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Reviews
Bert Stern: Original Madman (2011)
Loved this movie
I saw this documentary at the MSP International Film Festival last night and I just loved it. It didn't hurt that Shannah Laumeister, the writer and director, was there to provide additional and very personal perspective on this remarkable man. I hadn't recognized Bert Stern, but I learned that he directed Jazz on a Summer's Day, which I saw at a film festival in Seattle a couple of years ago and which is one of my all- time favorite movies.
Stern was imaginative, artistic, and extremely successful at what he did. His career gave him many opportunities, including access to many of the most beautiful women in the world, and his photos are simply amazing.
My wife, on the other hand, didn't enjoy it nearly as much as I did. It would be interesting to know if the film generally appeals more to men than to women.
One distressing thing we learned from Ms. Laumeister is that no one has archived Stern's extensive collection of negatives. Unfortunately, that probably means that the colors have deteriorated over time and will continue to do so. It's interesting that the next movie we saw at the festival was the restored version of 1902's "A Trip to the Moon."