Brother Theodore was a genius. I saw him at the 13th Street Theatre back in 1982 with Billy Crystal in front of me scouting him for his then variety show.
He was brilliant. Crystal thought he was too edgy but put him on the show anyway.
It's with great remorse that I must report this documentary does nt do justice to the man or the artist.
There are many things wrong with this documentary. The show clips of Theodore at various ages in his career over laid upon each other doing the exact same routine. It makes it seem like he was a one trick pony.
They present as facts biography information that Gottlieb provded himself and most think he just made up over the years.
A lot of the clips are of Theodore at his prime, but there are a number of clips of him toward the end of his life and he is very frail. He can't get that powerful effect in his voice anymore.
They pay little attention in an interview with the son he abandoned for 40-some years. And that brings us to the other big issue. It's filled with interviews with lots of people but you don't see them. Much of the time you have no idea who they are and they don't even provide subtitles telling us who is speaking.
I made out Penn Jillette and Dick Cavett, but that's it.
It's really too bad. Brother Theodore was so much better than this fiasco.
He was brilliant. Crystal thought he was too edgy but put him on the show anyway.
It's with great remorse that I must report this documentary does nt do justice to the man or the artist.
There are many things wrong with this documentary. The show clips of Theodore at various ages in his career over laid upon each other doing the exact same routine. It makes it seem like he was a one trick pony.
They present as facts biography information that Gottlieb provded himself and most think he just made up over the years.
A lot of the clips are of Theodore at his prime, but there are a number of clips of him toward the end of his life and he is very frail. He can't get that powerful effect in his voice anymore.
They pay little attention in an interview with the son he abandoned for 40-some years. And that brings us to the other big issue. It's filled with interviews with lots of people but you don't see them. Much of the time you have no idea who they are and they don't even provide subtitles telling us who is speaking.
I made out Penn Jillette and Dick Cavett, but that's it.
It's really too bad. Brother Theodore was so much better than this fiasco.