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Manufactured Landscapes (2006)
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Movie Review by Jesse
January 12th, 2008
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An Amazingly Photographed Film.
Nominated for the Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival in 2007, this film is a work of art. It may not appeal to everyone, but what it shows is something different than any other documentary I've seen lately. Watching it seems more like watching a photo journal essay of some sort because the film is flooded with pictures that Edward Burtynsky took while in China and Bangladesh.
Jennifer Baichwal's Manufactured Landscapes is not the best documentary of 2007, but it is my personal favourite. It's beautiful, yet tragic and disturbing at the same time. The scenes may be very long and there may be more pictures than film, but it all works together to deliver a fantastic presentation that not only pleases the eyes but raises awareness and comments on ecological destruction in a very distinctive way.
This film is based on a project by photographer Edward Burtynsky. He travels the world and takes photos of the odd beauty of industrialization and its affect on mankind.
The opening scene to this film is a long, five minute shot of a factory where the workers there make irons. It's a scene that many people remember due to the fact that they were bored to death by it. I, on the other hand, found it to be quite fascinating. It's not an exciting scene, but it is necessary.
This film is beautiful and if you're a person who is interesting in any type of photography (especially photo journalism), this is a perfect film for you to watch. The beauty of this film is found in the strangest places like a junkyard or a beach in Bangladesh where oil tankers are dismantled and recycled. The way Burtynsky captures these not-so-attractive events on film is mind-blowing. He makes the most dull of situations look like a work of art (my favourite being a shot of a pile of microchips that workers have accumulated in China). Even if you find this film slow and tedious, you should appreciate the visual aspects of this film.
I recommend this to everyone. It's one of the most strangely attractive films I have ever seen and I would even categorize this in the same league as Koyaanisqatsi. Amazing documentary and one of the most memorable of the year, in my opinion.
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