Z Channel: A Magnificent Obsession

Z Channel: A Magnificent Obsession is a documentary about Los Angeles pay cable channel Z Channel that accompanied the DVD release of uncut version of Heaven's Gate. It was screened out of competition at the 2004 Cannes Film Festival. The film was directed by Xan Cassavetes, daughter of the late Hollywood director and actor John Cassavetes. The documentary is about Z Channel which was one of the first pay cable TV stations in the US. Z Channel became famous for showing an eclectic variety of films, including foreign language, silent, documentary, director's cut, forgotten, overlooked,... under-appreciated, erotic as well as mainstream films, without commercials and uncut and letterbox-ed when possible. The film also tells the story of Z Channel's programming director Jerry Harvey who was a true film lover, programming genius, and a man almost single handedly responsible for getting many great films shown to the public. It gives insights into Harvey's constant battle with personal demons which resulted in him ending his own life and the life of his wife in a murder-suicide. Throughout the film a variety of footage featuring some of the films shown on the Z Channel is used.
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