Dear Mr. Watterson: A Brief Documentary Review

I just finished watching a documentary entitled Dear Mr. Watterson, a Kickstarter-funded film from 2013 about the classic comic strip Calvin & Hobbes. It covers the history of the strip, interviews with fans and cartoonists on its influence, some discussion of Watterson's notorious reclusiveness and opposition to merchandising, and a glimpse into how his hometown was incorporated into his art. The production quality overall is good, and while I in my infinite wisdom as not-a-film-person (It's easy to criticize stuff, y'know) would have cut and shot things differently, it was overall better than most such films I have seen.

I think I learned to read because I wanted to know what that yellow-haired kid and his tiger were doing in the Sunday funnies. There are plenty of funny comics, but this one certainly set a standard few have even approached in its blend of art and dialogue. I have several Calvin & Hobbes collections in my bookcase, and I will probably revisit them when I am done writing this post. If you have not read the comics, I definitely encourage you to do the same. If you don't have books on hand, you can read it online here.

Meanwhile, if you have about 90 minutes to spare, and you're in the mood for a somewhat self-indulgent light-hearted documentary made by a fan for fans, check out Dear Mr. Watterson.

Image credit: Rotten Tomatoes