Obscene: A Portrait Of Barney Rosset And Grove Press (2008)
Tomatometer
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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
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This film is an engaging portrait of the man and a fair assessment of his achievement. Full Review |
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3.5/5 |
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. Full Review |
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3/5 |
Obscene, 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. Full Review |
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3/5 |
An entertaining docu-tribute. Full Review |
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B+ |
An entertaining and engrossing film. Full Review |
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Brilliant social history about one of the greatest publishers of the modern epoch, even if he is "Human, All Too Human" Full Review |
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3.5/5 |
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. Full Review |
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3/4 |
The 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. Full Review |
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B |
Rosset is a lively subject, and his interviews (over many years) provide an oral history of his life and times. Full Review |
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... a justified tribute to [Barney] Rosset, who in his mid-80s is still feisty, with a refreshingly lighthearted attitude toward all he accomplished. Full Review |
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3.5/4 |
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 2.5/5 |
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B+ |
Though Obscene tells the story without fully exploring its nuances, that story is both fascinating and more than a little inspiring. Full Review |
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4/5 |
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. Full Review |
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3/4 |
A compelling documentary about [Barney Rosset] directed by neophytes Neil Ortenberg and Daniel O'Connor. Full Review |
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