American: The Bill Hicks Story (2010) (trailer)

The true life story of Bill Hicks the outlaw comic who tried to save the world, as told by the 10 people who knew him best. This groundbreaking documentary uses a stunning new animation technique to tell his story.

Much more than a comedian, Bill Hicks was and still is an inspiration and intellectual hero to millions. His timeless comedy tackled the contradictions of America and modern life head on. But his unique gift was to tease apart the essence of religion, the dangers of unbridled government power and the double standards inherent in much of modern society, using nothing but his hilarious ideas and the uncompromising observational style that continues to resonate with successive generations.

Like many who have a strong sense of their place in history, Hicks left a large unseen legacy; his collection of video recordings and hundreds of photographs and these became the starting point for this feature-length animated documentary.

He called himself the dark poet and he is now more popular than ever, he is widely seen as one of the best comedians of the modern era. However, in America, where he challenged institutions and accepted ways of thinking, he suffered censorship and was never truly recognized by a wide audience. In the country which enshrines freedom of speech in its constitution his story is truly about what it means to be an American. It's the hilarious story of a man who mastered the art of telling painful truths with a twinkle in the eye. It'll make you laugh, mourn and, above all, think.

English w/Spanish subtitles.

To learn more about this visonary revolutionary watch "Outlaw Comic:The Censoring of Bill Hicks" here in Films for Action.

www.americanthemovie.com
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