Les Blank died recently, and so I decided that I'd watch his documentaries. The first one that I've ever watched is "Garlic Is As Good As Ten Mothers", which focuses entirely on Allium sativum. Blank interviews people about garlic and looks at its history. There's even a part about garlic's role in Cajun food, complete with a zydeco band! It's hard to believe that the Anglo Puritan types actually suppressed garlic, but's what happened in US history. Fortunately we in the 21st century love the stuff (I sure can't get enough of it). I now hope to see more of Blank's documentaries, and of course I'll never stop eating garlic. It's delicious AND nutritious! And above all, I recommend this documentary.

I saw this film in Seattle when it came out in 1981. A mindless, brain numbing waste of time. I recall one scene: pleasant close up of several piglets playing with each other, then WHAM! the same pigs slaughtered, and (you guessed it) baked or fried in garlic. DUMB and CRUEL. The bulk of the movie is pseudo science, and would be appropriate for a garlic peddler's convention. If you don't want to bother with thinking, or care about scientific research, and want to spout useless drivel, then this is the film for you. It belongs down the garbage disposal! I never liked the way garlic made people smell anyway. Don't waste your time on this loser.

This movie was terrible. It had little useful information about garlic. For the majority of the film, it was just pointless interviews with random garlic-obsessed freaks. I mean, how are you supposed to take a guy seriously when he's wearing a hat shaped like a giant clove of garlic? And the idea of "pet garlic" (a plastic clove of garlic on the end of a stiff leash) proves that some people see very little of life. Not even the editing was done well. I had such a hard time trying to read the names of the interviewees printed on the screen. White text on a white background? If you want information on garlic, read an encyclopedia. If you are a garlic loving lunatic, check out this film.0.5/4 stars

This is a very good movie about garlic with shots from the Gilroy Garlic Festival and lots of good information about cooking with garlic from some of the best cooks in the SF Bay Area. I view this as a comprehensive guide to garlic provided in a very entertaining fashion. Wish I could find it on DVD!! Information by folks like Alice Water of Chez Panisse in Berkeley showing how to use garlic for cooking a nice pig dish are amazing and make you want to sit down and eat it right there. Other information on uses of garlic that you would never think of such as real garlic salt, for squid recipes, sausages and of course warding off vampires. There are ways to handle garlic for cooking and how to peel it easily as well as how to chop, mince etc for best effect. Highly recommended.