Z Channel: A Magnificent Obsession

Movie buffs who lived in the Los Angeles area any time from the mid-‘70s through the mid-‘80s will remember the Z Channel, surely one of the most unusual, even daring, ventures in pay TV history. Beginning in ‘74, this single channel, driven by chief programmer Jerry Harvey (himself a serious film freak, to say the least—the wedding vows for his first marriage consisted solely of movie dialogue), offered more quality and variety than all of the HBOs and Showtimes of the world combined. “Eclectic” barely begins to cover it; the Z Channel aired the hits, but Harvey's real devotion was to directors such as Akira Kurosawa, Federico Fellini, Sergio Leone, Michelangelo Antonioni, Robert Altman, and others whose movies were too long, too arty and obscure, or, on occasion, simply too good to make a serious dent at the box office. Director Xan (daughter of actor John) Cassavetes' Z Channel: A Magnificent Obsession shows us how Harvey championed titles like Michael Cimino's Heaven's Gate (hey, no one ever said his taste was perfect), Leone's Once Upon a Time in America, and Oliver Stone's Salvador (James Woods, who earned an Oscar nomination for his starring role, essentially credits Harvey for jump-starting the actor's career). Showing the uncut versions (thus heralding the “director's cut” phenomenon now common on DVD releases), Harvey earned the respect of many filmmakers, some of whom (including Quentin Tarantino, Jim Jarmusch, Alexander Payne, and Altman) are on-hand here to sing his praises. But let's face it: Harvey was little more than a film nut; had he not murdered his second wife and then shot himself in 1988, this documentary might not even have been made. In fact, by far the most interesting parts of Z Channel are the clips from the movies it showed. A strong optional purchase. (S. Graham)