Helmut Newton: The Bad and the Beautiful

The powerful Helmut Newton (Helmut Neustädter, German/Australian fashion and * photographer) behind his camera strips these not-so-weak women of their clothes in often surprising circumstances, in bizarre poses, often with frowning faces. They accept this, admire the resulting photographs and are grateful to him for allowing them in front of the camera, often pushing their way through the queue of those waiting their turn. Barely an attempt to expose an artist specialising in female nudes, which provokes contradictory opinions. Instead of an honest portrait and an insightful analysis of the artist's achievements, the adoration of female flatterers (not a single male reference!) from Anna Wintour to Isabella Rossellini, Grace Jones, Charlotte Rampling, Marianne Faithfull, Claudie Schiffer and Hanna Schygulla to Susan Sontag. She was the only one - while having nothing for Newton himself - to distance herself decisively from the products of his work and allow herself to assess them critically ("...victims, as in Stockholm syndrome, fall in love with the abuser..."). _ Witek Rusin.

The purpose of art is to present a reflection of a moment in time. Presumably, without the conflicts of societal restraints, initially created in the spirit of free thought, his creations, his art and passion is presented with respect to the female person and human form. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, it is rare to find a soul with the ability to see, capture and present artwork that is so universal there is little to criticize. Personal preference is the only determining factor that is qualified to detract from the beauty of his work.

We've often discussed the line between arthouse and grindhouse. There's a similar division between glamour and smut. As one of the great masters of photography, Helmut Newton found fame exploring the female form. But were the women in his pieces empowered or exploited? These provocative, sensual and at times subversive images are the real stars of this film, which also features Newtpm's home movies and archival footage of the artist in the media. Grace Jones, his muse Charlotte Rampling, Isabella Rossellini, Anna Wintour, Claudia Schiffer, Marianne Faithfull, Hanna Schygulla, Nadja Auermann, and Newton's wife June (photographer Alice Springs) all make appearances here, discussing how Newton's photography impacted their lives and how they saw themselves as attractive beings. Directed by German filmmaker Gero von Boehm, this documentary is packed with the very images that it discusses. Of course, Grace Jones steals the show. But did you expect any less? No matter where you stand on the divide between treasure or trash, you'll find plenty of intriguing material here. Despite his death in 2004, his work has stood the test of time. His work is such a part of our psyche, particularly with Playboy, which published an entire book of his work for the magazine. There is also an incredible shot of Jerry Hall that he shot from Adam, his giant nudes and even the portrait of Thatcher that Vanity Fair assigned to him. Time referred to Newton as The King of Kink. But was he? Or just someone unafraid to shock, to play with gender roles and a man that encouraged women to own their fantasies - provided he could take the photos of the evidence? Make up your mind for yourself.

The purpose of art is to present a reflection of a moment in time. Presumably, without the conflicts of societal restraints, initially created in the spirit of free thought, his creations, his art and passion is presented with respect to the female person and human form. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, it is rare to find a soul with the ability to see, capture and present artwork that is so universal there is little to criticize. Personal preference is the only determining factor that is qualified to detract from the beauty of his work.

We've often discussed the line between arthouse and grindhouse. There's a similar division between glamour and smut. As one of the great masters of photography, Helmut Newton found fame exploring the female form. But were the women in his pieces empowered or exploited? These provocative, sensual and at times subversive images are the real stars of this film, which also features Newtpm's home movies and archival footage of the artist in the media. Grace Jones, his muse Charlotte Rampling, Isabella Rossellini, Anna Wintour, Claudia Schiffer, Marianne Faithfull, Hanna Schygulla, Nadja Auermann, and Newton's wife June (photographer Alice Springs) all make appearances here, discussing how Newton's photography impacted their lives and how they saw themselves as attractive beings. Directed by German filmmaker Gero von Boehm, this documentary is packed with the very images that it discusses. Of course, Grace Jones steals the show. But did you expect any less? No matter where you stand on the divide between treasure or trash, you'll find plenty of intriguing material here. Despite his death in 2004, his work has stood the test of time. His work is such a part of our psyche, particularly with Playboy, which published an entire book of his work for the magazine. There is also an incredible shot of Jerry Hall that he shot from Adam, his giant nudes and even the portrait of Thatcher that Vanity Fair assigned to him. Time referred to Newton as The King of Kink. But was he? Or just someone unafraid to shock, to play with gender roles and a man that encouraged women to own their fantasies - provided he could take the photos of the evidence? Make up your mind for yourself.