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Mapplethorpe: Look At the Pictures
R2 - United Kingdom - Dogwoof Pictures Review written by and copyright: Samuel Scott (29th July 2016). |
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The Film
 ***This is an A/V and Extras review only. For reviews on the movie from various critics, we recommend visiting HERE.*** Mapplethorpe: Look at the Pictures is the first definitive, feature length portrait of the controversial American artist Robert Mapplethorpe since his death from AIDS in 1989. The one thing more outrageous than Robert Mapplethorpe's photographs was his life. Intimate revelations from family, friends and lovers are topped only by Mapplethorpe's candor, revealed in a series of rediscovered, never before heard interviews, made public here for the first time. This is the unique portrait of an artist who turned photography into contemporary fine art with a bold vision that ignited a culture war still raging to this day.
Video
Independent British distributor Dogwoof Pictures have released the HBO documentary "Mapplethorpe: Look At the Pictures" on to DVD in the United Kingdom at an aspect ratio of 1.75:1 (OAR 1.78:1 according to IMDB, but I believe IMDB is incorrect and OAR is in fact 1.75:1). The feature receives an anamorphic transfer and looks as good as you would expect any HBO documentary to look. As with most documentaries, it can be difficult to review the transfer quality because of the wide array of archive footage that intermittently plays between various interviews. The archive footage does vary in quality, but when you take in to account the sources of the footage, it is in surprisingly good condition, and helps give a feeling of the art world when Mapplethorpe's controversy was making such an impact. Interview footage is of course pre-arranged, so lighting and conditions are both perfect. There is a large array of participants from gallery owner Mary Boone and author/photographer Jack Fritscher, to lead singer of Blondie Debbie Harry, with most interviews taking place in smallish rooms with no clutter. There are no issues with these segments with no damage, no aliasing, and no edge enhancement. Blacks are deep with little crush, and details are pleasing for a standard definition release. The feature is uncut and runs 108:36 PAL.
Audio
Dogwoof Pictures have a provided a single English Dolby Digital 5.1 track for this release, which is perfectly suitable. As with most documentaries afforded a 5.1 mix over a stereo mix, it should come as no surprise that the surrounds are used only for the perfectly fitting score by composer David Benjamin Steinberg who was a surprising choice considering his filmography of dodgy reality TV shows like "Million Dollar Listing". Dialogue is clear throughout and volume levels are consistent. There is some archive footage where dialogue can come across like a third generation VHS recording due to some minor crackling, but it certainly doesn't become difficult to hear. Overall, this is a solid track without issue. Unfortunately, no subtitles have been included.
Extras
We start the extras with an interview with Edward Mapplethorpe (8:18). Edward is Robert's brother, and is himself an established photographer of babies in Manhattan. In this interview he talks about being in Berlin for the film festival to help promote the documentary and about various aspects of the feature itself. Obviously Edward has a much more personal attachment to Robert's life, and this comes across well as he answers the on-screen questions with a more intimate stance - especially when it comes to their own relationship with each other. Next up, we have an interview with directors Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato (7:07). They chat more about the process of making the documentary from the inception to the end result, and how the time was right to really look at Mapplethorpe's life and career. They also talk about their subject and the tension between the idea of commercial success and 'pure' art. When it comes to talking about Mapplethorpe's pictures, they are clearly big fans of the imagery he portrays and how the difference in composition changes the pictures from being looked at as simply pornographic. An interview with producer Katharina Otto-Bernstein (5:41) rounds up the main interviews available on the disc. She is actually an award-winning documentarian herself, so was well placed to produce this feature. Here she talks about how HBO approached her to be involved with the film, the importance of the film, the significance of Edward Mapplethorpe's involvement in the film, and working with the directors and how rare it is to work with people with a similar creative spirit. The most substantial extra on the disc is a Q&A with directors Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato, and producer Katharina Otto-Bernstein (31:32). Filmed at the Curzon Mayfield and moderated by journalist Suzanne Moore, we start off with a couple of questions from Moore, before the audience is fielded for their own questions. I do have a minor complaint about this extra though. It is unfortunately rather poor quality audio wise, and occasionally speech is simply not clear, especially from the audience. Some subtitles here would have been very much accepted. However, do not let this complaint steer you away from checking this extra out, as there is a wealth of information not talked about in the three separate interviews. We finish up the extras with a theatrical trailer (1:17).
Overall
"Mapplethorpe: Look At the Pictures" is a concentrated documentary about the controversial photographer that comes recommended to anybody with a passing interest in Mapplethorpe. It is well presented technically with above average picture and audio quality for the genre and the extras are a very welcome addition to round the disc out. You can check out information about the Robert Mapplethorpe Foundation HERE.
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