I saw Why Man Creates in grad school in 1969 and used it at the beginning of nearly every high school World History or Western Civ class I taught here in Alaska between 1970 and 1993. It is the most thought-provoking, engaging, stimulating film I've ever seen that can be used from about 5th grade to age 95. The other descriptions of sequences and 'mini-episodes' in IMDb are very accurate but do not replicate the experience of seeing it. Having seen it 150 or 200 times, to me it still is entertaining and I still notice new details in its fast paced blow by. Bass created a masterpiece. He died in 1996 but this is his generous legacy.
Should WMC be shown regularly on TV? Maybe, but I think it's best when viewers can discuss WMC together, rather than watching it alone in the dark. It ought to be put on DVD and marketed at a low price; it is timeless and could sell across generations. I'm curious how it might be regarded in other nations if it were seen abroad. Would Canadians, Australians or the British find it funny or provocative? How about English speakers in Nigeria or Kenya or India? Parts of it are culturally bound to European civilization, but other sections could be dubbed into any local language and enjoyed. Unequivocally, Why Man Creates is a MUST-SEE film!
