Helmut Newton: The Bad and the Beautiful
2020 [GERMAN]
Action / Biography / Documentary / History
Plot summary
Women were clearly at the core of legendary photographer Helmut Newton's work. The stars of his iconic portraits and fashion editorials – from Catherine Deneuve to Grace Jones, Charlotte Rampling to Isabella Rossellini – finally give their own interpretation of the life and work of this controversial genius. A portrait by the portrayed. Provocative, unconventional, subversive, his depiction of women still sparks the question: were they subjects or objects?
Director
Top cast
Tech specs
720p.WEB 1080p.WEBMovie Reviews
The main attraction here is the chance to
Rather Besty than Baeautiful!
The powerful Helmut Newton (Helmut Neustädter, German/Australian fashion and nude photographer) behind his camera strips these not-so-weak women of their clothes in often surprising circumstances, in bizarre poses, often with frowning faces. They accept this, admire the resulting photographs and are grateful to him for allowing them in front of the camera, often pushing their way through the queue of those waiting their turn. Barely an attempt to expose an artist specialising in female nudes, which provokes contradictory opinions. Instead of an honest portrait and an insightful analysis of the artist's achievements, the adoration of female flatterers (not a single male reference!) from Anna Wintour to Isabella Rossellini, Grace Jones, Charlotte Rampling, Marianne Faithfull, Claudie Schiffer and Hanna Schygulla to Susan Sontag. She was the only one - while having nothing for Newton himself - to distance herself decisively from the products of his work and allow herself to assess them critically ("...victims, as in Stockholm syndrome, fall in love with the abuser..."). _ Witek Rusin.







