Visitors Review

chaz-28 (2012-05-25 02:47)

A fascinating documentary about a guy who loves interesting clothes

Bill Cunningham can't be bought. He is there to observe and to takepictures, not to consume the fancy meal or mingle with the celebrities;a line which most individuals in his position would most likely blur.Bill has a section of the Sunday New York Times Style section where hewill point out a new clothing trend he sees on the streets, what peoplewere wearing at a recent evening gala, or just profile an interestinglooking person. I used to skip over this section every week; however,now that I know about Bill from the excellent documentary BillCunningham New York, I will never skip over this section again.Even though Bill is now 80 years old, he still dons his signature bluejacket every day and rides his bicycle all over Manhattan searching andtaking pictures. If it is raining, he will duct tape a garbage bag overhis shirt. He is searching for interesting clothing and it does notmatter if a celebrity is wearing them or not. A major separationbetween Bill and other photographers is he is just fine not taking acelebrity picture; he does not care at all about a person's fame level,just in their choice of clothing.Bill is usually the first to notice a new trend. While frequentingstreet corners, crosswalks, and the outside of department stores, hewill immediately stop his bike (sometimes in the middle of traffic) tosnap a few shots. During the first week of August, he happened tonotice that a lot of New Yorkers were wearing black and made that a hiscolumn's focus. Bill has become a celebrity on his bicycle as hecruises the streets and there are many influential people, who Billcould care less about, who crave his attention. There are interviewsfrom Anna Wintour, Tom Wolfe, and other very powerful people in thefashion industry who will also take time out of their day to find outwhat Bill knows.Even though he has the power to affect clothing trends, until veryrecently, Bill lived in Carnegie Hall as one of the few remainingvisual artist tenants before the final lot of them were evicted to newpremises. He slept on a cot in what could be described as closet spacesurrounded by dozens of file cabinets containing his life's work. IfBill thinks he has seen something before, he is pretty sure he can goback and find it. One example is of a designer who revealed a newcollection only for Bill to find a 1972 photo montage of an eerilysimilar line.Bill Cunningham New York is a documentary I was not eager to seebecause I assumed it was just about the fashion world. I was completelywrong. It is not about fashion, it is just about Bill and his routinewhich is completely absorbing and perhaps the best documentary of theyear. It is also the second documentary this year dealing with the NewYork Times released just before Page One: Inside the New York Times.Now that I have seen them both, there is a reason the story on BillCunningham is on the short list of 15 documentaries which are eligiblefor this year's Best Documentary Oscar. If it happens to win, it willnot matter very much to Bill. He will be doing what he does every day,riding his bicycle to find the next interesting pair of shoes.

Harold S. Levine (2012-05-24 17:05)

Not to be missed

I have lived in Manhattan for 32 years, 31 of them a very short walkingdistance from the corner of 57th and 5th, where Mr. Cunningham huntshis prey during the year. I have met him and seen him at work, but knewvery little about him. This wonderful documentary not only showsCunningham going after his shots, but is a wonderful window into therole of fashion and society in New York, with incredible images goingback to the 1970s (and in some cases, even earlier). I admit that Icried for about 15 minutes in the beginning, so beautifully do thefilmmakers create Cunningham's world -- and a New York I have had theprivilege of experiencing. If you liked "The September Issue," or therecent Valentino or Yves St. Laurent documentaries, run don't walk toBill Cunningham New York. And if you're a gay man of a certain age,bring Kleenex.

ihrtfilms (2012-05-22 18:49)

Brilliant film, Brilliant man.

I had very little idea of who Bill Cunningham was other that he is aphotographer, works for the New York Times and that's about it. Thisdocumentary is a stunning insight into a man who is really an unknown.At 80 years old Cunningham stills works for the Times, he cycles aroundthe streets of NYC taking photos of everything and anything, but hisreal passion is fashion. The images that get into the Times are ofeveryday people in NYC, who for what ever reasons, perhaps a unusualcoat, or pair of shoes, stand out from the rest. As he himself says,he's not interested in celebrities, the everyday is more beautiful.His passion for what he does is immense and consuming, he admits he hadno time to do very little else, but has no interest in the glamour sideof fashion and lives incredibly humbly, prefers cheap sandwiches tofancy dinners or repairing a cheap rain mac with tape to save buying anew one 'that will eventually tear anyway'. He is a wonderful characterwith a seemingly endless joy for his work and the world around him. Acareer spanning decades has lead to him meeting an array of people andphotography thousands more, his work fills endless filing cabinets inhis tiny studio apartment above Carnegie Hall (which sadly came to anend, after the Carnegie artist director kicked out the last remainingtenants) much of which will never be published. His passion for hiswork shows clearly when he is awarded a medal by the French government.Not only his acceptance speech wonderful and moving, before hand he isbusy working, snapping guests, which as one woman describes, 'You areworking at your own party?!' The film follows Cunningham as he goes onhis daily journeys, as well as a trip to Paris for fashion week and wealso get to see him putting his column together, remarkably he stilluses old film cameras and choices to get them developed at a smallshop. He has absolute perfection for his column, ensuring the photosare in the right order. We also see a handful of Cunningham's subjectsfrom over the years, an array of wonderful if not eccentric NewYorkers, all individual and delightful in their own way. The excitementthey have for appearing in Cunningham's column is great to see andshows what a wonderful job he does. As he is never rude or horrid aboutwhat he sees, it's almost a stamp of approval, Anna Wintour, editor ofVogue, even says that Cunningham foresees fashion well before desingersdo and suddenly next season, an idea is everywhere.Cunningham remains an unknown in the sense that the film reveals verylittle about him. Nor does it seem that those who have known him foryears, know much about him. When near the end of the film he is askedif he has ever had a relationship, he laughs and says no, he never hashad time. He opens up briefly about family and desire. It is afascinating moment, one that becomes ultimately sad as Cunninghambreaks down momentarily, for what reason we can only guess.This film is a fantastic insight into one person and their passion, onethat is simply told but is uplifting and often funny and if anythinginspiring. It shows that some people lead the most simplistic life andyet achieve so much happiness and that is a glorious thing.More reviews at my site iheartfilms.weebly.com

nathanschubach (2012-05-22 06:46)

Kindest New Yorker with a heart of gold deserves this celebration about his life

I can't positively gush about this movie more than any other viewercan. This documentary warms the heart and allows people to see a sideof life not many seem to slow down enough to view. I had never heard ofhim before watching this, but Bill truly is a great man. This moviemakes me want to slow down and appreciate the everyday styles thatpeople choose. I loved the various side-interviews with notablesubjects of his photographs and colleagues, many of whom have similarlyquirky yet important stories to tell. The music was so well graftedinto the scenes that you may overlook it, but it guides the times andNew York-living so well that it shouldn't be overlooked, either. Ifyou're looking for a heart-warming documentary about a very importantfigure and artist in modern fashion photography, you'll enjoy learningabout Bill as much as I did.

sam_adler (2012-05-20 05:34)

More Grey Gardens than Grey Lady--or Shoulda Been

I rated this movie highly because i enjoyed its portrayal of a manpassionate about his work, principled in his approach to it,plainspoken, etc. But i think the director missed should've delved moredeeply into what was fueling his workaholism and critics miss the boatwhen they explain away his lack of personal life as a result of anall-consuming passion for fashion or Calvinist work ethic. I'm surethose are both true, but they're hardly the whole truth. As a result,even though I initially felt about the movie much the same as the othercommenters here, the more i think about it, the more I see aregrettable failure to explore how rejection by family and church dueto homosexuality can warp an individual, create such self-hatred thathe keeps the world at a distance by filling all his waking hours withwork, and spending his working hours hiding behind a lens. Onecharacter trait that is evident is need for absolute control overselection of pics, layout, etc., even to the point of working for nomoney. This could either be because he completely lacked the socialskills to compromise or because he just needed to assert control overthe little slice of life's possibilities that he had allowed himself.Fortunately for Bill, the work he threw himself into to the exclusionof everything else life has to offer happened to be something he wasboth passionate about and had an aptitude for, so we can all enjoy thefruits of his pathology. And I'm sure that's the kind of film the NYTimes wanted and probably the only way Bill would agree to be filmedfor this project (it was years getting him to sign on). Anyway, movieis completely enjoyable, but, like I said, treating as lovable quirksthe fact that this man has lived a life sleeping on a twin platform bedsurrounded by file cabinets, his wardrobe pretty much the clothes onhis back, no real friends to speak of, etc., seems to be a major flawof this otherwise interesting film.

Caleb Chadwick (2012-05-20 01:16)

One 2011's best films

This feature about one of the worlds leading photographers is somethingnot to be missed. It paints the portrait of a man who see's the worldfrom a different view than most. It shows the beauty in the mind of onewho's view on fashion is something that comes from a deeper place. Weget to see snip-it's of Bill Cunningham's deepest emotions and also thevision of a true visionary. These moments captured are charming,slightly funny, and relevant. Of all the documentaries scoping the lifeof one person I've seen, they really don't get much better than this.This film, which does have much critical acclaim now, is one that isdeserving of it's praise, and at the same time is not in any waypretentious. It is not only one of the most heartfelt films of theyear, but also one of the very best.

polar24 (2012-05-19 21:16)

Fashion as art, on the street, fuelled by passion for life.

Wonderful film about the misunderstood and often contradictorypeculiarities of the fashion world. Bill himself is an everyday manstrikingly distinct from some of the outrageous fashions on display incontemporary New York yet he is respected ans one of the most enduringauthorities on fashion today. His simple and discreet way of living asembodied by his spare and modest studio in Carnegie hall (a starkcontrast in itself) illustrates Cunningham's principles on fashionitself: "It's not the celebrity, the spectacle, it's the clothes." What is also insightful is how tends and set and grow organically outon the street, not on some fashion runway (although it remains afascination for Bill). The idea that fashion is not just for the richand famous, but for the everyday person is exemplified by the "bagladies" of new york, the "water bottle", "baggy jeans", and 80sfashion; it's lovely to see Bill pay tribute to these somewhateccentric trends in the column that also charts the who's who of highsociety in New York as if to say "these are our people, and this is ourculture, no matter who you are."Bill is a charming and enigmatic character, still going strong at 80(!)years and heartwarming to see with so much respect amongst his peers.The city of New York is a character itself as always, the variety offashion and cultures is incredibly rich and entertaining. He shows thatthere are many good people in high society who donate themselves tocharitable and artistic institutions; yet while he becomes involved inthat world of riches he remains cautious about becoming too involveddedicating himself solely to the art of fashion.While Bill concedes he may not have lived the ideal life (and I thinkthe interviewer probes just a little too close), his life remainsimmensely rich from his friends and connections, one in which he hasalmost free rein to document his passions, ironically without thematerial things fashion itself can exemplify. He is such an enigmaticand joyous character that one can only believe his is greatly fulfilledby life, and only wrongly assume, he is missing out on anything.

Angela Carone (2012-05-19 08:50)

I loved this documentary...

I love Bill Cunningham. He's the original street fashion photographer -the one who mastered today's trend - and a New York institution. Foryears, he's been documenting fashion trends on the streets of New York,which he traverses on his trusty Schwinn, reporting for The New YorkTimes.Cunningham does a regular feature for the Times called "On the Street"in which you hear him talk about the photos he's taken. He's always sounabashedly enthusiastic.Who knew you could be so happy about trench coats, leggings, andleopard print? OK, so I've been happy about those things (maybe not theleopard print). But Cunningham's appreciation for statement andexpression makes fashion seem like a place for everyday adventureinstead of a consumer trap.A new documentary called "Bill Cunningham: New York" opens in San Diegothis weekend. In it, we learn that Cunningham's life is his work. He'sin his 80s and has lived something of monastic existence in the name offashion - or as he might put it - the pursuit of beauty.He's never had a romantic relationship. He attends church every Sunday.For years he lived in a tiny apartment above Carnegie Hall packed withfile cabinets where he stores copies of every photograph he's evertaken (he's still shooting film). The apartment had no kitchen and apublic bathroom down the hall. He stored his bike in a hall closet,retrieving it daily to hit the streets with his camera and rolls offilm.Cunningham and the last remaining tenants (paying rent-control prices)at Carnegie Hall moved last year, forced out by the owners who wantedto expand and renovate the apartments into offices and classrooms.The film also introduces us to Cunningham's former and eccentricneighbors at Carnegie Hall. The most fascinating is Editta Sherman, a99-year-old photographer who was once a muse for Andy Warhol. Shermanhas been called the "Duchess of Carnegie Hall" where she lived for over60 years.For all the artifice and pretense of the worlds he covers (fashion andNew York society), Cunningham is humble and completely without airs.He's a chronic smiler and his sense of humor is refreshing in anindustry known for pouty lips and raised eyebrows.For more of this review, go to the Culture Lust blog on www.kpbs.org

brimon28 (2012-05-17 13:34)

An exciting picture of one man's New York

Once upon a time this reviewer was a photographer who rode a bicyclefor work. I carried a camera always. Film, until digital becamecheaper. Here we have a man in love with his city and his camera.Director Press (what an apt name!), who also photographs and cuts, setsout to draw a man. In doing so he puts a tiny figure into a broadpanorama of what some would say is the cultural capital of the world.Could a Bill Cunningham exist anywhere else? OK, we spend a little timein Paris, but the flavor is New York. This reviewer knows New York, hasbeen influenced by Paris with but fleeting visits. This film alludes tothe work of Jean Luc Godard, a director of imagination. Amongstphotographers, Paris and New York evoke images that stimulate andprovoke.In my reviews I've been critical of hand-held camera work. Otherwisefine films, I believe, have suffered because the cinematographers haveforgotten that viewers expect to see steady images. This film useshand-held wisely, intercutting it with fixed scenes. There is a rhythmof busy, noisy shots interspersed with quiet, even contemplativematerial. This is an absorbing, thoughtful motion picture, telling astory of a "stills" master.As I walked out of the cinema, people chatted animatedly with strangersabout what they had seen, a reaction I had not before seen. My ownreaction was envy and admiration. Here was an octogenarian riding abike, when I had had to give it up; a photographer productive andimaginative. Lovely and exciting.

Turfseer (2012-05-17 04:36)

Feel good documentary about one-of-a-kind, modern day Peter Pan

Nominated for a Spirit Award for Best Documentary, 'Bill Cunningham NewYork' is an entertaining and enjoyable film about a fascinatingeccentric who no doubt belongs in the pantheon of all-time great NYCcharacters. 'Bill' initially worked as a fashion columnist but has nowbeen at the NY Times for many years primarily as both a rovingphotographer and fashion maven/columnist.'Bill' is now in his early eighties, and has been seen bicycling aroundthe city for years. Director Richard Press found some footage at the NYTimes, from over twenty years ago, which featured Cunningham talkingabout his work, and he hasn't changed a bit. Bill lived for years in avery small apartment above Carnegie Hall where he kept all hisnegatives and photos. There are some interviews with some of hisneighbors and friends, extraordinary in their own right.What's great about Bill is that he is full of energy and loves hiswork. His main thing is photographing people (mainly women) who aredressed in a way that impresses him. Bill only photographs those whohe's drawn to—he appears to be an excellent critic when it comes tofashion. Even though he often covers big society events for the NYTimes, he's never drawn to the cult of celebrity.Despite his great talents, Bill is completely modest in his personallife. He hardly has any clothes and seems to delight in wearing thesame windbreaker wherever he goes. He has no interest in food per seand basically indicates that he's asexual. Bill becomes emotional onlywhen he discusses his devotion to his Roman Catholic faith (attendingchurch every Sunday appears to provide him with an 'anchor' asotherwise, he is constantly 'on the run').There is no doubt that Bill Cunningham is a beloved character. This isevidenced by the birthday party thrown for him by NY Times staff aswell an award given to him in Paris as a man of letters. You'll alsoget a peek at how his columns at the Times are put together, with theable assistance of a production assistant.You don't really have to be interested in fashion to appreciate BillCunningham New York. He is a one-of-a-kind, modern day Peter Pan.