William Kunstler: Disturbing the Universe

Filmmakers Emily and Sarah Kunstler here chronicle the life of their celebrated father, high-profile civil rights attorney William Kunstler (1919-95). A self-professed radical liberal, Kunstler was not shy about taking on controversial cases, including the defense of the “Chicago Eight” antiwar protestors in the late 1960s and Sheikh Omar Abdel-Rahman following the 1993 bombing of the World Trade Center. Kunstler's willingness to be at the forefront of divisive cases (such as representing the young black men accused of raping a white jogger in Central Park in 1989) made him a hot-button figure in legal circles and with the general public, while his irascible personality rarely won him friends among centrists. Unfortunately, aside from the surprising tidbit that one of Kunstler's earliest jobs was preparing a last will and testament for the notorious Sen. Joseph McCarthy, viewers will gain little understanding of the reasons behind the man's left-wing philosophical leanings or his mania for the spotlight, despite the observations of a number of allies and colleagues, including Alan Dershowitz, Harry Belafonte, Phil Donahue, and Tom Hayden. Oddly, the DVD extras actually sketch a fuller portrait of the subject, featuring home movie clips, audio files from courtroom settings, excerpts from interviews and speeches, footage of Kunstler's role in the trials following the Attica prison uprising in New York State, plus his surprising visit to Caroline's Comedy Club. Optional. Aud: C, P. (P. Hall)