, his 17 years of material are combined in a powerful chronology with his offstage journey. With each of his routines now bedded in the context of his life, a fascinating insight into the growth and development of an artist is revealed, as Bill's early character work found first a comedic aim and then a truly powerful voice when he beat addiction to enthrall and challenge audiences, often touring 300 nights a year.
Recreating Bill's story has been a journey all of its own; traveling all across America to record extensive new interviews, watching hundreds of performances and developing the animation technique over thousands of hours to fully realize the cinematic vision required. With a little help and a few orbits of the sun, these raw materials - video clips, photographs & personal recollections - have now been put together to recreate a full sense of Bill's life, ambitions and achievements and a lasting testament as to why he will remain one of the enduring cultural cornerstones of our age.

Bill Hicks is considered by many to be the best comedian of the modern era - ironic given his anonymity in his native America. He was described by many names - philosopher, social satirist, even preacher, but he was ultimately a comic who believed that he could save his audience by confronting them with the truth.
His short career was a rollercoaster - from sneaking out aged 15 to start performing against the wishes of his parents, through early experiments with drink and drugs to expand his consciousness, falling in with the Texas Outlaw Comics who helped him nurture and grow his comedy, but also helped him grow a massive alcohol and drug problem, which on several occasions looked like it might end his life.
Finally succeeding in his long battle to get clean opened up new audiences for him in Canada, and then to the UK, where things exploded with sell-out tours, mesmerizing audiences as he skewered organized religion, the US media and his government's hypocrisies.
Though considered ‘criminally unpatriotic' at home, it looked like he was finally about to achieve wider recognition when he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. His last chance at getting his message out to the American people was taken from him when his 12th and final performance on the Letterman show was famously censored in its entirety, his material considered too ‘dangerous' for mainstream audiences. He died 4 months later. Bill was 32 years old.
15 years after his death, Bill Hicks' popularity continues to grow. Regularly appearing on best of lists, and with tributes held yearly around the world, his CD sales increase each year as more and more people discover the words of the outlaw comic who tried to save the world. He still might...

Directed by Matt Harlock, Paul Thomas < br> Produced by Matt Harlock, Paul Thomas
Original Music by Mark Daniels
Film Editing by Matt Harlock, Paul Thomas

"an immersive, inventive delve into the life of a stand-up visionary."
Empire

"a fascinating portrait of a born funnyman."
Variety

"Nothing short of astounding"
Time Out

"hysterically funny and deeply moving tribute to a true American outlaw."
Daily Mirror

"The groundbreaking comedian gets a step closer to immortality with
American The Bill Hicks Story...the film has a compelling intimacy."
The Hollywood Reporter

"Thoroughly engrossing - a very fine piece of work.
If you get a chance to see it at the cinema, do check it out."
Voted MOVIE OF THE WEEK
Mark Kermode BBC Film 24

"Flawless, and utterly inspiring"

Maxim

"A brilliant and beguiling film -
a fitting tribute to one of comedy's all-time greats"
Esquire

"This film is a fitting memorial"
The Times

"Sharp, clever and very funny, just like the man himself"
Mojo

Poignant portrait of a rising star"
Metro

"Bill Hick's finally gets his shot at the cinema.
Insightful, hilarious, and ultimately moving..."
Shortlist

"You MUST see it."
Kerrang

"Incredible, an amazing experience. You laugh till you cry.I urge you to watch it when you get the chance!"
BBC Radio 6 Music

"This inventively constructed, dynamically executed documentary will make you laugh a lot,
but more importantly, it'll make you wanna get off you arse and DO SOMETHING."

Bizarre

"Hilarious and moving, its greatest triumph is in giving us
a profound sense of just what his death robbed us of"
Glasgow Evening News

"Comic Bill Hicks posthumously rocks Austin"
Wired.com

"The film is great."
GQ