Released the year of his death, and crucially, made after cinematographer Robby Müller had developed aphasia, this fine biographical essay film on the most distinctive of late 20th century independent lensers, can’t rely on his spoken reminiscences. Instead, along with the expected clips: found test footage, stills & home movies (‘home’ often as not the set of his current film) to give his unique ideas voice. Largely moving in chronological order, yet anything but a ‘then-I-shot’ walkthrough, director Claire Pijman makes this less a study of technique, more a study of lighting philosophy. With talk coming courtesy of favorite collaborators like regular directors Wim Wenders, Jim Jarmusch & Lars von Trier. Not that you’d know who's who if you didn’t already have some idea coming in. That’s because Pijman opts out of any on-screen signage to let us know who’s talking or what film excerpt is playing. What’s gained from leaving non-specialists in the dark escapes me. (So too the titles of many of the films!) But if it’s the only major mistake, it has the fault of pointlessly annoying you all thru the film! Oh well, fun spotting things you might have forgotten were Robby’s. Peter Bogdanovich’s SAINT JACK/’79, anyone?
SCREWY THOUGHT OF THE DAY: It beggars belief that Müller was never nominated for an Oscar®. Not even for his spectacular work on von Trier’s BREAKING THE WAVES/’96. But a funny incident in the film explains all. Seems he showed up for his first major Hollywood assignment (HONEYSUCKLE ROSE/’80) wondering why the company sent 40 people to shoot a sunset on location when he only wanted four or five to assist. The rest cooled their heels. Featherbedding a union call sheet not a part of his small-budget Indie-Euro experience. No wonder the ASC only got around to giving him their major career award in 2013, after he had retired.
ATTENTION MUST BE PAID: Müller gives a surprising amount of credit to mere patience, waiting for the sun to hit just the spot to naturally give him the light he was looking for.
DOUBLE-BILL: Scroll down a couple of posts to find one of Müller’s early ‘calling-card’ films, THE AMERICAN FRIEND/’77
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