Actor and comedian Robin Williams' suicide in August 2014 left so many shocked. Not many had an inkling that one of the world's funniest entertainers was actually suffering inside. Those who did, offer insights into the side of Robin Williams the public didn't get to see, and that is the subject of the new HBO documentary, Robin Williams: Come Inside My Mind.
It's a walkthrough into Williams' life and career narrated largely by the man himself, and his celebrated peers in the comedy circuit, including Billy Crystal, Steve Martin, Eric Idle, David Letterman and his Mork and Mindy co-star Pam Dawber.
The flow of the trailer itself feels like a roller-coaster ride, much like Williams' life. “It's time to enter the human mind,” says a sombre Williams, as if leading you through a dark tunnel. Then you see a performer in love with the stage, with an adoring audience in hysterics. Martin then acknowledges that Williams, on stage, was “a master”, but “off stage, it felt like he was holding himself together.”
Peers speak of Williams' alcohol and substance abuse and never-ending battle for acceptance. The irony of the latter was perhaps best put by Williams' son Zak, who says, “My father didn't always feel like he was succeeding. But he is the most successful person I know.”
The documentary explores Williams' extraordinary life and career, revealing what drove him to give voice to the characters in his mind. Emmy award-winning director Marina Zenovich also has access to private home videos and on-stage footage of Williams' early stand-up comedy routines.
For his devoted fans over several decades, it promises to be an emotional journey.
Robin Williams: Come Inside My Mind (1 hour and 57 minutes) releases on July 16.