Dreams with Sharp Teeth (2008)

Dreams with Sharp Teeth: Directed by Erik Nelson. With Harlan Ellison, Robin Williams, Neil Gaiman, Edie Adams. A documentary on speculative fiction writer and essayist Harlan Ellison.

“If you are, or ever have been, an avid reader of fiction, especially the SF/Fantasy genre, you can probably recall at least one author whose work was so vivid, potent and visceral, it changed the way you looked at everything – not just reading, or writing, but your entire world view – for the rest of your life. I recall that very moment well: I wasnu0026#39;t even into my teens yet, when I picked up a copy of DEATHBIRD STORIES and read u0026quot;The Whimper Of Whipped Dogs.u0026quot; Whatever sense of true naiveté I had gasped its last breath that day, when I read the last page of that story.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eNot necessarily a bad thing, either. So when I heard about this documentary all these years later, I had to know if the man responsible for that story and that book, was every bit as cynical, angry, vitriolic, nihilistic and insanely brilliant as the reputation that preceded him. I can now verify: he is that and so, so much more.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003ePerhaps itu0026#39;s most telling that at the opening of DREAMS WITH SHARP TEETH, we are introduced to Harlan through the eyes, perception and quicksilver wit of one of the authoru0026#39;s closest, long-time friends: Robin Williams. Harlan is at his calmest (if the word can be applied to him) and most amiable when he is in the company of like-minded, intelligent and especially famous people, many of whom chime in here to help tell his story: Neil Gaiman, Ron Moore, Dan Simmons and his own fifth wife, Susan among them (and she gets not nearly enough screen time, moreu0026#39;s the pity.)u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThrough rare home movie footage, recited excerpts of his work, various rants, tirades, anecdotes and reveries, we get a sense of who the man is apart from the author, and itu0026#39;s certainly a complex, perplexing, funny and often times very sad picture. For long-time fans, it will be a validation of everything youu0026#39;ve heard over these many years since he began writing pulp paperbacks under a pseudonym barely out of his teens. u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eIf youu0026#39;re not a fan or havenu0026#39;t read a single thing by him, I would suggest you pick up an anthology like DANGEROUS VISIONS or even just a story or two if possible. That way, heu0026#39;ll look a lot less like just one more short, angry old man screaming u0026quot;YOU KIDS GET THE F*** OFF MY LAWN!!!u0026quot;”