Review of Bill Cunningham New York (2011) by Tim S — 06 Oct 2015

I entered this documentary expecting it be about photography, instead it was about fashion. No matter, it was delightful, as is the subject that it seeks to document. Bill Cunningham is an impassioned and irresistibly charming man who photographs the beauty he sees around him on the streets of New York. Working in the industry for 60 years, Bill is as well-connected as many of the uptown socialites he photographs and yet he constantly seeks to remain out of the limelight. Himself plain-clothed and living in a glorified cupboard in Carnegie Hall, his raison d'etre is his insatiable appetite for creativity. There is a sadness to Bill's life though: he reveals that he has never been in a romantic relationship; that he has no time for hobbies outside of his work. What has this man's singular devotion cost him in his life?

Cutie and the Boxer (2013) is a documentary about a similarly elderly artist working in New York, once a rising star in the 70's art scene. Where Ushio Shinohara (the titular 'Boxer') is an artist who is somewhat stuck in a period and lacking relevancy, Bill Cunningham is entirely at the top of his game and still keeps the major fashion houses in check when they try to repeat old designs.

Enough gushing about Bill Cunningham. As a documentary it succeeds in giving us a snapshot (pun intended) of the subject's life without being too invasive or forcing an agenda. The film doesn't have a strong narrative, but when your subject is as fascinating as Bill Cunningham (okay, one final gush), who can blame the filmmakers for being distracted from their filmcraft.