The Mindscape of Alan Moore

In director DeZ Vylenz's 2003 documentary profile The Mindscape of Alan Moore, the titular comic book writer serves as sole interviewee. Gazing through a curtain of hair and clad in ornate rings, the British author looks like a character from a J.R.R. Tolkien novel. Describing his childhood in Northampton, Moore states, “I found myself surrounded by a monochrome world with limited opportunities.” About the superhero comics of his youth, he deadpans, “They were almost like rickets; they were just something you had.” Moore discusses various philosophies (intertwining science, spirituality, and society) and notions (he prefers the working-class term “comic book” to “graphic novel” and “pornography” to “erotica”), as well as his major works (Watchmen, V for Vendetta, etc.), while Vylenz provides illustrative background through comic book panels, dramatic reenactments, abstract imagery, and scenes of contemporary England. DVD extras on this double-disc set include Vylenz's commentary, a “making-of” featurette, and a slew of interviews with the crew and several of Moore's collaborators. Recommended. Aud: C, P. (K. Fennessy)