|
| Movie Review: Who Get's to Call it Art? Alternate Title: Beauty is in the Eye of the Curator
Story: Who would think a documentary
about an art critic would be fun? Well, hang onto your paint splatters
because this film is a lot of fun. Documentarian and director and Peter
Rosen (http://www.peterrosenproductions.com/index.html) has
delivered a nostalgic road trip to the fabulous art scene of the 1960's.
Henry Geldzahler lived a charmed
life and became the Metropolitan Museum's first curator of contemporary
art. He managed to solely curate the ground breaking exhibit in 1970
which comprised over 35 galleries at the Met and included 400 works.
He made many of today's recognizable artists famous and pissed off many
others by excluding them from the exhibit. The life and times of Henry were fabulous. He
hung around with his artists and appeared in many a portrait by these
artists. The talking heads in the film include such luminaries as David
Hockney, Larry Poons, Frank Stella, James Rosenquist, Mark DiSuvero,
John Chamberlain, Ivan Carp and film maker Jonas Mekas.
There are also wonderful film clips of Henry and his crowd including
one of his best friends, Andy Warhol. If you like art and want to test your artsy trivia
knowledge check out this film. Acting: There is no acting in a documentary but it
is fun to watch Andy Warhol doing his thing which is very close to acting.
Predilection: I am an artist, like films about art
and artists and generally am a documentary junkie.
Soundtrack: Why wouldn't the music be fun too?
Visual Art: Why wouldn't this be a candy store for
your eyes? Want to see a black and white photo of Henry Geldzahler?
Go to: http://www.robinsonarchive.com/viewImage.asp?curpic=17&cat=5&pid=570
Theater Audience: Who do you think was in the theater?
It was filled with artists, art lovers and downtowners. We all laughed
at the same things. For some reason I laughed the loudest.
Drift Factor: Who would take a chance to drift and
miss all of the glorious color and witticisms?
Oscar Worthy: When would a documentary about an art
critic win an Oscar?
Big Screen or Rental: Where could you go to see this
film? I don't know if you will find this in your local theaters. Films
about artists are often simply awful. You could have an art biopic marathon
and also rent Vincent and Theo, Basquiat. Camille Claudel, Artemisia,
Pollock, Frida, The Life and Times of Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein,
Crumb, El Greco, Gauguin the Savage, I Shot Andy Warhol, Kitty, Moulin
Rouge, Savage Messiah, Steiglitz Loves O'Keeffe, Surviving Picasso,
The Lovers of Montparnasse, The Naked Maja, The Picasso Summer, The
Rothko Conspiracy, Vincent, Wolf at the Door and the Girl With a Pearl
Earring
Length: 90 minutes
LOBO HOWLS: 7
|