Crazy Love
(2007/Magnolia)
Picture:
C+ Sound: C+ Extras: C Documentary: C
Linda
Pugash had the lover from hell in Burt Pugash, who was so obsessed with her
that he eventually threw acid in her face when he thought he was losing her to
another man. The sick, dysfunctional,
sad, ugly rollercoaster ride is awful and that it became early tabloid fodder
speaks volumes of yellow journalism.
Writer/director Dan Klores tells their story in his new documentary Crazy Love (2007) bout the rise and fall
of this messy affair.
Unfortunately,
not only does it offer zero insight into these people other than showing them
as two-dimensional, it uses editing, dark humor, classic hit songs and a style
that apes Martin Scorsese Gangster films throughout to tell the story in a way
that makes it a celebrated ugliness and a cartoon. The result is a long, often obnoxious 92
minutes that goes on and on, turning serious problems into one extended joke. Wallowing in events is not good journalism
and does not make a good documentary either.
The result is a curio at best you will get quickly bored with, unless
you like to wallow too.
The
anamorphically enhanced 1.78 X 1 image is mixed with old and new footage,
originating on digital video of some kind, but likely not HD. The Dolby Digital 5.1` and 2.0 Stereo mixes
are as well-recorded as expected, but surrounds are limited to music and
interviews can have audio flaws. Extras include
Linda’s Art Gallery, deleted
interviews, prison letters to Linda and co-director audio commentary.
- Nicholas Sheffo
