I really like Dave Stevens.
He is likely one of the finest artists/creators that the comedian e book business has ever seen. He has additionally had a heck of a profession in different fields (storyboard artist/ animator amongst others.) He shined irrespective of the place his creative pursuits took him.
His love for his work confirmed in all the things he created.
My first introduction to Dave Steven’s work got here within the type of the 1991 Disney movie of his comedian work, The Rocketeer.
Directed by Joe Johnson and written by Danny Bilson and Paul De Meo. That movie captured my 14-year-old creativeness in a manner I couldn’t clarify.
I went and tracked down the comedian books from which the movie have been primarily based on. That’s after I fell in love with Dave Stevens and the work he created.
I adopted his work all over the place. His work was wonderful, flawless, impeccable, it doesn’t matter what he was creating.
On the very first San Diego Comedian Con I ever attended, I even obtained an opportunity to fulfill Dave, very briefly. Sadly, it was the final San Diego Comedian Con at which he was a visitor.
Dave died on March 11, 2008 of Unusual Bushy Cell leukemia. He was 52 years previous. After his passing, I did plenty of studying into Dave’s life, hoping for a complete biography.
One got here within the type of the biography of Brush With Ardour: The Artwork and Lifetime of Dave Stevens. It’s nice e book, however it left me with much more inquisitive about his life and work.
Fortunately, documentary filmmaker Kelvin Mao has created this unbelievably complete documentary about Stevens.
Let me be clear after I say this: this can be a definitive documentary. The 35 interviewees knew Dave personally. We get everybody from ex-wifeBrinke Stevens to Bruce Timm to Thomas Jane and extra. Every of them share their tales about Dave, a few of which we’ve got been aware of earlier than, however there are gems that we haven’t heard. They’re all nicely knowledgeable, humorous and even candy.
We get to see what Dave was like as he was rising up. We additionally see what life was like for him as he was simply beginning out as an artist. There may be loads of archival footage of Dave to be discovered on this movie, plenty of which I personally hadn’t seen earlier than.
The movie additionally guides us from Dave’s perspective because the manufacturing of The Rocketeer function movie was taking form. It takes us by the manufacturing and exhibits us simply how concerned Dave was within the making of the movie. It’s an impressive part.
We additionally observe the movie as Dave’s well being was on the decline. This half is extraordinarily shifting because the viewer can clearly see simply what number of lives he impacted, and in such a optimistic manner. By the top of the movie, you’ve got a transparent and concise concept of who not solely Dave Stevens was as an artist but in addition as a human being.
Drawn to Perfection ranks amongst one of the best documentaries ever produced about an icon within the comedian e book neighborhood. It’s a nicely noticed documentary from begin to end and I can not suggest it sufficient. I really like Dave Stevens. I’m joyful this movie exists, not simply as a documentary of who he was, however as a celebration of his life.
RATING: A+
* * * * *
Produced by Rob Chatlin and Kelvin Mao
Directed by Kelvin Mao
That includes Jennifer Bawcum, Danny Bilson, Bob Chapman, Geof Darrow,
Olivia De Berardinis, Chris Donio, Scott Dunbier, Jackie Estrada, Mark Evanier,
Nathan Fowkes, Thomas Jane, Jaime Hernandez, Richard Hescox, Jessie Horsting,
Adam Hughes, Joe Johnston, Michael William Kaluta, John Koukoutsakis,
Riki LeCotey, Jewel Shepard, David Mandel, Kelvin Mao, Laura Martin,
Glen Murakami, Maria Laura Sanapo, Bob Schreck, Billy Campbell
