For Madmen Only: The Stories of Del Close is a 2020 comedy-documentary hybrid film about comedian Del Close (1934–1999), who coached many of the best-known comedians and comic actors of the late twentieth century.[1] Its stories are drawn in part from Wasteland, an autobiographical horror comic co-written by Close and John Ostrander and published by DC Comics (1987–89).[2] Directed by Heather Ross, the film stars James Urbaniak (as Close), Patton Oswalt, Bob Odenkirk, Jason Sudeikis, Matt Walsh, Josh Fadem, and Lauren Lapkus.[3] It premiered digitally at SXSW in 2020.[4]
| For Madmen Only: The Stories of Del Close | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Directed by | Heather Ross |
| Written by |
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| Produced by |
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| Edited by |
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| Music by | Jacques Brautbar |
Production company | Sincerely Films |
| Distributed by | Hulu |
Release dates |
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Running time | 85 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Cast
edit- James Urbaniak as Del Close
- Matt Walsh as Mike Gold
- Josh Fadem as John Ostrander
- Patton Oswalt as Lash LaRue
- Michaela Watkins as The Narrator
- Paul Scheer as The Rat
- Lennon Parham as Arabella
- Lauren Lapkus as Arabella's Assistant
- Diona Reasonover as Annie the Summoner
Notable interviewees
editReception
editThe New York Times recommended the film in its "What to Watch" section, writing "Heather Ross's rowdy, energetic documentary assembles the expected treasure trove of archival clips and testimonials from famous faces, while playfully re-enacting [Close's] wilder moments and odder inclinations."[5] The Hollywood Reporter called it "a funny and poignant look at a man to whom comedy nerds owe an incalculable debt."[4]
On the review aggregator site Rotten Tomatoes, the film has a 92% approval rating among critics.[6]
References
edit- ^ Roeper, Richard (July 27, 2021). "'For Madmen Only': Like the man himself, doc on improv guru Del Close offers little that's conventional". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved August 9, 2023.
- ^ Ho, Rachel (July 24, 2021). "For Madmen Only Review: Spotlighting the Man Behind the Comics". POV Magazine. Retrieved August 9, 2023.
- ^ Tallerico, Brian (July 30, 2021). "For Madmen Only movie review & film summary (2021) | Roger Ebert". RogerEbert.com. Retrieved August 9, 2023.
- ^ a b DeFore, John (March 29, 2020). "'For Madmen Only': Film Review | SXSW 2020". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved August 9, 2023.
- ^ Bailey, Jason (November 22, 2021). "'Touchy Feely,' 'Maggie' and Other Streaming Gems (Published 2021)". The New York Times. Retrieved August 19, 2023.
- ^ "For Madmen Only - Rotten Tomatoes". www.rottentomatoes.com. July 27, 2021. Retrieved August 19, 2023.
External links
edit- For Madmen Only at IMDB
- For Madmen Only at Rotten Tomatoes
- For Madmen Only streaming at Hulu