AMERICAN: THE BILL HICKS STORY

Year: 2009
USA: Variance Films
UK: Verve Pictures
Cast: Bill Hicks, Steve Hicks, Mary Hicks, Lynn Hicks, Kevin Booth, John Farneti, Andy Huggins, David Johndrow, James Ladmirault, Dwight Slade
Directors: Matt Harlock, Paul Thomas
Country: UK
USA: 102 mins
UK: 100 mins
UK Certificate: 15 contains strong language, sex and drug references
USA Release Date: 8 April 2011 (Limited Release)
UK Release Date: 14 May 2010 (Limited Release)

Synopsis

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, in the style of THE KID STAYS IN THE PICTURE, using animated archive images to provide the visual backdrop for interviews with those who knew him best, his family and close friends. By pushing documentary storytelling in a new direction, AMERICAN: THE BILL HICKS STORY boldly recreates the key unseen scenes of Bill's life and, for the first time fully reveal the worlds that shaped his character and his comedy.

15 years after his death, Bill Hicks' popularity continues to grow. Regularly appearing on best of lists, and with tributes held yearly around the world, his CD sales increase each year as more and more people discover the words of the outlaw comic who tried to save the world. He still might.