Robert Crumb is a legend, a weirdo, a genius, a creep, and a comic book god—and this documentary is all of that, plus a shocking deep-dive into the Crumb family’s radioactive history.
You’ll laugh, you’ll cringe, you’ll Google “Crumb brothers,” and then wish you hadn’t.
Trailer for “Crumb”
You Can’t Make This Sh!t Up
- Charles, Robert’s older brother and early mentor, lives alone in their old house, surrounded by drawings he stopped making long ago. He talks about wanting to die—and he took his own life soon after filming.
- Maxon, the youngest brother, lives in a rundown hotel. He sits on nails to meditate, eats only beans, begs for cash, and says he gets seizures when he feels aroused.
- One sister refused to be in the movie unless Robert paid her thousands of dollars for his “crimes against women.” He said no, and she stayed out—showing how broken the family really is.
Watch “Crumb”
You can watch “Crumb” on Amazon, Apple TV, and Fandango.
Ratings:
- My Rating: 90/100
- IMDB Rating: 8.0/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Ratings: 89/100 (Users); 95/100 (Critics)
Director’s Note
Terry Zwigoff spent over nine years making this film. He was a broke jazz collector and Crumb’s longtime friend. He considered ending his own life while editing. The final product? A raw, unnerving masterpiece that Roger Ebert called one of the best of the ‘90s. Terry also directed the documentary “Louie Bluie” about Howard “Louie Bluie” Armstrong, member of the last known black string band in America.
Release Date: April 28, 1995 (limited theatrical release)
My Review of “Crumb”
The Setup
This is not just a doc about the guy who drew “Keep on Truckin’.” It’s a full biopsy of his brain, his family, and his very disturbing relationship to art, women, sex, and the world at large. The doc starts as a celebration of a counterculture icon and slowly turns into something much darker—especially once we meet his family.
We follow Crumb in cafes and galleries, watching him sketch strangers and complain about modern life. He rants about how consumer culture has “turned America into an imbecilic wasteland.” Meanwhile, his wife Aline (a comics artist herself) and daughter Sophie prep for a move to France, where Crumb is literally trading his sketchbooks for a house.
More Highlights from the Doc
- Crumb gives a speech at an art school and opens by mocking his own fame—listing “Keep on Truckin’,” the “Cheap Thrills” album cover for Janis Joplin, and “Fritz the Cat” as the only things people know him for.
- Several interviewees—including feminist comics pioneer Trina Robbins and critic Deirdre English—call out Crumb’s disturbing depictions of women and racial caricatures. Crumb doesn’t defend himself; he just shrugs and says, “I draw what’s in me.”
- Don Donahue, Spain Rodriguez, and other underground comics legends appear to talk about Crumb’s place in the 1960s comix revolution—but none of them deny that the guy is weird. Brilliant? Yes. Problematic? Oh yeah.
- Throughout the film, we get uncomfortable glimpses of Crumb’s sadomasochistic leanings, including drawings of extremely exaggerated women, many based on ex-girlfriends and even his wife.
Lesser-Known Details from the Doc
- Crumb’s obsession with 1920s and ‘30s blues records is so intense, he carries a portable gramophone to swap shellac 78s with fellow collectors.
- Robert’s teenage years were spent drawing with Charles, who was more talented early on—until his mental health collapsed. The doc shows Charles’s childhood drawings: intricate, claustrophobic, and terrifying.
- Crumb says he was so alienated as a teen that he once fantasized about having a head injury so people would feel sorry for him.
- Maxon spends much of the film seated on a bed, speaking in a trance-like whisper, describing how he fasts to achieve spiritual “emptiness.” It’s hard to look away, but even harder to understand.
Wrap Up:
If you want a feel-good portrait of a misunderstood genius, this ain’t it. But if you want the most painfully honest documentary about art, family trauma, and the twisted origins of creativity, “Crumb” is a good watch.
Thanks for reading!
Heather Fenty, Guest Writer, Daily Doc