Customer Reviews

Man Ray Prophet/the Avant-Gard

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

If you want to learn about Man Ray, his photography, his art and his life; this is for you!
The information is sound. The presentation vivid. Even his lovers are in order.
The interviews with Man Ray! Juliet Brown and critics are great! Stills interspersed with film.
So much more atmosphere here than reading a book!
I have read loads but this is the visual way to learn and remember.

Filmed in 1961, the documentary follows Man Ray into his Paris studio where notable artists and others drop in to reminisce. The studio is filled with his paintings, photos and assemblage sculpture reminding us that he was a multi media artist, although he made his living as a photographer. It is through that medium that he became well known and sought after, particularly as a portraitist, and he photographed some of the most famous personalities of our times.
Tristin Tsara calls on his friend and they play chess using a set that Man Ray designed. Patrick Waldberg (writer), drops by and situates Man Ray in the movements of Dada and Surrealism, exemplified in his paintings and assemblages. Merit Oppenheimer also visits. Herself a Surrealist artist, she also posed for many of Man Ray's photos. Artists Max Ernst and Giaccometti, John Weiner, musician, Philippe Soupault, writer, and Bill Copley, a gallery owner, each stops in to offer annecdotes. The documentary touches on Man Ray's famous Rayographs, and there is a clip from a film he did.
A bit dated stylistically and contrived with the flow of guests, the film's main acheivement is as an introduction to Man Ray and his overall oevre. We are left wanting to know more about his life, the breadth of his artistic works, and still more intimate detail about the company he kept, the most prominent personalities of his time and the modern art era.

The documentary was produced as part of PBS's American Masters series, which is ironic because it would seem Man Ray really considered himself a Parisian, though he was born and lived in New York for the beginning of his life. As with most PBS documentaries, it is a well -produced, upbeat view which barely tackles anything that might be considered negative or reproachable. This is not to say that all documentary should focus on the seedy side of life, but I think a person of Ray's infinite peculiarities was bound to have some skeletal remains in the closet, and although I did not want an E True Hollywood account, some more balanced commentary might have been a useful glance into the mind of an artist.

Despite this criticism, this documentary is well crafted and interesting, particularly great for those who may have no knowledge of Man Ray and his work.

Speaking of his work, another criticism of this documentary is that I do not feel that it answered the essential question for me about Man Ray: Why the eyeballs? They didn't even address his most famous photograph, either.