THE KING OF COOL@TIFF BELL LIGHTBOX-Tues., Nov.30th, 2021

Posted by BK on December 5, 2021 in Arts, documentary, Events, film, Movie Preview, Music Reviews, premiere, Reviews, Showcase | Leave a comment

Who is really The “King of Cool?” Steve McQueen or Dean Martin? In this documentary, it declares Dean Martin. “King of Cool dives deep into Martin’s life through never-before-seen archival footage including his time with Jerry Lewis, his movies, his TV Variety Show and Roasts. Interviews with friends, family and primarily one of his daughters-Deana Martin, and admirers give an intimate and personal account of his life, and the film tries to understand why Martin was so private.
Director Tom Donahue and his team have gathered a remarkable group of interviewees who give real insight into the man. Among them are various smart takes on Martin from the likes of Bob Newhart, Alec Baldwin, Angie Dickinson, Norman Lear, the late Florence Henderson, Carol Burnett, Peter Bogdanovich and so many more including authors, relatives, and historians like Jeanine Basinger. Jon Hamm and RZA(Wu-Tang Clan) are effectively weaved in and out, adding intriguing insight as well. What we learn for certain is he was a true family man, he loved to play golf, but ultimately he kept his true thoughts to himself. Yet there is so much more, all the way up to touching stories of the personal tragedies that so affected his later years. This documentary will be a must for the legions of Martin fans and ”Rat Pack”fans still out there. One detail that wasn’t mentioned was the “Matt Helm” franchise, but with a great career, somethings were omitted. Just in time for the festive season to listen to his Christmas album and watch his Holiday Specials from his TV days.