Helmut Newton – Frames From the Edge (1988/2009)
Documentary Director: Adrian Maben
Studio: RM Arts/Arthaus Musik 100 686 [Distr. by Naxos]
Video: 4:3 color and B&W
Audio: German & English DD 2.0
Subtitles: German, English, French
No region code
Extras: Picture gallery, Trailer, Printed booklet with essay
Length: 100 minutes
Rating: ****
A most interesting film on the late German celebrity, who was one of the most sought-after photographers of the 20th century. He died in an auto accident in 2004, but his dramatic and often kinky staged photos continue to provide a voyeuristic view of a life of luxury. Some have felt that his often provocative photography redefined the lines between art and pornography. Celebrities appreciate his special approach to shooting, and the talking heads in the film praising Newton’s work include Catherine Deneuve, Sigourney Weaver, Candice Bergen, Charlotte Rampling and Karl Lagerfeld. Women seem to love his approach to portraying them.
This is more than a typical documentary, in providing a sort of gallery of some of Newton’s most famous portraits and nudes, as well as those in the extras gallery. The photographer is visited at his homes in Monte Carlo, Los Angeles, Paris and Berlin. He is shown to be fairly straightforward and approachable, though obviously with a highly developed ego. He stresses his high fees and immediately destroys all prints made from shots he doesn’t approve, so others can’t reproduce and sell them illegally. An interesting aspect of his work is that he usually didn’t come to a shoot with a couterie of assistants and equipment, preferring just a couple cameras and natural light – often using only a single assistant or none at all.
If you appreciate artistic black & white nude photography, which often brings up questions in the viewer as to what is actually going on in the shot, Newton’s work will fascinate. There is no special restoration of the 1988 original film in 4:3 format, but the quality is quite good nevertheless and the still photos look fine. The music backgrounds are various well-known modern classical works.
– John Sunier
