Drew Friedman: Vermeer of the Borscht Belt (2024)

2024-04-01

For years, artist Drew Friedman has chronicled a strange, alternate universe populated by forgotten Hollywood stars, old Jewish comedians and liver-spotted elevator operators. Drew Friedman: Vermeer of the Borscht Belt is an in-depth documentary tracing artist Friedman's evolution from underground comics to the cover of The New Yorker. The film, directed by Kevin Dougherty, features interviews with Friedman's friends and colleagues, including Gilbert Gottfried, Patton Oswalt, Richard Kind, Mike Judge, Merrill Markoe and many others.

Related Movies

438468-thumbnail

Bill Nye: Science Guy (2017)

Bill Nye is retiring his kid show act in a bid to become more like his late professor, astronomer Carl Sagan. Sagan dreamed of launching a spacecraft that could revolutionize interplanetary exploration. Bill sets out to accomplish Sagan's mission, but he is pulled away when he is challenged by evolution and climate change contrarians to defend the scientific consensus. Can Bill show the world why science matters in a culture increasingly indifferent to evidence?

1159064-thumbnail

Biography: Goldberg (2022)

Following the story of Goldberg, a wrecking machine who dominated his competitors with brute force; dogged by drama following his controversial match against the legend Bret Hart, Goldberg stepped out or the ring for 12 years.

976867-thumbnail

David Bowie: Out of this World (2021)

Through his ever changing reinvention, Bowie has become a symbol for fearlessness, innovation and creativity. He has become a true icon. A Phenomena that people will always remember, as he altered music forever.

613726-thumbnail

Harumi (2019)

In the hills of Los Angeles the reclusive, stylish and enigmatic 96-year-old Harumi Taniguchi spent decades painting, writing poetry and dancing in her home designed by architect Richard Neutra.

440145-thumbnail

Pablo's Hippos (2010)

Recounting the absurd and paradoxical history of Colombia's thirty-year struggle with international drug trafficking, at once a farce and a tragedy, as seen through the eyes of the extravagant pet of the most powerful drug baron in history: a hippopotamus named Pablo.

977572-thumbnail

Eric Ravilious: Drawn to War (2022)

One of Britain’s greatest landscape artists, Eric Ravilious, is killed in a plane crash while on commission as Official War Artist in Iceland in 1942. His life is as compelling and enigmatic as his art, set against the dramatic wartime locations that inspire him. This film brings to life this unique and still grossly undervalued British artist caught in the crossfire of war 80 years ago, whose legacy largely sank without trace, until now…

441188-thumbnail

Chavela (2017)

Inspired by an exclusive interview and performance footage of Chavela Vargas shot in 1991 and guided by her unique voice, the film weaves an arresting portrait of a woman who dared to dress, speak, sing, and dream her unique life into being.

614848-thumbnail

Marcel Duchamp: The Art of the Possible (2020)

A remarkable walk through the life and work of the French artist Marcel Duchamp (1887-1968), one of the most important creators of the 20th century, revolutionary of arts, aesthetics and pop culture.

795979-thumbnail

Mengele, the hunt for a Nazi criminal (2017)

He was one of the most notorious Nazi war criminals, infamous for his assassination attempts on twins. But at the end of World War II, he simply disappeared...

16800-thumbnail

Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired (2008)

Examines the public scandal and private tragedy which led to legendary director Roman Polanski's sudden flight from the United States.

1336835-thumbnail

Sharon Stone: Survival Instinct (2024)

30 years after Basic Instinct, Sharon Stone is still stigmatized for her role as a sexual psychopath. But the Oscar nominee has always fought against domination. She embodies the independent woman of the 21st century, who refuses to be invisibilized and a "passive" object, subjected only to the male gaze.

446663-thumbnail

Andre the Giant (2018)

An ambitious and wide-ranging documentary exploring Andre’s upbringing in France, his celebrated career in WWE, and his forays in the entertainment world.

268917-thumbnail

The Past Is a Grotesque Animal (2014)

A personal, accessible look at an artist - Kevin Barnes, frontman of the endlessly versatile indie pop band of Montreal - whose pursuit to make transcendent music at all costs drives him to value art over human relationships. As he struggles with all of those around him, family and bandmates alike, he's forced to reconsider the future of the band, begging the question - is this really worth it?

268930-thumbnail

Frank Sinatra: The Voice of the Century (1998)

Acknowledged as one of the greatest singers of the twentieth century, Arena explores the rise of the legendary crooner Frank Sinatra from his early family background to overwhelming show business success. Interviews with friends, family and associates reveal a star-studded career in music and film alongside a fascinating private life of four marriages, liaison with the Kennedy family, Las Vegas business interests and an alleged association with the Mafia

13003-thumbnail

Gonzo: The Life and Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson (2008)

Fueled by a raging libido, Wild Turkey, and superhuman doses of drugs, Thompson was a true "free lance, " goring sacred cows with impunity, hilarity, and a steel-eyed conviction for writing wrongs. Focusing on the good doctor's heyday, 1965 to 1975, the film includes clips of never-before-seen (nor heard) home movies, audiotapes, and passages from unpublished manuscripts.

444531-thumbnail

32 Pills: My Sister's Suicide (2017)

Traces the life and mental illness of New York artist and photographer Ruth Litoff, and her sister's struggle to come to terms with her tragic suicide.

447719-thumbnail

Frank Sinatra Memorial (2000)

Frank Sinatra, the greatest entertainer of the 20th century, is remembered by some of the brightest stars in Hollywood in this television memorial which celebrates his life and mourns his passing. Exclusive flashback interviews with Sinatra, his friends and his family, reveal little known facts about his overwhelming generosity and the sensationalized image created by the press. * In-depth interviews with those who knew him best... Ed McMahon, Tommy Sands, Shecky Green, Phyllis McGuire, Quincy Jones, & Betty Garrett, among others. * See highlights from some of Sinatra’s last films and farewell perfomances.

447771-thumbnail

Barbara Stanwyck: Fire and Desire (1991)

Actress Sally Field looks at the dramatic life and successful career of the superb actress Barbara Stanwyck (1907-90), a Hollywood legend.

257788-thumbnail

Larisa (1980)

Elem Klimov's documentary ode to his wife, director Larisa Shepitko, who was killed in an auto wreck.

1155525-thumbnail

Javier Milei: la revolución liberal (2023)

A portrait of Argentine libertarian politician Javier Milei.