Excellent and insightful film on the creative genius, Merce Cunningham. I will recommend to all my friends.
Cunningham
2019
Action / Biography / Documentary / Music
Cunningham
2019
Action / Biography / Documentary / Music
89% - Critics
83% - Audience
6.5Plot summary
Even for those who know little about dance, Merce Cunningham is a recognizable name - an iconic figure in his field. His mid-20th century collaborations with composer John Cage (his lifelong partner) and visual artist Robert Rauschenberg were central to an era of transformation. Cunningham resisted "avant-garde" or any other label. "I don't describe it. I do it," he once said. Now, with Cunningham, we have a chance to experience what he did. Filmmaker Alla Kovgan assembles the last generation of Cunningham dancers (led by Merce Cunningham Dance Company assistant director of choreography Jennifer Goggans) to present landmark works from the Cunningham repertoire. The film concentrates on the three decades from 1942 to 1972 when Cunningham was making his reputation. Gorgeously shot in 3D, Cunningham brings us closer to these works than any audience has ever been before. Taking an inventive approach with locations, the film places dancers in evocative backdrops such as a tunnel, a high-rise rooftop, and a forest. These current-day performances are interlaced with archival footage of Cunningham speaking and moving. We also hear illuminating interviews with Cage, Rauschenberg, and members of the original Merce Cunningham Dance Company, who endured years of rejection and outrage before they slowly won over audiences. "I never believed that idea that dancing was the greatest of the arts," said Cunningham. "But when it clicks, there's the rub. It becomes memorable. And one can be seduced all over again." Whether you come to Cunningham as a neophyte or an aficionado, you'll leave with a rich experience of his art.
Uploaded by: FREEMAN
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Top cast
Tech specs
720p.BLU 1080p.BLU 817.01 MB
1280*682
English 2.0
PG
Movie Reviews
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Merce Cunningham
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Explores the artistic development by legendary dancer Merce Cunningham
Cunningham is an immersive documentary about the early years and artistic development of legendary American dancer and choreographer Merce Cunningham. The film is thought-provoking and artistically beautiful. Cunningham is a work of art in and of itself and a journey exploring the development of modern dance.
The film highlights Merce Cunningham's dancing from 1942 to 1972. Artistic innovation and expression is its central theme. Time and space play important roles in the movements between the dancers themselves and their interaction with various settings. The settings for the various dances are as important as any character in the film; I particularly enjoy the outdoor performances with their natural environment. The movie is available in 3D, but I previewed this film in 2D and found it quite moving.
Dance is a very visual experience and director/editor Alla Kovgan gives us a breathtaking story. I love the blending of archival footage and live action in the film, which is perfection and gives you a feeling for the time period. The choreographic collaboration by Jennifer Goggans and Robert Swinston for this documentary is on point and brings another critical element to this story. The music adds emotion and depth with original music for the film composed by renowned Volker Bertelmann.
The message of this film is about exploring self expression and collaboration with others. Merce Cunningham saw his dancers as individuals first and dancers second. He valued their opinions and collaborated with many other artists in various fields such as his long standing friend, composer John Cage and with the iconic Andy Warhol.
As a dancer, I rate this film 4 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 10 to 18, as well as adults and dance enthusiasts.
Reviewed ;by Selene W,, KIDS FIRST! reporter
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Notes from a long conversation with my girlfriend after leaving the cinema
- Great to see a film about dancing! A relatively unexplored sub-genre of documentary, and Cunningham was welcome for this alone. It adds to a hole that I suppose Wenders' Pina opened.
- On that note, this film should not have been shot in 3d, which added nothing but nausia. We expect the 3d was entirely for the purpose of (a) copying Pina and, relatedly, (b) getting funding. But Cunningham's dances are far less spectacular and their presentation here likewise. The 3d only distracts from the movement in all but one Warhol-involved set, especially when edited with 2d archival.
- First half entertaining, second boring. The film progresses at a monotonous pace: one thing happens and then another and then another. No real conflict or tension.
Which is a problem. Because there evidently was plenty of this, but only in reality. The movie, on the other hand, brushes past unconvincingly. No one in the film is given space apart from Cunningham - everyone else speaks to convince the audience how great he is. I wanted to hear from one of his female dancers honestly, in long form, of the darkness of Cunningham. This would help to flesh out his character, give us something to chew on, and organise the film into a narrative. As is, we grew progressively distrusting and disengaged with the Greatest Hits/ Victory Lap tone, before the film ends suddenly with the news that all his dancers left.
- Ultimately we were left unconvinced that Cunningham (the dancer) was all that interesting. Fashionable certainly, he's attached to the right people, and I'm sure it would be great to be dancing as him, but the just-over-half-full prime-time-at-the-festival cinema was an endless circuit of yawns.
- Nevertheless we feel cultured now.