by Patrice Downing, Contributing Writer
Most people, when asked, would describe Martin Mull as an actor, comedian, or musician; he, however, would have preferred to be known primarily as an artist. One of Netflix’s latest comedian-focused documentaries, Who Is Martin Mull? explores this facet of Mull’s life and can best be summed up in the words of Penn Jillette: “You’re talking about someone who was a world-class comedian, and that’s not what he did best.”
Like most biographical portraits, Who Is Martin Mull? is loaded with celebrity interviews, footage of live performances, television appearances, and movie clips. What sets this compilation apart is that it was a passion project of one of Mull’s close friends and superfan Bob Saget. Unfortunately, Mull and Saget are not the only comedy legends interviewed who have sadly passed away throughout the eight-year journey to complete this film; Fernwood 2 Night creator Norman Lear and Mull’s comedic partner on that show, Fred Willard, also passed during production. Having lost so many of those featured creates a poignant tone I hadn’t expected as I watched and learned about the renaissance man of comedy.
Before watching this film, I had a passing familiarity with Mull’s comedic musical stylings from watching compilations of his television and live performances over the years, but I never realized the clips I’d seen of him painting were legitimate artistic endeavors. If there is one thing you should focus on throughout this documentary, it is the creative visual works of a gifted artist who also happens to be a pretty funny guy. Mull’s career trajectory shifted time and time again, yet his focus on painting never wavered. He repeatedly mentions how touring, tv gigs, and acting were always just a means to an end, enabling him to indulge in his passion for painting while providing for his family. Much like Mull’s comedy, the paintings themselves continued to evolve over the decades as well. In the ‘70s when Mull was breaking into show business due to the popularity of his parody songs “A Girl Named Johnny Cash” and “Dueling Tubas”, his visual works were focusing heavily on Pop Art stylings- conceptual satires that morphed over the decade into incredible photorealistic pieces that are deceptively lifelike. His ability to capture light, shadow, and reflection is easily overlooked when focusing on the humor of the pieces. In the years that followed (‘80s/’90s), as his comedic work transitioned to television and film, his artistic ones became more layered. Mull began placing photorealistic subjects on top of dripping and washed backgrounds giving his paintings a look similar to a collage. It wasn’t until the later part of his career that Mull began to be respected as a legitimate artist. Thanks to the support of friend and art enthusiast Steve Martin, Mull was able to realize his dream of having his own art installation at the Whitney Museum of American Art. His Suburban Gothic pieces are a mix of Americana and melancholy, blending nostalgia and the unexpected and highlighting his growth as an artist.
Who Is Martin Mull? goes far beyond the usual timeline of childhood to career highlights, giving an in-depth look into a complex individual’s struggles, desires, creativity, and passion. I can honestly say I learned more about Martin Mull as an actual human being than I am accustomed to watching biographical films. Whether you know him best for his music, parody, film, or TV; hopefully you will walk away from this documentary appreciating Martin Mull for his preferred occupation: Artist.
Rating: Loved It
Who is Martin Mull? is currently streaming on Netflix.
You can read more from Patrice Downing, and follow her on Serializd and Letterboxd