Are you a fan of architecture? Or a fan of photography? Southern California? The 1950s/60? All of the above? Then don’t miss VISUAL ACOUSTICS.
Someone (Elvis Costello? Laurie Anderson? Martin Mull? The internet isn’t sure) once said “Writing about music is like dancing about architecture.” Julius Shulman, the subject of VISUAL ACOUSTICS, was a world-famous photographer of modern architecture. Photography, not dance, is a much more natural medium of representing architecture — as the movie points out, many more people will see photographs of these buildings than will be in their living rooms. And Shulman’s pictures are breath-taking.
Look at the photo below. This is one of Shulman’s most famous photographs, and it is discussed at length in the movie. Look at the angles, the perspective, the lights from the city in the distance. Look at the impossibility of the living room hanging in thin air: this works as a metaphor for both modern architecture (the impossible made real) and for Los Angeles itself (the precarious balance).
VISUAL ACOUSTIC tours many of the sites of Shulman’s famous photographs, many of which have either fallen into disrepair or have been modified beyond recognition by newer owners. I couldn’t help but feel sad for the loss of architectural significance, but glad that these photographs exist as a reminder of the buildings’ former greatness.
As an added bonus for film buffs, cinematographer Dante Spinotti discusses the effect that Shulman’s photos had on his own work with Michael Mann. Also, film buffs may recognize some of the locations… or at least, the southern California feelings these locations inspire. (For me, I also detected some similarities between Shulman’s work and the movies of directors like Orson Welles and Alfred Hitchcock.)
VISUAL ACOUSTICS screens Saturday Sept 25 at 4:15, and Sunday Sept 25 at 12:15, both at The Globe.
Posted by Randy Perry.
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Calgary International Film Festival 2011 