Price$20.00
Media TypeDVD
CategoryMentalism, History
Date AddedJul 31, 2008
Max Maven - A Fabulous Monster
Donna Zuckerbrot
(Based on 2 reviews)
Running Time Approximately 48min
Reviews
(Top ▲)
A Fabulous Monster is a fabulous title for this fabulous DVD . . . It's overkill; I know, but it had to be done. I'm a fan of Maven's books; I'm a fan of his DVDs; and I'm a huge fan of his brain. The guy is a genius on so many levels. I've been inspired on many, many occasions by his cleverness, his ideas, his routines, his performances, and so much more.
That being said, I was very excited to watch a documentary on him. I also happen to be a fan of Donna Zuckerbrot, the producer. So couple these two things together and you've got a recipe for 50 minutes of bliss. I'll just say this, whether you know who Max Maven is or not . . . whether you care to know who Max Maven is or not, you must watch this DVD. You will be enlightened, have your curiosity piqued, your brain teased and your intellect aptly and thoroughly stimulated.
If you've read my previous Zuckerbrot reviews, you already know that I'm going to recommend this. If you've read my previous Maven reviews, you already know I'm going to recommend this. You're taken on a journey into the mind of one of the cleverest minds of our industry. You get a taste of his one man show "Thinking in Person." You get some poignant moments of insight into Maven's life, insecurities, victories and failures. There's even a moment where Maven's response to a question literally shocks and leaves speechless the interviewer . . . it was a Beautifully Terrifying moment. A bit dark, a bit depressing, and a moment of seeing the soul and very intimate side of of this fabulous monster called Max Maven.
I cannot recommend this enough. 5 Stars . . . Stone Status of GEM!
That being said, I was very excited to watch a documentary on him. I also happen to be a fan of Donna Zuckerbrot, the producer. So couple these two things together and you've got a recipe for 50 minutes of bliss. I'll just say this, whether you know who Max Maven is or not . . . whether you care to know who Max Maven is or not, you must watch this DVD. You will be enlightened, have your curiosity piqued, your brain teased and your intellect aptly and thoroughly stimulated.
If you've read my previous Zuckerbrot reviews, you already know that I'm going to recommend this. If you've read my previous Maven reviews, you already know I'm going to recommend this. You're taken on a journey into the mind of one of the cleverest minds of our industry. You get a taste of his one man show "Thinking in Person." You get some poignant moments of insight into Maven's life, insecurities, victories and failures. There's even a moment where Maven's response to a question literally shocks and leaves speechless the interviewer . . . it was a Beautifully Terrifying moment. A bit dark, a bit depressing, and a moment of seeing the soul and very intimate side of of this fabulous monster called Max Maven.
I cannot recommend this enough. 5 Stars . . . Stone Status of GEM!
(Top ▲)
I guess I'm the only one of our official reviewers that can give this a fair review. Jeff and Eugene are too close to Max. I don't think the others really know him. Me? I've had several lovely dinners with Max and he stayed with us on his last visit to Phoenix. So I feel I have some insight into Max and his life, but am not close enough for this review to feel biased.
I'm going to use a modified version Max's own criteria for my review. Three questions need to be answered: Who is this person? What are they doing? Why should I care?
Who is Max Maven?
Max isn't easy to nail down. Anyone as intelligent and eclectic as Max is bound to have a complex personality. Regardless, the film does a really good job in this area. Not only do we get a lot of Max's history, we get to see how the events of his life have made him who he is. There's only so much that can be covered 48 minutes, but I feel they did a good job of pinpointing some of the most important moments that created this Fabulous Monster (taken from the subtitle of the film).
What story is Max trying to tell?
To help explain Max's story we're presented with a glimpse into his recent theatrical production: "Max Maven: Thinking in Person — An Evening of Knowing and Not Knowing." This is where the 48-minute timeframe limits our understanding of his work. The show is meant to be a complete theatrical experience. But because of the biographical nature of the film, we are only presented with clips. I'm not sure that the disjointed nature of these clips really provides a true sense of the "Max Maven experience." For that, you need to see him work live.
Why is Max's work worthy of our time and attention?
I think we should care because Max cares — deeply. Max is absolutely committed to his art. He lives it every moment of his life. He has probably contributed more to our art than anyone in history. As best I can tell, he does this selflessly. Much of his writing can be found in magazine articles for which I doubt he gets paid.
In watching this film, I was constantly reminded of the commitment Max has made to his art. It's apparent in all of his work, on stage and off. Not only does he love the art of magic, he wants to leave the art of magic better and stronger than he found it. This, I think, is why Max Maven's life and work are worthy of our time and attention.
I'm going to use a modified version Max's own criteria for my review. Three questions need to be answered: Who is this person? What are they doing? Why should I care?
Who is Max Maven?
Max isn't easy to nail down. Anyone as intelligent and eclectic as Max is bound to have a complex personality. Regardless, the film does a really good job in this area. Not only do we get a lot of Max's history, we get to see how the events of his life have made him who he is. There's only so much that can be covered 48 minutes, but I feel they did a good job of pinpointing some of the most important moments that created this Fabulous Monster (taken from the subtitle of the film).
What story is Max trying to tell?
To help explain Max's story we're presented with a glimpse into his recent theatrical production: "Max Maven: Thinking in Person — An Evening of Knowing and Not Knowing." This is where the 48-minute timeframe limits our understanding of his work. The show is meant to be a complete theatrical experience. But because of the biographical nature of the film, we are only presented with clips. I'm not sure that the disjointed nature of these clips really provides a true sense of the "Max Maven experience." For that, you need to see him work live.
Why is Max's work worthy of our time and attention?
I think we should care because Max cares — deeply. Max is absolutely committed to his art. He lives it every moment of his life. He has probably contributed more to our art than anyone in history. As best I can tell, he does this selflessly. Much of his writing can be found in magazine articles for which I doubt he gets paid.
In watching this film, I was constantly reminded of the commitment Max has made to his art. It's apparent in all of his work, on stage and off. Not only does he love the art of magic, he wants to leave the art of magic better and stronger than he found it. This, I think, is why Max Maven's life and work are worthy of our time and attention.