Bill Hicks

Legendary Texan outlaw comic Bill Hicks was and still is an inspiration to millions. A true product of the American dream, his rebellious and exhilarating comedy left no stone unturned and his profound observations on American life were a life changing experience for many who saw him. The story of a son, a brother and a friend, this funny and critically acclaimed film is told 'in the round' by the family and peers who knew Hicks best. With captivating photographs animating the scenes of his rollercoaster life - from precocious teenager, through the dark years of addiction to his spectacular recovery, Hicks found international fame before his life was tragically cut short by cancer at the age of just 32. With rare unseen footage, this intimate and emotional portrait is both a revelation for fans and the perfect introduction for newcomers, to an iconic comedy hero whose timeless material seems to resonate stronger by the year.

15 years after his death, Bill Hicks is now more popular than ever, and is widely seen as one of the best comedian of the modern era.

A look behind Bill Hicks' 'consciousness raising' comedy.

15 years after his death, Bill Hicks is now more popular than ever, and is widely seen as one of the best comedian of the modern era.

Comedy's Dirtiest Dozen movie trailer - starring Chris Rock, Tim Allen, Jackie Martling, Bill Hicks, John Fox, Joey Gayno. Directed by Lenny Wong. Genre: Comedy Rating: Not Rated

David Johndrow, as featured in the new documentary American: The Bill Hicks Story. In this unseen footage, David talks about how Bill inspired his friends. Bills friend and photographer, David first connected with Bill aged 16 over their shared religious background, and spent much time exploring the spiritual side of life. Davids intimate, iconic images of Bill record both of their development as artists.

Three years in the making, American: The Bill Hicks Story brings the tale of one of modern culture s most iconic heroes to the big screen. Much more than a comedian, Bill Hicks was and still is an inspiration to millions. His timeless comedy tackled the contradictions of America and modern life head on. But his unique gift was to tease apart the essence of religion, the dangers of unbridled government power and the double standards inherent in much of modern society, using nothing but his hilarious ideas and the uncompromising observational style that continues to resonate with successive generations. Like many who have a strong sense of their place in history, Hicks left a large unseen legacy; his collection of video recordings and hundreds of photographs and these became the starting point for this feature-length animated documentary.

American: The Bill Hicks Story -- Clip: Good Buzz

The trailer for American: The Bill Hicks Story which will make its Canadian Premiere at the 2010 Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival. Bill Hicks never got the recognition he deserved in America. With his raunchy yet relevant attacks on the contradictory American way of life, Hicks was an agitator and individuality hasn t always been in style. Filmmakers Matt Harlock and Paul Thomas have deftly selected the most groundbreaking moments of this influential comedian s career and offer insight into his personal challenges on the rocky road to fame. The resulting portrait is one of an evolving performer who despised apathy and believed he could change the world by making fun of it. Fans will be thrilled to see old performances given new context, and those unfamiliar with his talent will be quickly won over.

Dwight Slade, as featured in the new documentary American: The Bill Hicks Story. Dwight was Bill's first comedy partner. They started performing together in the 8th grade, and made their 'professional debut' at the Comix Annex in Houston Texas in 1976 - aged just 15 years old.

American: The Bill Hicks Story -- Photo-animated feature documentary, uniquely narrated by the 10 people who knew Bill Hicks best.

Beheading Buddha -- Beheading Buddha is about a mysterious aristocrat who sails around the world for seven years on a private yacht looking for the meaning of life and spiritual enlightenment. When he finds it, he decides to return and perform a provocative, unconventional one-man show to share his insight. The film cuts between the one-man show, which was filmed before a live audience, and scenes of the man at sea, planning his return. This makes for a very original, experimental film, which is a hybrid between a quasi comedic performance - filmed live - and a narrative fictional feature film. A new kind of film for a thinking audience. It's Bill Hicks-meets-Stanley Kubrick with a whole lot of Carl Jung thrown in. Who can face their Shadow?