An entertaining docu-tribute.
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02/27/09
Obscene: A Portrait Of Barney Rosset And Grove Press (2008)
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Reviews Counted:22
Fresh:21
Rotten:1
Average Rating:7.3/10
Theatrical Release:27-02-2009
Synopsis: Cultural luminaries as varied as John Waters, Amiri Baraka, John Sayles, and Erica Jong join for the common cause of celebrating the career and influence of Barney Rosset. As the publisher of Grove... [More]
Starring: Barney Rosset, Amiri Baraka, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Al Goldstein
Director: Neil Ortenberg, Daniel O'Connor
Reviews for Obscene: A Portrait Of Barney Rosset And Grove Press
Top CriticObscene, is melancholic. The eerie contradiction is how chirpy and cheery this remarkable activist, and self-confessed sex addict, is at more than 80 years of age.
02/27/09
Top CriticThis film is an engaging portrait of the man and a fair assessment of his achievement.
03/06/09
While the filmmakers squander some excellent opportunities that might have helped to illuminate the contradictions in their subject, this remains a fascinating study of an unrepentant American maverick.
02/27/09
Top CriticClick to read the article
02/27/09
Top CriticThose who didn't live through this period and take for granted the totality of free expression enjoyed today will have their eyes opened by this homage.
09/26/08
A warm, entertaining compendium of counterculture voices (including Jim Carroll and Amiri Baraka) and literary landmarks.
09/26/08
Top CriticThe focus of Obscene remains steadfastly on the man, thanks to a rich variety of archival and interview clips that span his entire career and a slew of colleagues, fiends and enemies.
11/21/08
... a justified tribute to [Barney] Rosset, who in his mid-80s is still feisty, with a refreshingly lighthearted attitude toward all he accomplished.
11/12/08
Filled with reminiscence and laughter, this lively and largely adoring documentary looks back on the life and work of Barney Rosset, best known as the longtime owner of Grove Press.
09/24/08
Daniel O'Connor and Neil Ortenberg's engrossing documentary about the life and times of publisher Barney Rosset, who spent much of his career advancing the cause of free expression, is a flawless match of style and subject.
09/26/08
Though Obscene tells the story without fully exploring its nuances, that story is both fascinating and more than a little inspiring.
10/02/08
A compelling documentary about [Barney Rosset] directed by neophytes Neil Ortenberg and Daniel O'Connor.
09/26/08
[A] very fine documentary.
09/24/08
Brilliant social history about one of the greatest publishers of the modern epoch, even if he is "Human, All Too Human"
01/29/09
The doc formally mirrors its subject in its pacing, which balances the titillation/education of the doc's subject with consistent and pleasantly teasing speed and tone from start to finish.
09/30/08
An entertaining and engrossing film.
07/10/09
This is the kind of art house documentary that inspires the right kind of social rebellion.
09/06/08
With testimony from scads of heyday contributors and an infectious design reflecting Grove Press's innovative cover art ... the filmmakers could have shelved the weaker bits without missing a beat.
11/23/08
Obscene, a tribute to New York publisher Barney Rosset, is an entertaining reminder of the ferocity of the culture wars of the 1950s and '60s.
09/05/08
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