Atlantic City (French: Atlantic City, USA) is a 1980 romantic crime film directed by Louis Malle and starring Burt Lancaster, Susan Sarandon, Kate Reid, Robert Joy, Hollis McLaren, Michel Piccoli, and Al Waxman.A Canadian-French co-production filmed in late 1979, it was released in France and Germany in September 1980 and in the United States later that year by Paramount Pictures. ABOUT A BOY. The narrative flashes back to 1962. It neither embarrasses nor condescends. The script was written before the September 11 attacks, was cast right afterward, and shot in about a month in the fall of 2001. A montage of classic Pekar quotidian moments culminates with Harvey proudly showing off American Splendor #1 to his VA co-workers. The film opens in the year 1950. ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE. All material Copyright © 2021 The Worldwide Guide To Movie Locations But his ascendancy is complicated by Joyce's emotional struggles. Toby talks to Harvey about White Castle burgers and Revenge of the nerds. The first issue was published in 1976 and the most recent in September 2008, with publication occurring at irregular intervals. The structure came out of that very naturally. Harvey's treatment is traumatic and tumultuous. A.W.O.L. An incident at the supermarket revives him, as his animated subconscious goads him: "Are you going to stand there in silence, or are you going to make a mark?" That was a case where we were still using our documentary instincts and had to figure out a way to include him in it that was a natural fit for the material. Directed by Shari Springer Berman, Robert Pulcini. Once we spent some time with both of them, we were like, 'Oh my God, we have to put them in the movie!' Joyce suggest he make a comic book of the whole thing, but Harvey just wants to die. The entire film employs Cleveland as its backdrop. Boats (Earl Billings) comes by to offer advice: the words of an Elinor Wylie poem. Joyce is still away on her mission, and a scared and bitter Harvey makes another appearance on the Letterman show. They adopt Danielle, and Harvey adjusts to being a parent. Toby talks to Harvey about White Castle burgers and Revenge of the nerds. Joyce travels to Cleveland to meet Harvey in person. Life and career. The scene shifts to an adult Harvey (Paul Giamatti), walking the gritty Cleveland streets. Although the Pekars lived in Cleveland Heights, to the east of Cleveland itself, the movie was filmed mainly around the suburb of Lakewood, to the west. Comic book. Columnist Jaime Wolf wrote a laudatory review of the film in Slate, also drawing attention to formal parallels with Woody Allen's Annie Hall and his other films. Here’s some good news: Many famous movie locations are real and you can visit them. The American Pickers are returning to Illinois. With Paul Giamatti, Shari Springer Berman, Harvey Pekar, Chris Ambrose. It's one week later, and Harvey sees his VA colleague Toby Radloff (Judah Friedlander) sitting in his car eating White Castle sliders. The following songs are also played — in whole, or in part — during the film: On review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film currently has a 94% 'Fresh' approval rating based on 186 critic reviews, with an average rating of 8.3/10. Fred brings along his daughter Danielle on their first brainstorming session, and Joyce is smitten with the girl. Music played in the film mostly reflects Pekar's affection for avant-garde jazz and American music from the 1920s and 1930s. Published: 8 Jan 2004 . His marriage over, Harvey is lonely and frustrated — he wants to leave a mark on the world. It wasn’t something that we labored over. Harvey is declared cancer-free. Hope and Glory is a 1987 British comedy-drama-war film, written, produced and directed by John Boorman and based on his own experiences of growing up in the Blitz in London during the Second World War. Toggle navigation. This 320 page collection was issued on the heels of the film "American Splendor," and it includes material previously published in the first two collecte For over 25 years he's been writing comic books about his life, chronicling the ordinary and everyday in stories both funny and moving. Filmed in Ohio: 18 movie locations you can visit, from Cleveland to Mansfield to Cincinnati (photos) Updated May 19, 2019; Posted Mar 02, 2018 By Susan Glaser, cleveland.com "[13], Roger Ebert awarded the film four stars out of four in his review, calling it a "magnificently audacious movie, in which fact and fiction sometimes coexist in the same frame." All the titles will eventually have full entries, so check back often. Harvey runs into Alice Quinn (Maggie Moore), a woman he briefly knew in college. It was filmed entirely on location in Cleveland and Lakewood in Ohio.[4]. Returning to 1975, a now famous Crumb is back in Cleveland for a visit. Though he don't look nothing like me, but whatever." In the 2003 film American Splendor, the adaptation of Pekar's work, Radloff is played by Judah Friedlander, and also appears as himself in the documentary sections of the film. Then we meet the real Harvey Pekar in a faux behind-the-scenes documentary setup. A PROPOS DE NICE. A couple of miles to the east, Harvey – naturally – doesn't join in when Joyce skates with their adopted daughter Danielle at the open-air Cleveland Halloran Ice Rink, 3550 West 117th Street (though you’ll find the entrance on Linnet Avenue). He remarked "the casting of Giamatti and Davis is perfect", writing that they "mastered not only the looks but the feels and even the souls of these two people", as well as praising Friedlander's performance. ", "Harvey, Meet Woody: American Splendor vs. Annie Hall", "ODD NEWS: 61st Annual Golde Globe Award nominees,", "'American Splendor' top film by LA Critics,", "Critics Group Names 'American Splendor' Top Film: The National Society of Film Critics also honors Bill Murray and Charlize Theron as best actors and Clint Eastwood as best director of 2003,", "Minus Frills, Film Critics Pick Winners Of Awards,", "Satellites pix picked: Noms include 'Whale Rider,' 'Rings,' 'Mighty Wind",", "Hollywood writers honor Coppola, 'Splendor',", Overview of the film and the comics that inspired it, Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Film, National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Film, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=American_Splendor_(film)&oldid=1012066148, Films directed by Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini, National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Film winners, CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, Special Recognition for Excellence in Filmmaking, Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium, Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role, Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role, Best Use of Previously Published or Recorded Music, Southeastern Film Critics Association Awards, "Looking Suite: The Shortest Weekend / After Alice (So Sweet, So Sad)" — Mark Suozzo/Global Stage Orchestra, "Hula Medley" — R. Crumb & His Cheap Suit Serenaders, "Time Passes Strangely: Cancer Treatment / Retirement Party" — Mark Suozzo, "I'll Be With You in Apple Blossom Time" —, This page was last edited on 14 March 2021, at 12:08. Where was american splendor filmed. American Splendor (2003) Movies, TV, Celebs, and more... Oscars Best Picture Winners Best Picture Winners Golden Globes Emmys STARmeter Awards San Diego Comic-Con New York Comic-Con Sundance Film Festival Toronto Int'l Film Festival Awards Central Festival Central All Events With Paul Giamatti, Shari Springer Berman, Harvey Pekar, Chris Ambrose. The date begins with a handshake and dinner at a local family restaurant. American Splendor is a 2003 American biographical comedy-drama film about Harvey Pekar, the author of the American Splendor comic book series. Greater Cleveland Film Commission 1333 Lakeside Avenue East Cleveland, Ohio 44114 216-623-3910 Back in New York, Richie gets a frantic call from his partner Javier who’s trapped in an apartments block by an angry mob after a drug-addled cop has shot his dealer. The American Splendor (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) was released by New Line Records in 2003, and featured the following songs:[11]. At a diner with Crumb, Harv makes a pitch for a new kind of comics. When the reclusive Harvey shows his cartoon scripts to fellow weirdo Clevelander Bob Crumb (creator of Mr. Natural and Fritz the Cat), the artist offers to illustrate them. Back in Cleveland, a man recognizes Harvey from the Letterman show, but not for the "right" reasons. Then real Harvey Pekar appears in a documentary-style setup. The American Splendor. American Splendor (2003) Movies, TV, Celebs, and more... Oscars Best Picture Winners Best Picture Winners Golden Globes Emmys STARmeter Awards San Diego Comic-Con New York Comic-Con Sundance Film Festival Toronto Int'l Film Festival Awards Central Festival Central All Events American Splendor was written and directed by documentarians Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini. Publishers were, at various times, Harvey Pekar himself, Dark Horse Comics, and DC Comics. American Splendor was written and directed by documentarians Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini. Of the film's alternating of fictional portrayals with real-life appearances by Pekar and his friends and family, co-writer/co-director Pulcini recalled, "It really was the only way that made sense to tell that story because we were handed this stack of comic strips where the main character never really looks the same because he’s drawn by so many different artists. [10] (In actuality, Pekar returned for two more appearances on the Letterman show in 1993 & 1994. 100% (1/1) comic books comic-book comic. Meanwhile in Delaware, Joyce (Hope Davis) is frustrated with her partner in the comic book store, who has sold her copy of American Splendor #8 out from under her. It's about cartoonist Harvey Pekar, who with his wife Joyce Brabner has documented his life as a working stiff in Cleveland with wry observational humour and a kind of ironic superhero vibe. American Splendor #2 is an issue of the series American Splendor (Volume 1) with a cover date of December, 2006. American Splendor (2003)—the biographical film of Harvey Pekar, author of the autobiographical comic of the same name—was also filmed on location throughout Cleveland. American Splendor (film) - Wikipedia He has produced all covers (to date) for Simon Oliver and Tony Moore's The Exterminators, as well as a cover for Harvey Pekar's most recent American Splendor miniseries (all for Vertigo). [3] It also features appearances from Pekar and Brabner themselves (along with Pekar's long-time co-worker Toby Radloff),[3] who discuss their lives, the comic books, and how it feels to be depicted onscreen by actors. A friendship is formed over a shared love of jazz and comic books. hospital in Cleveland. While searching for old records at a yard sale, Harvey meets shy greeting card illustrator Robert Crumb (James Urbaniak). We wondered how to stay true to the material, and that’s the concept we came up with. Cartoonist Harvey Pekar, whose autobiographical comics serve as the basis for the film American Splendor, and "with a background as a jazz critic since 1959," contributes appropriately illustrated liner notes to the soundtrack album (some of them contained in the multimedia portion of the enhanced CD accessible by computer) in which he helpfully opines that the disc "not only [supports] … Directed by Shari Springer Berman, Robert Pulcini. (Pekar and Brabner had been approached previously by actors interested in playing Pekar on film, including Rob Schneider. Location scouts for American Horror Story are some of the best in the business, creating settings for the show that unnerve the audience as much as the talented actors and bizarre plotlines. hospital in Cleveland. All the titles will eventually have full entries, so check back often. Led by Maria Teresa Soldani, the project American Splendor composes and performs music in connection/intersection with art-film-video-writing. document.write("This page was last updated on " +document.lastModified+ ""), American Splendor location: Harvey Pekar pitches his comic book idea to Robert Crumb: Shay’s Pizza House, Saint Clair Avenue, Cleveland, American Splendor location: Harvey Pekar realises he’s famous when he meets an old school friend: Elmwood Home Bakery, Madison Avenue, Cleveland, American Splendor location: Harvey Pekar goes skating after his cancer all-clear: Halloran Park Ice Rink, West 117th Street, Cleveland, Elmwood Home Bakery, 15204 Madison Avenue, Lakewood, Gene’s Place to Dine, 3730 Rocky River Drive, 5300 Riverside Drive, Cleveland, OH 44135, 3550 West 117th Street, Cleveland, OH 44111. Directed by Shari Springer Berman, Robert Pulcini. The the festivities take place amid the faux-Bavarian splendor of Alpine Village’s chalet-styled shops and chapel.. Leaving the urban fishbowl we’ve been using in downtown Los Angeles creates more space, more twists, turns, and hiding places for chases and for surprises encounters with switch-bearing devils. A drama-documentary is defined as a genre comprising of “dramatized versions of actual events” (Hight 19), which makes it more popular than a documentary. Film titles: A Titles with links have full entries on the site – other unlinked titles listed can be found in the books ( The Worldwide Guide to Movie Locations or Movie London ). American Splendor location: Harvey Pekar realises he’s famous when he meets an old school friend: Elmwood Home Bakery, Madison Avenue, Cleveland Pekar realises he’s achieved some kind of fame at Elmwood Home Bakery, 15204 Madison Avenue, Lakewood … One night, an addled Harvey wonders if he's real or if he is just a character in a comic book, and whether the story will end or continue if he dies. It's Halloween and an 11-year-old Harvey Pekar refuses to dress up as a superhero while trick-or-treating. American Splendor (2003) cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. Her desires are put aside again because a producer calls to offer Harvey a chance to be a guest on Late Night with David Letterman. One of the closing shots of "American Splendor" shows a retirement party for Harvey Pekar, who is ending his career as a file clerk at a V.A. American Gangster filming location: Javier gets into trouble in the Projects: Marlboro Houses, West 11th Street, Gravesend, Brooklyn. Even though it is not a direct adaptation of the American Splendor comics, in other words it is not a recreation of Pekar’s comic strips put into film like say the Peanuts comic strip was put into film. One lonely night, Harvey discovers a mysterious lump on his groin. Where was american splendor filmed : enjoy the american splendor film locations and plan your next trip in the most original with filmaps. Behind-the-scenes stories of the making of the film, the animation, influences from the comics, and much more, including questions from the audience. Harvey is angry and unfulfilled. "[7] Berman added that upon meeting Pekar they felt compelled to include him in the film. In one continuous take, Harvey wanders through a dreamscape, musing about other individuals he finds in the Cleveland telephone book that are also named Harvey Pekar. He co-starred in the 1981 television movie Splendor in the Grass with Melissa Gilbert. "[7], At one point, Pekar meta-references the structure of the film by doing a voice-over for a one-shot of Paul Giamatti playing him by saying "There's our guy. MONTICELLO — Hollywood has its sights set using the Monticello area as a location for a camp slasher horror film later this year. American Splendor is quite the postmodern film. It's an interesting take on life from the POV of a normal eccentric man. A little to the south, Harvey takes equally geeky soul-mate Joyce (Hope Davis) for a disastrous yet oddly successful date at Gene’s Place to Dine, 3730 Rocky River Drive. So much so, that you might wish you could embark on an international adventure like Indiana Jones or live in an enchanting castle like Harry Potter. The film was written and directed by documentarians Shari Springer Berman and Robert … American Splendor is quite the postmodern film. Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube. Harvey's wife decides their "plebeian" lifestyle just isn't working for her anymore; without being able to speak, Harvey is powerless to convince her not to leave him. Undeterred, Joyce enlists Fred, an artist, to illustrate the experience. The film, which is a hybrid production featuring live actors, documentary, and animation, is in part an adaptation of the comics, which dramatize Pekar's life. He also found the film "delightful in the way it finds its own way to tell its own story", describing its presentation as "mesmerizing in the way it lures us into the daily hopes and fears of this Cleveland family."[14]. Ultranerd Toby Radloff takes Harvey and Joyce to see “a story of hope and tolerance” – Revenge of the Nerds – at the Detroit Theatre, supposedly in Toledo, which is about 120 miles west of Cleveland. O'Reilly was born in Los Angeles, California. That was a stroke of casting genius because he played the role to perfection. Film really can't evince the working-class subversion of Mr. Pekar's ''Splendor'' comics, but the movie brings its own take on Harvey's life to the screen. Film titles: A. In the American Splendor depiction of the comic drawings was accurate; this enhanced the “proximity of the film to Pekar’s original intent” (Hight 182). [17], Harvey Pekar wrote about the effects of the film in various stories published in American Splendor: Our Movie Year (2004). American Splendor, a film about autobiographical comic-book writer Harvey Pekar, sets its first act in 1970's-era Cleveland, and in this way it completes Film Club's triangle of films about the 1970s (the other two points are Dazed and Confused (Film Club XXI) and The Virgin Suicides (Film Club XX)). A friendship is formed over a shared love of jazz and comic books. One of the closing shots of "American Splendor" shows a retirement party for Harvey Pekar, who is ending his career as a file clerk at a V.A. The Pekars stay at the Warwick New York Hotel, 65 West 54th Street, at 6th Avenue – which requires yet another namecheck for press magnate William Randolph Hearst, who commissioned this hotel in 1926 for his partner, actor Marion Davies, to entertain their showbiz chums. This is a real party, and it is a real retirement. seen it add location People who have seen it. The two most consistently excellent actors of the 00s were Philip Seymour Hoffman and Paul Giamatti, and no film encapsulated the essential predicament of the American Schlub like Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini's American Splendor. Over seven seasons, this show has scared us in mental asylums, girls’ schools, mansions, and farm-to-table restaurants. American Splendor; Theatrical release poster. It was published on October 4, 2006. "We also got to know Harvey even before we wrote the screenplay. The website's critical consensus reads, "Exhilarating both stylistically and for its entertaining, moving portrayal of an everyman, American Splendor is a portrait of a true underground original. In New York, Harvey makes his legendary appearances on Late Night With David Letterman at the NBC Building, Rockefeller Plaza. American Splendor won the Grand Jury Prize for Dramatic Film at the 2003 Sundance Film Festival, in addition to the award for Best Adapted Screenplay from the Writers Guild of America. A BOUT DE SOUFFLE (BREATHLESS) (1959) A.I. The real Harvey retires from the VA hospital, and the movie ends with a group hug. [15] American Splendor was given the Guardian New Directors Award at the 2003 Edinburgh International Film Festival. The cemetery is, incidentally, last resting place of President James Garfield but, more importantly for film fans, for the ashes of professional Cleveland grump Harvey Pekar (immortalised by Paul Giamatti in American Splendor) and of the legendary Prohibition agent Elliot Ness (immortalised by Kevin Costner in The Untouchables). Droll, offbeat film about underground comic-book writer Harvey Pekar. There’s a brief glimpse of the Pacific Resident Theatre, 703 Venice Boulevard in Los Angeles, where Harvey and Joyce watch a dramatised version of Splendor. American Splendor is a series of autobiographical comic books written by Harvey Pekar and drawn by a variety of artists. Meanwhile, Joyce is looking for fulfillment of her own, as a creator and as an activist. Toby is on his way to Toledo to see the new movie Revenge of the Nerds. Things are finally breaking Harvey’s way. With Paul Giamatti, Shari Springer Berman, Harvey Pekar, Chris Ambrose. EN; ES; Your are here: Home » american splendor. He shows Bob the scripts he’s been working on, and Crumb offers to illustrate them for him. Joyce and Toby found the film inspiring, and Harvey found it insipid. American Splendor is a 2003 American biographical comedy-drama film about Harvey Pekar, the author of the American Splendor comic book series.The film, which is a hybrid production featuring live actors, documentary, and animation, is in part an adaptation of the comics, which dramatize Pekar's life. They plan to film episodes of television series throughout area in May. This is a real party, and it is a real retirement. The film, titled “Tin Roof,” features actor/writer Rob Mello ("Happy Death Day") and producer/director/actor Rebecca Rinehart (“CarousHELL the 2nd”). Joyce finally returns, but she discovers Harvey's lump. After a screening of the film, Josh & Dean sat down with American Splendor writer/directors Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini (via Skype), actor Judah Friedlander, and animator Gary Leib. It’s not all Cleveland. Submissions — name, phone number, location and description of the collection with photos — for the May filming can be sent to americanpickers@cineflix.com, or placed via Facebook at … Harvey Pekar, the star of comic books, the Letterman show and now this movie, worked all of his life as a file clerk. There were 6 other movies released on the same date, including Open Range, Uptown Girls and Passionada. "American Splendor" (2003): Actor Paul Giamatti stars as Harvey Pekar, the Cleveland-based comic book writer. Harvey and Joyce travel to Los Angeles to see American Splendor: The Play. )[8], David Letterman refused to appear in the film, and his old network of NBC did not allow the filmmakers to use footage of Pekar's disastrous fourth and sixth appearances on Late Night (aired July 31, 1987 and August 31, 1988, respectively), though they had no problems with the other Pekar appearances that are shown in the film. They catch up on each other’s lives and talk about Theodore Dreiser's novel Jennie Gerhardt. An original mix of fiction and reality illuminates the life of comic book hero everyman Harvey Pekar. This astonishing film bio cleverly and joyfully blurs the lines of real life with various dramatised versions of it, all while taking a satirical swipe at the American dream. Almost despite himself, Harvey is a hit on the show and comes back for multiple appearances. A couple of songs by American Splendor illustrator Robert Crumb and his band are also featured. It is on the city’s East Side, though, that Harvey (Paul Giamatti) successfully pitches his comic strip idea to Crumb, in Shay's Pizza Shop, 4001 Saint Clair Avenue at East 40th Street. In a documentary scene, the real Harvey Pekar talks about his years as a part-time used-record collector/salesman. Well, it's me. Thus was born the legendary American Splendor comic book series. For this challenge, I chose to read Ballantine's combined "American Splendor" and "More American Splendor" series (1976-1987), plus a book published after the film was released called "Our Movie Year" (2004). It is mostly an adaptation of Pekar’s life. "American Splendor" is a 2003 film direced by Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini. American Splendor; Theatrical release poster. The rise of … Pekar takes up mundane topics ranging from the oddity of his name and his filing clerk job at the local V.A. Or the guy playing me. The “dreaming spires” of Oxford have starred in many a film (The Italian Job, Howard’s End, The History Boys), but it’s the college of Christ Church that’s most recognizable in the Harry Potter films, doubling up as the inimitable Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. “American Pickers” is a documentary series on The History Channel that explores the world of antique “picking.” The show follows skilled pickers in the business as they hunt for America’s most valuable antiques. [3], The film stars Paul Giamatti as Pekar and Hope Davis as Joyce Brabner. Actually, the cinema was no further away than Lakewood again, at 16407 Detroit Avenue, until being demolished in 2011 to make way for a much-needed McDonalds. When the reclusive Harvey shows his cartoon scripts to fellow weirdo Clevelander Bob Crumb (creator of Mr. Natural and Fritz the Cat), the artist offers to illustrate them. American Splendor Release Date: When was the film released? American Splendor is a 2003 American biographical comedy-drama film about Harvey Pekar, the author of the American Splendor comic book series. Harvey is diagnosed with lymphoma. One year later, Harvey and Joyce sign the completed Our Cancer Year. [9] The supposed "final appearance" was done using oblique camera angles and a voiced-over audio of the incident. Their spat is interrupted by a message from a theater producer who wants to make American Splendor into a play. THE ABOMINABLE DR PHIBES. The narrative moves forward to 1984. Professional grump Harvey Pekar supplied the words; Robert Crumb, (who defined the look of the late 60s counterculture with Mr Natural and Fritz the Cat), provided the scruffy, uncouth visuals for American Splendor comic books. "[12] On Metacritic, the film currently has a weighted average score of 90 out of 100, based on 42 reviews, indicating "universal acclaim. Here are 11 sites you can visit and take selfies in front of this Halloween. The narrative picks up again in 1975, as a scratchy-voiced Harvey visits a throat doctor and exhibits hypochondria. Harvey has published eight issues of American Splendor to critical acclaim but little financial gain; he's still a "flunky file clerk." It's an interesting take on life from the POV of a normal eccentric man. If you’re wondering about Los Angeles, the studio filming was at the Raleigh Manhattan Beach Studios, south of the city, and a few odds and ends were filmed in the area, including the hospital in which Cap and Wilson recuperate, which is the St Vincent Medical Center, 2131 West 3rd Street, near downtown. Sitting alongside the real Harvey, the real Joyce Brabner talks about what it was like to become a character in Harvey’s stories. A few months later, a depressed Harvey is at his file clerk job at the VA hospital. American Splendor is a series of autobiographical comic books written by Harvey Pekar and drawn by a variety of artists. American Splendor, the film adaptation of Harvey Pekar's cult comic book, has won the best picture award from the LA Film Critics Association. An original mix of fiction and reality illuminates the life of comic book hero everyman Harvey Pekar. Film really can't evince the working-class subversion of Mr. Pekar's ''Splendor'' comics, but the movie brings its own take on Harvey's life to the screen. Just like his comics, American Splendor features Pekar’s unique outlook on life. Titles with links have full entries on the site – other unlinked titles listed can be found in the books (The Worldwide Guide to Movie Locations or Movie London). american splendor (added by Ted Doomen) 1 film locations . We actually went to Cleveland and spent time with Harvey and Joyce, and spoke to them on the phone a lot. 472 likes. Cleveland - Wikipedia As Robert Pulcini , co-writer and co-director of the American Splendor movie, said, "The whole point of the American Splendor comics is that life doesn’t really organize itself well." American Splendor was released in 2003 on Friday, August 15, 2003 (). Mr. Cyril J. O'Reilly (born June 8, 1958) is an American film and television actor, writer and producer. The film stars Paul Giamatti as Pekar. American Splendor (film) From Wikipedia the free encyclopedia.