My friend told me to see this film, but he's a little crazy and I don't know if his taste in movies is the same as mine.
It is not easy to find (obviously). Should I go through the trouble of finding it and buying it just to watch it once and see if I like it or not?
"Enough of that technical talk, Foo!"
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You can get it from Netflix. I thought it was okay for about half an hour. The guy is interesting/intertaining in small doses.
Om Mani Padme Hum
Thanks, man! I bought the movie for $8.00 online and watched it once.
I couldn't agree more with your evaluation. I also thought it was OK for about half an hour, and I agree that the guy is interesting/entertaining in small doses. That is one of the most exact reviews of a film I have ever seen!!!
"Enough of that technical talk, Foo!"
There are essentially two interpliced parts to this documentary. The first part is footage of Speed giving commentary on the tour bus. This part was intelligent, insightful and entertaining. The other part deals with Speed explaining his far-flung personal philosophy in a way that redefines the stereotypical, overly-intellectual and hyper-neurotic New York Jew. This is the part I didn't care for. It seems the makers of this documentary couldn't decide if they wanted to make the piece about the tour, New York or this eccentric poet/philosopher guy who presents the tours of New York. They seem to have decided all all three, but I think it would have been better if they just stuck with the tour of the city.
shareYou're missing the point. This is a documentary about Levitch and thus portrays several aspects of his life including his job, his infatuation with NYC, and his perspective on many things. And if that reinforces a stereotype then so be it, because Levitch is just being himself.
I recommend this film. I borrowed it from the library and just renewed it because I want to watch it again in a few days. But I can also understand others getting bored or annoyed by Levitch. He is eccentric and has a very nasaly accent that takes a few minutes to get used to.
I would recommend the movie too. And although I agree that the movie is essentially about him I don't think it would have been made if he wasn't a tour guide. That's the most interesting part about who he is. That's the only part of his life wherein he was able to communicate his philosophy in a coherent manner. So that was the only part of the documentary that I enjoyed.
Loved it!!! What an interesting person. Can't wait to watch it with my daughter, she'll appreciate his eccentricity.
shareIt was entertaining, not at all bad if you like to watch documentary, or even if you don't
shareIt's an interesting doc, but I really can't go much beyond that. Timothy (Speed) Levitch offers rapid-fire, steam-of-consciousness observations that require multiple (and I do mean multiple) viewings to really understand. He is a detached and alienated person, but other than that we know next to nothing about who he is. It's akin to watching a movie where the protagonist is an incomprehensible question mark.
Sorry about my cynicism, but I really wonder if this doc would have received more than token exposure if if were not for the striking images at the end, where Levitch stands in front of the still-standing Twin Towers of the World Trade Centre, spins around and imagines the buildings falling down on him. Very dramatic stuff.