Del Close isn’t a name that many film fans will recognize. However, when you find out that he was the mentor of folks like Bill Murray, Chris Farley, Tina Fey, and many more, Del Close is someone you should probably learn about. Thankfully, there’s a new documentary, “For Madmen Only” that helps put the spotlight on this comedic legend.
As seen in this exclusive trailer for the new documentary, “For Madmen Only,” Del Close was a one-of-a-kind comedic visionary. His talents when it came to improv comedy led to the discovery of the aforementioned comedy stars, as well as folks like John Candy and Bob Odenkirk, just to name a couple. But like many geniuses, Del Close’s life was far from easy. And as seen in the documentary, a large part of his story was previously told in an autobiographical comic book series, “Wasteland,” that was released by DC Comics.
You can’t have a documentary about a hugely influential comedic legend without a laundry list of talented comedians offering up their stories. And “For Madmen Only” has that in spades. Joining the doc to talk about Del Close are folks such as Matt Walsh, James Urbaniak, Patton Oswalt, Jason Sudeikis, Lauren Lapkus, Bob Odenkirk, Tim Meadows, Jason Mantzoukas, Ike Barinholtz, Adam McKay, Lennon Parham, Paul Scheer, and more. “For Madmen Only” comes from director Heather Ross, who is probably best known for her acclaimed film, “Girls on the Wall,” which debuted in 2009.
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“For Madmen Only” was selected as part of the 2020 SXSW Film Festival. The documentary is now expected to arrive on Altavod and Apple TV on July 27. However, there will also be special screening events around the country, if you’re more interested in seeing it on the big screen.
Here’s the synopsis:
Comedy guru Del Close, mentor to everyone from Bill Murray to Tina Fey, sets out to write his autobiography for DC Comics. As he leads us through sewers, mental wards, and his peculiar talent for making everyone famous but himself, Close emerges as a personification of the creative impulse itself. He’s a muse with BO and dirty needles, offering transcendence despite (or because of) the trail of wreckage behind him.
