Visual Acoustics: Modernism of Julius Shulman [DVD] [Region 1] [US Import] [NTSC]

After waiting for nearly a year for the chance to see this, I had so hoped that this documentary would be worthy of Shulman and his extraordinary work. As mentioned in the video Modernist Shulman did not like Post Modernism architecture. Oddly what we have here, to present Julius Shulman born 1910 died 2009, is a dizzying Post Modernist chop chop documentary. I am absolutely enthralled by Shulman's photo work. And apart from the style of film making, what is most maddening is that Shulman's photographs, the very reason why the video should have been made, are usually on the screen for a period of less than four seconds each - four seconds! And during those sparse moments, Shulman's photos are moved around, swept across, have distracting CGI animated roads threading below - all just too much dazzle. Painfully, there is even a segment where a cartoon character is animated to walk in front of a few of Shulman's photos - the impact unbelievably amateurish at best. Shulman's work was used and experimented with like raw materials to show off what the filmmakers can do instead of showing us what Shulman did. If you have spent any time before or in a great work of architecture you know that understanding it, the space, your presence - takes time. I found myself continuously pausing the video for just the chance to see these historic, architectural photos. The video offers far too many distractions such as people commenting who really need not be in the video. The filmmaker and his crew did not need to be in the video, movie stars and their spouses need not have been included. Experts did not have to endlessly offer their reasons as to why Shulman is great - the photos could have done it in the most meaningful way. Within this documentary here is a video that could be pared down into a nice informative piece. Having Shulman on film is essential. Yet overall, the chopped up peppy editing style of trying to include too much betrayed him. Shulman and his work are truly great - a comment that relates well to his view on greatness in the bonus material. Actually, I think you can get a better sense of Shulman from the straightforward bonus material that was left out of the finished product. The trailer as well in many ways is better than the finished film. And it was nice to hear Dustin Hoffman as narrator throughout. For me, Hoffman's presence connected well to the great documentary series he hosted on Pollock, deKooning, Smith, Gorky, and Kline in the early eighties. I wish the Shulman filmmakers had seen those works.

move over, ken burns.

this film has it all ... engrossing content and brilliant delivery. even the soundtrack. mesmerizing.

it enlightens us with a powerful overview of modern architects and their architecture, in los angeles and elsewhere, frozen in time and unified through the collaborative efforts of a creative and devoted photographer ... who apparently was a real character in his own right.

this is his story. and the history of modern architecture. both well told by the filmmaker and all involved ... clients, colleagues, family, friends, and fans. including my former architecture history professor at ucla during the post-modern rage.

i rented this dvd from netflix. i will now buy the dvd AND the soundtrack cd to enjoy at will and share with others. yes, it's that good.

I loved this documentary simply because I feel like I met Julius and got to spend some time with him, if only via the screen. His simple approach to photography of single point and revealing his secret of combining natural light with artificial lighting to complement each other in order to reveal more layers was wonderful. Also, I liked the concept of how he was always relaxed and took the time to experience the moment and let the architectural, and the emotional impact of the moment, lead him in his shot taking; not letting components of that moment like dogs barking, be something that distracted him, but instead, gave him the opportunity to interact and respond as being one with the moment. Clearly his talent was to know how alive he was at every moment, and his photos reflect this energy. The architecture he was shooting, simply allowed him to share himself like any artist does, through their chosen medium and present to us what he was able to see at that moment. The beauty he didn't create, but he was able to see it, and capture it through his camera lens, and in this respect, created a different kind of beauty, one that everyone could now see, and see it though his eyes by way to the photos he took. I see architectural photography in a new light now.