Cinemania

Cinemania is a fascinating 2002 documentary that showcases the zealous obsession of a particular set of film buffs. With Stephen Kijak and Angela Christlieb at the helm as the documentary's directors, the film delves into the lives of five personalities - Jack Angstreich, Eric Chadbourne, Bill Heidbreder, Roberta Hill, and Harvey Schwartz. Each of these subjects exhibit an intense, almost obsessive passion, bordering on addiction, for cinema.

The central focus of Cinemania presents a deconstruction of these characters' lives, which predominantly revolve around cinema, its history, expressions, legends, and in-depth analysis. The lives of the subjects, their associations with the world, and relationships are put under perspective, providing a deep understanding of their psyches.

The documentary, filmed on location within New York City, takes viewers on a ride through the concrete landscapes, movie theaters, archives, and the intricate urban matrix that the characters love and live in, a city that's home to some of the world's greatest cinema halls. It shows their everyday routines and how their lives are customized meticulously around their cinema schedules. Such is their cinema obsession that nearly everything else, including jobs, relationships, and personal health, gets pushed backs.

Jack Angstreich is perhaps the most notable among the subjects. He survives on the massive inheritance left by his late father, spending it primarily on films and film-related endeavors. Angstreich insists on a grueling movie screening schedule, sometimes watching up to five movies a day. Eric Chadbourne, another cinephile, shows a more casual, yet passionate approach to his love for cinema. Bill Heidbreder, on the other hand, offers a slightly adjusted shade of the obsession, focusing his attention on foreign films and art cinema. Roberta Hill is a retired administrative assistant who pursues cinema with a passion while maintaining a cleaner lifestyle and a stalker-like fascination for certain celebrities. Lastly, Harvey Schwartz, a former government employee, showcases a fascination for classics and an eye for detail, often disputing technical issues with projectionists.

Cinemania exploits the eccentricities and personal quirks of its subjects, balancing the strange spectacle they provide with a sympathetic view of their unusual lifestyles. The documentary wavers between providing an entertaining spectacle and exploring a psychological deep-dive into the subject's personality, where the obsession lies on the cusp of fandom and lunacy.

The visual style of the documentary adds to the narrative by combining observational footage of the characters with a montage of film extracts, highlighting the subjects' individual obsessions and habits. The pacing and editing serve to emphasize the extensive and comprehensive nature of their love for cinema.

Cinemania is an interesting exploration of fandom in its most intense forms and serves as a tribute to the power of cinema and its magnetic attraction for the devotees. Yet, it does not shirk from the vulnerabilities of its subjects, offering a humane view on the brittle nature of obsession.

Moreover, Cinemania sheds light on the significance of the film medium as an art form. It delves into topics such as the importance of preserving film print, the demise of traditional movie houses, film criticism, and the impact of home entertainment systems on cinema attendance. It takes viewers into the intricate realms of the cinematic universe, from the quirkiness of its obsessive fans to the importance of films as a cultural medium.

In a nutshell, Cinemania paints a complex canvas of intense movie fandom, highlighting its joys and the challenges it imposes on the cinephiles. The documentary stages an exciting battle between fantasy versus reality, love for art versus practical life, and individual pursuit versus societal norms. It's a must-watch film for those who are intrigued by the limitless passion and dedication towards cinema and want an intimate look into the lives of its most ardent devotees.