Ultrasuede: In Search of Halston (2010) User Reviews

who did this and why

[blanche-2 · 5/10 · 27 May 2021]

I don't know much about the person who made this Halston documentary, except that his hair color kept changing throughout the interviews.d

After seeing "Halston" the miniseries, I looked forward to this. The interviewer wasn't well prepared. The interviews were too off the cuff and badly edited. For instance, someone kept answering his cell phone - this should have been edited out. And what a jerk anyway.

I did like the Studio 54 section - it brought back a lot of memories for me since I lived in NYC at the time. I wasn't part of that scene but the disco music etc. And the rehash of that era was fun. I also loved the clips of Halston.

I did like Liza's interviews throughout the documentary.

Mostly it was a waste of film. I guess from reading the reviews the interviewer had money and was able to get this produced somehow. Sloppy.

The narcissist stays in the picture - and ruins it

[Maureenrk · 2/10 · 4 October 2012]

Who is this spoiled narcissist who takes a great and rich subject like Halstom and abuses it, abuses his access to these incredible figures in fashion and Halston's life, and captures it all with terrible camera work and editing? This obviously wealthy grown up trust fund brat of a man had nothing better in his life to do so he took up "filmmaking". He had moments with great subjects to really delve into the life of Halston and destroys them. Who sits down for an interview with Andre and asks terribly unprepared questions, and when Andre  thankfully starts to take charge of the situation and gets into some good history he gets interrupted by this dope of a person who left their cell phone on? Seriously? Only a spoiled brat takes these situations for granted and leaves their cell phone on and an amateur leaves the scene in because they don't know how to properly edit. I really wanted to finish this movie because I adore Halston but I turned it off less than halfway through. I am saddened that this immature filmmaker is trying to ride a trend of fashion docs to somehow magically transport himself in a world he so poorly misunderstands. And with it he completely misses his mark exploring this wonderful American icon's life.

Fantastic subject that is butchered by a self-serving, novice director!

[mikethejanitor · 1/10 · 8 March 2015]

Was this film about Halston? Or was it about the director's love FOR Halston? Whatever the case, it's terrible no matter how you view it. What a missed opportunity to convey a great story about the life and career of an American fashion icon.

Director Whitney Smith is deplorable in this documentary by driving around in a 70's Pontiac Firebird trying to be chic in 70's clothes and wigs.

He seems to have no idea how to conduct interviews and doesn't appear to be prepared to meet with the pretty impressive line-up of fashion elite and celebrities that are featured in this documentary.

And he does this looking and acting like a total clown/novice.

It's cringe worthy and embarrassing. The story of Halston is an amazing one with some great archival footage and story telling from the people that knew Halston. Sadly, the director focuses too much time on himself and not enough time on the subject matter.

Underwhelming!

[jkochoa4966 · 2/10 · 14 March 2013]

A documentary about Halston could be so great! Sigh. Unfortunately, this film seems to be poorly spliced together with interviews (if you could call them interviews) of some of the people who knew Halston in the fashion world, and others who were notably closest to him like Liza Minelli. The Good: Some great vintage photographs of Halston and models dressed in his clothes mostly during the late 70s disco scene. Some video clips of Halston in the early 1980s. Also the recollections of model Pat Cleveland were quite interesting and somewhat moving.

The Bad: There were "interviews" with the filmmaker's mother, music stars Billy Joel, Nile Rodgers and a few others that should have been edited. Liza Minelli's naive (untruthful?) recollections of Studio 54 and Halston's free-time seem frankly incredible. The Dupont twins obviously have some great knowledge about Halston and Studio 54, but the moderator rushed the conversation and miniscule information was gleaned. The rest of these interviews, with some greatly notable people, were all too brief and all over the place. A quick standup interview (who didn't even take the time to sit down) with Ming Vauze scratched the surface of a torrid tormented relationship of Halston with Victor Hugo, and the end of Halstons life in San Francisco while he suffered from AIDS.

The Ugly: Liza Minelli. Even the great Halston wasn't able to make her look attractive in any fashion, or daylight! Thus he was frequently seen with her out under the flashing colored disco lights of night. Andy Warhol. Hideous friend of Halston was shown in numerous photographs, but we'll not know after watching this documentary how close the two were, how well they got along and what their common interests were.

A wonderful idea RUINED by this IDIOT 'filmmaker'

[UNOhwen · 10 June 2020]

I'd wanted to see this since I first heard about it. It was playing on a streaming service and started - enthusiastically - to watch.

There were warning signs to how bad this world be almost instantly.

The VO - sine by the market of this - started off on the world foot when he's doing his introduction.

This is supposed to be a documentary about THE preeminent American designer, Halston.

The dummy's very first words were, 'the 70's had it all; drugs, sex and disco....' then he says how he saw pictures of this person, Halston all over and he was '...always surrounded by these gorgeous chicks...'

My stomach was turning.

He starts off with an... Interviewer - and I use the word lightly - with Liza Minelli.

She invites him into her gorgeous (Halston decorated) aspirant, and as she's taking, saying how after he died she'd given a memorial, this oaf interrupts and says, 'did you sing?'

Liza was nice enough bit to smack this idiot. She politely said this wasn't about her, but him - her deceased friend. She went on to say that this filmmaker should 'go so research'.

The next interview with André Leon Talley (I'd you sunny know who he is this isn't a documentary for you, either), who - as he's briefly explaining how Halston started as a milliner, was discovered by Diana Vreeland.

At this, the nabob says, 'who's that?'

This was ONLY five minutes in.

I quickly turned this garbage off.

Angrily, I might add.

Part of my anger is, how did this dummy manage to get such good placement for what is an amateurish, terribly researched piece of garbage?!?! . I'd really hope that someone who has a background in fashion or an interest in it (at least!) can make a documentary about this iconic designer.

And put this piece in the trash.

Informative, qualified people, amazing archieve...

[ezgiyaykiranatik · 10/10 · 31 August 2022]

Netflix series' grade is 7.5 that is almost completely formed by unfilled, insufficient material. This documentary focused on his real side, his ability, his professional history, not about his personal life that is mentioned just because rating. This project reflects the true, he was a good man. Not a toxic, egoist, grumpy, brutal fiction char.

Guys, it is not easy to find and arrange this archive, this people. I don't understand why there is a big pressure in comments. Producer mentions from the beginning about his interest in searching Halston and did this with an amateur style. Also a crucial note, this is the first cinematic project was made about Halston. It would be amazing to see Halston in more projects:/

Finally, I got beautiful memories, photos, videos and new informations, insights about great Halston. Good job. Thank you so much🙏👏 Don't miss!

Ghastly Creep makes film about Ghastly Queen

[boydwalters · 3/10 · 10 June 2012]

And manages to leave all the sex and drugs out after flaunting that as the tag line Believe me the sex and drugs part would have been the only reason to make this film The film maker thinks he a form of Louis Theroux who ain't worth having a clone of anyway ... But would have made a more interesting film than this Liza Minelli denying knowing about the drugs and sex in Studio 54 ... Give me a break This really is a complete fiasco that is too scared to tell the truth ... About anything Lets just hope this creep never gets the chance to make another one of these things ... Whatever they are And the most of the people involved in the interviews need to learn a bit about honesty or just not bother

Great

[faiqgul81 · 10/10 · 22 March 2020]

For the ones curious of US fashion and is history. Superb.

In search of Halston? Please look elsewhere...

[spencer-michele-920-976506 · 2/10 · 30 May 2021]

Please read the other reviews, because I cannot fully put into words just how awful this is. Coming of age in NYC in the late 70s and early 80s, I absolutely *adored* Halston! Now, what a muscle car and Halston have to do with one another is the first of some truly appalling moments to come. The director is the rudest Southerner I have ever seen, was completely ill-prepared to meet some of the biggest names in fashion, had zero sense of fashion history... Only the archival footage makes this bearable, and, even then, just barely. Watch the divine Netflix "Halston" instead!

Wrong Stephen Burrows listed under Cast

[trentlover65 · 9/10 · 20 May 2021]

Stephen Burrows, the African-American Designer appears in this documentary, not the comedic storyteller listed.

I watched this after the recent Netflix series "Halston", and appreciated it as a companion piece. But I do agree with previous reviews regarding the director's interviews with Liza Minelli and Andre Leon Talley....very cringey.