Z Channel: A Magnificent Obsession

Like a Reefer Madness-esque scare film about the thrilling but dangerous high of cinephilia. EXCEPT IT'S ALL TRUE ! ! !

(Viewed on 08/15): The Z Channel was a significant film cultural institution that was responsible for resurrecting many forgotten or maligned films, often by showing director's cuts that improved their reputation. As a result, it served as film school for a whole generation of American film makers like Payne and Tarantino, among others. The documentary takes a standard talking heads approach and gets derailed when it delves too deeply into the personal troubles of its creator, Jerry Harvey.

The story of Z Channel and Jerry Harvey could have been very interesting if only there had been more material surviving documenting his life and work. As a parade of photographs interspersed with talking heads, this story seems very distant and anecdotal. Like most film buffs, I probably got more enjoyment from seeing the glut of classic film clips, and adding one or two of them to my watchlist. Pleasant enough to watch but more superficial than revelatory.

Compelling documentary with Jerry Harvey as its main subject, rather than the groundbreaking channel. Paints a dark and slightly melancholy image of a man who clearly wanted to be a director but ended up changing the way many of us see films today.

This would make a good double-feature with Cinemania. A compelling documentary about a Los Angeles cable channel from the 80's, and its film-obsessed program director. One odd and slightly disturbing thing about this movie: the film clips they selected include an alarmingly disproportionate number of nude scenes. No kidding, you see bush about eight or nine times.

Shallow and skimpy as bio of Harvey and the Channel, and even pretty thin on the ground in terms of film critique and discussion, despite the enthusiasm of its impressive roster of talking heads. Has some value in its rounding up of film clips from the deeper cuts of popular film, right through to some fascinating obscurities (I’d never heard of Stuart Cooper, but his OVERLORD is going on to my watchlist). Has some value as a reference book, but too bland to be a genuinely memorable doco.

Decent documentary about a time that I wish I could have grown up in.

Who knew a dry documentary about an obscure cable television channel available in only one city would be so damn interesting?

Excellent.

Interesting subject material, but such a standard doco format.Actually, great film footage really pushes it above.