Review of Manufactured Landscapes (2006) by Gaurav G — 15 May 2008

We live in a globalized world. But we also live in our shells, in our little universes, happy to sip on our Starbucks, to drive our gas-guzzlers and to buy, buy, buy. We rarely ever stop to think of where our lives' little conveniences come from and how the processes of production and transportation alter our landscapes, perhaps forever.

Aware of the awesome transformative power of the human species, Edward Burtynsky travels to sites of mass production to record how we change our surroundings with little consideration for aesthetics or sustainability.

He provides a fascinating glimpse into the hidden worlds that sustain us. We get to look at the ravages of strip mining, the desolation of ship-breaking yards, the problems of e-waste and other such industries.

We get a glimpse of the people who work and live in the presence of these production systems. What makes this documentary more unforgettable is that it is not a call to arms. It does not wear its politics on its sleeve.

Rather, Burtynsky treats his subject aesthetically, looking for beauty in blight through interesting juxtapositions and the illumination of recurring motifs. Worth watching, but be warned that the pacing is somnolent.