‘The Mad World Of Harvey Kurtzman’ review: Breezy, insightful portrait of influential MAD magazine founder

Dir/scr: Bart Simpson. Canada/UK. 2026. 92 mins

There is a whole history of comic books, graphic novels and counter-culture satire in the work of cartoonist Harvey Kurtzman. Bart Simpson’s solid, wide-ranging documentary blends context with affectionate tributes to create a breezy portrait of a man once described as the Orson Welles of the cartooning world. The Mad World Of Harvey Kurtzman is tailor-made for documentary channels but interest from the comic book community could ensure some niche theatrical interest following its world premiere in Edinburgh competition.

Blends context with affectionate tributes

Kurtzman, who died in 1993, is best remembered as the creator of MAD magazine and the ’Little Annie Fanny’ strips that appeared in Playboy magazine for more than 25 years. Simpson’s respectful documentary attempts to convey aspects of Kurtzman’s personality (modest, reserved, self-effacing) and his lasting influence on subsequent generations. Among those interviewed are comic book artist Robert Crumb, The Simpsons creator Matt Groening, journalist Gloria Steinem and filmmaker Terry Gilliam, who was an assistant to Kurtzman on Help! magazine and executive produces here.

Kurtzman’s youngest daughter Nellie has now become the keeper of her father’s legacy. Her visits to cartoonist and old friend Denis Kitchen, sorting through her father’s vast archive as she intends to create a Kurtzman museum, lend a loose structure to the film. Simpson has access to a rich feast of archive material, including Kurtzman’s television interviews and reflections on his craft and technique, and tells this story utilising energetic, immersive montage sequences featuring drawings, storyboards, original comics, correspondence and animation. Editor Tom Randaxhe does an excellent job of pulling the material together and shaping it for visual impact and pace, while Mary Hailey’s jazzy score adds to the sense of celebration.

Simpson makes us understand the impact of MAD magazine, and why Kurtzman matters. His artistry was aimed at adults rather than adolescents – his humour was anarchic, his instinct was to challenge the established order and his work reflected the times in which he lived. Comics like Two-Fisted Tales and Frontline Combat emphasised the horrors of war and reflected his own army experiences, and his eschewal of gung-ho action for a more thoughtful approach made him a figure of interest to the FBI in the anti-Communist hysteria of the 1950s. Kurtzman was always a pioneer, responsible for the elevation of comic books into graphic novels and steering them to darker, deeper material. His work literally brought new textures to the art of the comic book, advancing from stark black and white to shades of grey.

The film also offers some thoughtful insight into the commercial pressures placed on Kurtzman. His artistry is undeniable, and he has influenced everyone from Robert Crumb to Monty Python and The Simpsons.  But he was no businessman. He left MAD Magazine in 1956 over a financial dispute with EC Comics owner William Gaines; a few short years later, Gaines sold the magazine and made millions that Kurtzman might have shared. Regular employment at Hugh Hefner’s Playboy empire gave Kurtzman financial security but the relationship seems to have dampened his creative ambitions. Plans to direct his own films were never fulfilled.

Somewhat sketchy in its consideration of Krutzman’s family background and later personal life, The Mad World Of Harry Kurtzman nevertheless sheds valuable light on a figure whose reputation has only grown since his death.