TASTE(LESS?) PORTRAITS // A FILM REVIEW OF "HELMUT NEWTON: THE BAD AND THE BEAUTIFUL"
The artistic genius of Helmut Newton's photography has been up for debate since he first broke through the scene. Blending high end fashion with erotic imagery, Newton was always a controversial figure. The new documentary HELMUT NEWTON: THE BAD AND THE BEAUTIFUL attempts to shine light on both the artist and the controversy surrounding him. It also showcases a lifetime of love between Helmut and his influential wife, June Newton. Helmut had a fantastic imagination and an unparalleled skill with the camera. But do his pictures have a place in today's world? Can his imagery be seen with the same adoration today? After all, he once famously said, "I hate good taste. It's the worst thing that can happen to a creative person."
Gero von Boehm's thoughtful portrait of Helmut Newton is highlighted by commentary from the artist himself, from archival interviews and footage (he died in a tragic automobile accident in 2004). As with many photographers, Newton was a lightning rod for controversy. As a boy, he knew that he was fascinated with pictures and was pulled to them. However, as he states himself, he was a Jewish boy growing up around Nazi Germany and the only pictures he could look at were Nazi propaganda. As a young man, he spent many nights going from place to place, being helped by kind hands hiding him (and often others) from the awful world outside. This seemed to only strengthen his desire to create a different kind of image. And so he did, for the rest of his life.
Talking heads in the documentary often split on how they saw him. We hear from the likes of Isabella Rossellini and Grace Jones, who loved him and his talent. Anna Wintour regarded him as one of the greats (his imagery was a mainstay at Vogue for years). Others, such as Susan Sontag, tells him to his face (in a television interview) that he's a misogynist and his work was sexist. And she wasn't the only one. There was as much pushback to his work as there was adoration. So is his work sexist? Misogynistic? It's certainly one of the most important questions we need to be asking ourselves, as we look back at famous pieces of art and at the creators themselves. Helmut himself didn't ever care if anyone liked his work. He only cared if he liked his work (and, by extension, if June liked it). Perhaps that's why we're still discussing his work, and will be, for years to come.
GRADE: B
DIRECTED BY Gero von Boehm FEATURING Helmut Newton, June Newton, Charlotte Rampling, Isabella Rossellini, Catherine Deneuve, Grace Jones, Claudia Schiffer, Marianne Faithfull, Anna Wintour. The U.S. release is available in Virtual Cinemas through Kino Marquee. For more info: www.kinomarquee.com