MovieChat Forums > How the Grinch Stole Christmas! (1966) Discussion > Phil Hartman

Phil Hartman

posted 16 years ago by FredGailey
2 replies | jump to latest

I know I'm probably going to get bashed for not recognizing Phil Hartman's comic genious, but does he wreck the making of documentary for anyone else? His constant mugging for the camera and grating voice annoys the heck out of me. I get that its a part of his shtick and all but couldn't he tone down his oppressive persona this one time? I usually love making of documentaries as I appreciate all the work that goes into a film or production and like hearing the technical aspects of it but this is one making of doc I skip.
Faith is believing in things when common sense tells you not to.

[–] raspail 14 years ago

Yes, I know this post is a year and a half old. Don't care. I thought Phil Hartman was great and a very funny man. Still, I think the director of the making of doc should have asked him to tone it down quite a bit. I was interested in the behind the scenes aspect of the doc, but Mr. Hartman's shtick is very over the top and kind of ruins the experience for me.

"Spock is the shiz-nit!"

[–] Marmadukebagelhole 13 years ago

I watched this last night and I agree. It could have been thinned out a bit. Phil's schtick was funny but not all the time. If it had been used sparingly it might have had better impact.

Similar problem with Charles whatshisname in the Roger Rabbit DVD documentary. It's so distracting that it's hard to take it at all seriously and the doc just passed me by.

I can understand that maybe they anticpated kids wanting to watch the documentary and thought that they needed the max amount of zaniness to keep the little ones interested. Instead I think it just turns off the adults.