Freaky social misfits, or a portrait of those who truly appreciate the value of the cinematic experience? These are questions that are thankfully NOT addressed in the wholly entertaining documentary, Cinemania. I was thrilled to discover that Wellspring had released the documentary Cinemania on DVD after missing the chance to see it at last years Philly Film Festival. I'm happy to confirm without reservation that it was worth the wait...and then some.

Cinemania follows the lives of 5 New Yorkers who redefine the notion of "living for film." These people live for the cinematic experience in ways that you probably never even dreamt humanly possible. I fancy myself a film buff, and if asked, I may even admit to the fact that I consider myself a film fanatic - but not so much anymore. My love of film (or dedication for that matter) is really nothing compared to that of those featured in this film.

Cinemania follows the lives of these 5 film lovers (overachievers?) as they spend every waking minute of their lives breathing, eating and sleeping film. Not a one of them works, except for the ocassional part time job. Their sources of income vary, from unemployment and disability to an inheritance. Carefully mapping out their viewing schedules, they can see anywhere from 2 to 6 films a day, sometimes racing from venue to venue leaving little to no time for eating, or even as much as a bathroom break. This is what they do.

Now, I can relate to these interesting folks - to an extent. Obviously I watch a lot of movies myself, especially during film festival time. Last year alone, we saw about 20 films at the Philly Film Fest in less than 10 days. There were some days when we would see three films back-to-back after an 8-hour day of work. We'd have to hop the subway or take a cab with very little time to spare between screenings and we of course, had meticulously mapped out our movie going schedule weeks prior. I was literally exhausted by the end of the film festival run and as much as I love film, I can't even imagine making a lifestyle out of it myself. At one point, one of our subjects in the film makes reference to having seen 1000 movies in one month - yikes!

Thankfully, Cinemania does not judge those on display. Instead, we're offered an objective look into the lives of these cinefiles, almost being offered an opportunity to see life from their side of the fence. While labels are hard to escape, it's not only those on the outside looking in whom may be ready to judge. Those directly involved express some bizarre thoughts about themselves and the lifestyle that they lead. Quotes like:

- "Better than sex, better than love. "
- "I don't go to weddings, funerals or visit people in the hospital if I have a screening."
- "Film is a substitute for life, film is living."
- "Film buffs do not socialize."

The fact that the subjects here are not judged is the real appeal. No doubt that they are easy targets and the filmmakers could have hit it to them pretty hard. While they may come across as a bit eccentric or odd (the term "normal" and its true meaning is of course, brought up more than once here) - they are still likeable characters (to an extent) and their passion for film, outweighs their "odd" lifestyles...without doubt.

Quality wise, this shot on digital video feature fares quite well. The non-anamorphic image looks great, my only complaint is that the color contrast was set a bit high, a problem that can be easily fixed with a few minor adjustments to your TV. There are also a couple of scenes that remain dark, because they were shot in low-light situations, ie: a movie theater before showtime or a dimly lit restaurant, definitely forgivable. The surround audio is simple, but effective. Surrounds are hardly noticeable. Dialogue remains quite clear with no evidence of distortion or annoying background noise.

Extras include about 45-minutes worth of deleted scenes (there is a play-all feature, you can watch them in two 20-minute segments) a trailer, and a few BIOS. It would have been simply fascinating to include an audio commentary, with the "cinemaniacs," alas, it was not meant to be (there is however, footage of them watching the finished film which is quite priceless - to say the least). Also worth mentioning is the fact that all of the deleted scenes are worth a view (how often does that happen?), easily as entertaining as the feature itself. I could have watched these folks for another 10-hours (at least) if given the chance. Cinemania comes highly recommended.