Bill Cunningham New York is a beautiful, gentle film about a beautiful gentle man. Cunningham is an octogenarian fashion photographer who has been taking pictures on the streets and at the parties of New York for the NY Times since the 1970s, and that is as much as I knew about him before I stumbled across the film and remembered that someone somewhere a long time ago had said it was good.
Despite what you might expect, the film is not about photography and it's not about fashion, it's about a gentleman and an artist, striving to make pure work in a desperately commercialised industry. Bill Cunningham is a quiet, infectiously cheerful, unassuming man who until he was evicted lived in a tiny kitchenless and bathroomless studio in Carnegie Hall, sleeping on a camp bed, surrounded by filing cabinets full of his negatives. He travels around New York on his bicycle, with his old Nikon film camera slung around his neck, wearing a blue jacket that he first spotted on some Parisian street cleaners and thought looked both practical and was a nice colour. He is 84.
The film is about him in the simplest way that a film can be a portrait of a person; it follows him working; interviews him about his thoughts, life and ideas; speaks to the people who know and love him, (which seems to be everyone, he is an immensely lovable man - something that becomes apparent almost as soon as the film begins) and leaves the viewer to fall for and feel for the man as it goes. There isn't much that I can say about him or the film that doesn't feel inadequate; it's quietly moving and inspiring and if your heart isn't a little bit broken by that interview with him (you'll know it when you see it) then you might want to get your heart checked, because it's likely defective. It's been 3 hours since I watched it and I still feel tearful.
*image Bill Cunningham by The Sartorialist
Fin and I loved this film too, especially those apartments in Carnegie Hall, and the weird and wonderful characters that lived in them. So sad that they had to leave. I really hoped we might see Bill when we happened to be in Paris during fashion week, but no dice.
ReplyDeleteIf you have any other Netflix recommendations, send them our way - I've finished Mad Men and Parks and Rec, and now I'm bereft.
I've done seasons 1-5 of Dawson's Creek (obvs), Orange is the New Black (the first episode isn't great but it gets AMAZING), Nye and I are watching Bones (David Boreanaz) and I've just started Sons of Anarchy (I'm not really following it, but big hairy bikers + amazing soundtrack)
DeleteI don't know about the netflix, but I have just rented it on the iTunes.
ReplyDeleteI return I can offer up The great beauty and Into the wild as being good watches.
Oh you *need* to know about the Netflix. And thank you.
DeleteI sort of carry around this anxiety that one morning I'll wake up and hear on the radio that he's died. But for now, I love seeing him around and get ridiculously excited whenever I do.
ReplyDeleteThe documentary really is wonderful. The only part that felt wrong was when they probed into his sexuality. I just felt it was beside the point and it upset him and put him on the spot. I guess as a viewer I felt protective of him and wondered why they wanted to put such a fine point on something that's better left ambiguous...
It's true, it was painfully intrusive. I felt very protective of him too. And you see him around? How wonderful! I admit that when I realised his age I immediately started thinking about how sad I'll be when I hear he has died. But that's not yet and not now so I'm going to try not to dwell.
DeleteThis film was one of the best, most beautiful, most warming I have watched. He is a wonderful man, humble, kind, good hearted. So nice to be reminded of it.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the recommendation. I think O would love it.
ReplyDeleteI've watched that movie a couple/few times as it's so fantastic and also somehow so incredibly fascinating. To the comment above about his sexuality being questioned in the film I agree that it was a little uncomfortable, but also felt like such an important question to be raised. Because all of the people interviewed in the film talked about how they had no real idea of Bill's personal life; friends, family, lovers, background, etc. the question was just trying to get at that piece of him a little bit I think. And the other important piece to that question I think is, can anyone really have their hobby or job completely fulfill them in a way that it seemed Bill's did. It wasn't just asking "are you gay?" it was asking "can this photography of people and fashion fill all your life needs so you don't have to look elsewhere or to others?" It seems it does for Bill, but who knows right? That's a great documentary for you, one you could talk about over wine with friends for a very long time ;)
ReplyDeleteAdore! We can't wait to sneak a peek into this lovely man's thoughts. Thank you for sharing this beautiful recommendation!
ReplyDeletexo
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I've just searched for this as it sounds amazing and Netflix have "rotated it out of their entertainment catalogue". Gutted, but will find it somewhere, thanks for the tip.
ReplyDeleteOh this sounds brilliant... I've really done documentary films with Netflix yet (stuck on a loop of The Bridge and Battlestar!) but putting that on my to watch list x
ReplyDeleteIll have to add that to my watch list im catching up on 15 years of series with netflix I never knew what I was missing currently watching 24. But this sounds like a must see :)
ReplyDeleteLoved this documentary… don't forget that what we see in others is usually a mirror to ourselves :-)
ReplyDeleteYour lens has made as many people smile across the globe as Bill's …. just saying. ♥♥♥
One of my fave docs on Netflix. Been thinking of watching it again because that's what I like to do (I'm a repeat movie offender). So, I guess stumbling upon your blog to see you writing about Bill Cunningham wasn't so random after all! Thx!
ReplyDeleteAh, I so NEARLY watched it the other night, and then didn't because I've seen it before, but now I wish that I had done. I got put on to it a while back by my son, and I was so surprised as he's not particularly into fashion or photography - but he said that it was an absolutely fascinating must watch and he was right. My son, daughter and I, all watched it together and we were glued and I do remember having tears rolling down my face but...I don't completely remember why though I know it was a sensitive and incredibly touching film. So thank you - it's time to take another look at this fascinating man's life.
ReplyDeleteSusie