:
Chuck Close,
Chuck Close,
Roy Lichtenstein,
more...
:
John Walters,
John Walters
see all cast/crew...
: Palm Pictures
: Documentary, Independent, Biographies, Art, Quirky Characters
: 90 min.
: English
see additional details...
This title is currently out of print.
|
|
Ray Johnson was an artist who followed a creative path so individual than even his closest friends were often hard put to explain just what he was up to. Once described as "the most famous unknown artist in America," Johnson was a legend partly for his work (in which he incorporated pop art images, collage, rubber stamps, and any number of other elements in a unique and groundbreaking manner), partly for his striking sense of humor (he once accepted an offer of 1,500 dollars for a piece after someone had offered to pay 2,000 dollars -- but cut 25 percent of the painting away before sending it to its new owner), and partly for his unique behavior (which many saw as a variety of performance art, including his suicide, after which he was found drowned in Sag Harbor -- with a treasure trove of unseen artwork carefully arranged in his home). How to Draw a Bunny (a title which refers to the cartoon rabbit that was Johnson's signature) is a documentary about Ray Johnson's always memorable life and death, and features video footage of the artist's performance pieces, as well as interviews with friends and contemporaries Roy Lichenstein, Christo, Chuck Close, and Billy Name; jazz great Max Roach composed the film's musical score. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
|
| like a pynchon novel
by walcottd
July 20, 2006 - 10:30 PM PDT
|
|
|
1 out of 2 members found this review helpful
|
| By the end, you feel you know less than when you began and you can only speculate about Ray Johnson. Speculate like everyone else in the film and some of these people knew Ray Johnson fairly well. The story is fascinating and the confessionals by New York biggies, and a few of the pop art centers (Chelsea Hotel, The Factory) are worth it alone. Johnson work is at times heavy, others light, and sometimes surprisingly hilarious where they are on the tipping point of being crude. I would recommend doing a little research on Johnson before seeing this film. Walters' story has a few holes, but they did not dilute my experience. I really loved this film. When it was over, I watched it a second time. Later that night, I talked about it during a dinner party, telling friends they must see this movie. I still couldn't tell them much about Ray Johnson, though. |
| This movie is BORING
by taramurray22
October 8, 2005 - 5:15 PM PDT
|
|
|
3 out of 11 members found this review helpful
|
| The guy's art is sort of interesting, but this movie is worse than boring. I'm a fine artist and was looking forward to the story, but the film lost me in only ten minutes. As in fiction, a documentary has to make you care about the subject, even if you don't like him or her. This made me not care at all whether the guy lived or died. If I wanted to see an artist go crazy and piss people off, I'd videotape myself. Yawn. |
| a great documentary
by marcelmarsyas
June 3, 2005 - 12:29 PM PDT
|
|
|
4 out of 5 members found this review helpful
|
This movie is a must see for anyone interested in documentary films and filmmaking. It also helps to have an interest in the N.Y. art scene, which Ray Johnson managed to intertwine with in a unique, uncompromising and intriguing manner. The anecdotes given by friends and people in the "art business" greatly help in both resolving and enhancing the riddle of this complex character who seemed to keep people at a distance, while having the main motivational aspect of his work be correspondence and poetic communication. While I still don't love his artwork or feel that Ray Johnson was a "great" artist in the accepted ways that are used to guage greatness... he was certainly one of the more fascinating characters, both in his diligence toward remaining in the art world and his refusal to conform to its standards. This film follows a thread every bit as amusing, poignant and thought provoking as the subject's life, and does it very well. |
|
|
GreenCine Member Rating
(Average 7.20)
97 Votes
add to list 
|
|
|
Your cart
comababy
beretta
© 2006 All Media Guide, LLC. Portions of content provided by All Movie Guide®,
a trademark of All Media Guide, LLC.