Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		3.5
Overall		4.0

For Madmen Only Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf October 26, 2021

Director Heather Ross is trying find a way to make Del Close known to those outside the comedy world. She’s upfront about her mission with the documentary “For Madmen Only,” suggesting that anyone outside of comedy nerds probably doesn’t have a clue who this man is, or understands his contribution to the funny business as we know it (and sometimes loathe it) today. Close is the father of modern improvision, with his “Harold” technique managing to break through and influence generations of comedians, with many of these people now in command of Hollywood entertainment. However, Close was no cheery individual proudly fashioning a new way of long-form improvisation. He was a man with dark sides to him, wrestling with mental illness as he attempted to “follow the fear,” giving his sense of humor and stage exploration an atypical level of creative achievement. “For Madmen Only” attempts to understand Close as he was, studying his behavior and the rise of his career, eventually reaching a deity-like space in the comedy world.

“For Madmen Only” details Close’s early years, with Ross using audio recordings as a guide to help secure the subject’s POV for the documentary. She also employs dramatic recreations of the brainstorming period surrounding “Wasteland,” a comic book that used Close’s stories to inspire a different way of storytelling in the format. “For Madmen Only” follows a traditional arc of biographical information, tracking Close’s introduction to improv and his time with The Second City, finally getting a chance to make his vision for “Harold” a reality after striking out on his own. It’s an interesting tale of wild personality traits, untruthfulness, and profound psychological issues, which made Close ripple with inspiration, but also put him on troubling paths of drug addiction and personal confrontations, complicating his journey to a place of improvisational nirvana.

For Madmen Only Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (1.78:1 aspect ratio) presentation preserves the low-budget documentary appearance of "For Madmen Only," which features interviews collected in a variety of environments, with different cameras, and uses a lot of film and video footage of Del Close in action. Dramatic recreations run very soft to sell the age of such events, but interviewees come across a bit sharper, along with location tours and interiors. Colors are basic, doing well with signage and primaries on clothing. Skintones are natural. Delineation is satisfactory. Some mild banding is detected.

For Madmen Only Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 5.1 DTS-HD MA mix delivers crisp interview footage from a wide range of personalities, preserving comedic and emotional emphasis. Music is active, with a heavy presence in the surrounds, and instrumentation is sharp. Low-end isn't challenged.

For Madmen Only Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Commentary features director Heather Ross and Matt Belknap.

• Deleted Scenes and Outtakes (HD) include "A Visit from L. Ron" (3:39), "Career Advice from Lash LaRue" (1:15), "Between Takes with Josh Fadem" (1:20), "Del's Horrible Apartment" (3:40), "Adam McKay: Improv is Basketball" (1:35), "Mantzoukas and Barinholtz Take Del on the Road" (1:49), "Jason Mantzoukas: Improv Onstage vs. T.V." (2:45), "Jason Sudeikis on Kansas" (:49), "Jason Sudeikis: Insanity & Comedy" (1:18), and "Tim Meadows Punks Del" (1:17).

• And a Trailer (2:31, HD) is included.

For Madmen Only Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Interviewees include Tim Meadows, Bob Odenkirk (who interviewed Close as a young man looking for a start in the industry), Adam McKay, George Wendt, and Dave Thomas, and those more intimate with Close provide a slightly deeper understanding of his personality, which included a lot of energy and some untrustworthiness. Close was a complex man working to make his dream of long-form improvisation a reality, becoming a cult-like leader in the process, and "For Madmen Only" does a fine job delivering a portrait of a career that came out of nowhere, for a guy who reveled in small blasts of anarchy. It's debatable if "For Madmen Only" is of interest to anyone beyond the comedy subculture, but Ross communicates the ups and down of Close's existence in a tidy way, making sure a celebration of the subject's influence is reinforced throughout the viewing experience.