There was a time in my life when I read so much science fiction. I approached it from a childish perspective. But I got to ingest some of the most creative writing I've had the joy to encounter. I knew from age 18, Harlan Ellison was the bad boy, the one knocking on the door of the inappropriate. He was often hard to read, but it was a kick in the pants to get through his works (sometimes after a second reading). This wonderful documentary gives us the man from every angle, and as acerbic as he is, I couldn't take my eyes off him. He sees the real world and confronts it. He points out that life is one battle after another. Rage against it. Don't listen to doubters and whiners. I don't read much science fiction any more because my meager knowledge of science makes it beyond my abilities. So be it. But Ellison gave me a gift a long time ago and it was nice to be reminded of that gift one more time.

Rule #1 when making a documentary is to have an engaging subject. And few out there are more interesting than Harlan Ellison. Ellison is one of the most provocative, caustic, and opinionated voices in American history. He is also one of the most prolific writers of science fiction ever published. If you've never read his work, then chances are you've heard one of his vitriolic rants. Ellison is certainly not one to suffer fools gladly. And you certainly don't cross the man. Naturally, much of the humor of the documentary is derived from the cantankerousness of Ellison, himself (and there's plenty of amusement).

But there are unexpected moments of poignancy, as well. Ellison shows emotion while regaling the audience with tales of his growing up in Cleveland, Ohio (a frequent target for bullying). And even a bit of longing for his deceased parents. These moments (though brief) shed some humanity on Ellison the Personality.

Dreams with Sharp Teeth is a solid documentary, filled with infectious energy and sharp wit. The film pulls no punches in its portrayal of this in-your-face writer, and never fails to entertain.

I had the privilege of watching this with two other people who saw Harlan Ellison with me at a now legendary appearance in the late 80's in Toronto, and we kept looking at each other and snickering. But even if you never saw him live, read any of his work, or had any familiarity with him at all, you can appreciate this documentary as being about a man WORTHY of a documentary. He's just that bloody entertaining.

The soundtrack - by Richard Thompson, the legendary Brit folkie - is amazing, by the way.

Some of the camera work is really amateurish, but most of the straight interview footage is well shot. The camera work and the parts that got left out of Ellison's bio - probably in deference to his storied litigiousness - are what knocked this down to 8 out of 10.

His initial 'interview' with Robin Williams is worth watching even if you can't spend the time on the rest of the movie. Within minutes we were all helplessly laughing.

If you're at all interested in SF, either literary or media, movies, have a love affair with the English language or just want to see what it's like to be a legendary, visionary, prolific, brilliant and uncompromising pain in the rear, see this film. I intend to watch it again as some of the dialogue went by so fast I missed it, and it was really, really funny.