Directed by: Ian McCulskey
	Run Time: 58 min
	NW Documentary Arts & Media

I’ll be honest; I’ve always been a huge admirer of Edward Weston! My bookcase reflects this – I have more linear feet devoted to Weston than any other artist. So it’s not surprising that when I heard there was a new DVD about his life and work I had to order it. The DVD arrived last month and it doesn’t disappoint, it is a wonderful addition to the pantheon of the Weston legacy.

“Eloquent Nude” is in the Ken Burns style of biography – weaving interviews, voice-overs, historic images, archival footage and re-creations to advance the story. While the technique is not as polished as what we have come to expect, it is nonetheless an informative film.

This film concentrates on the years 1934 to 1945, the time Charis Wilson and Edward Weston shared. Told mainly through the recollections of now 90 year-old Charis, historic continuity is maintained by other authors and family members. To hear first hand, the story of their life and adventures together puts flesh and blood back into the dry dusty bones of biographical skeletons.

Charis Wilson, 28 years his junior, was Weston’s second wife and long time model. What emerges in this film is a portrait of a partnership in photography – Edward was the creative genius with a lust for life. Charis was more than his model/wife, she was what many great artists need, an enthusiastic supporter, writer, editor with a passion for his art, and lust for life. This lust for life is a theme that runs through the film, something that is often overlooked in the academic biographies.

Although their marriage ended in 1945 Edward and Charis remained close. Deep regret fills Charis as she recounts the difficult final years beginning with her leaving Edward and his decline with Parkinson’s disease, a testament to the fact that she never stopped loving the man.

For me, the hidden gems in this DVD are two interviews with Edward’s grandson – Kim Weston. These interviews are in the “extras” – Little House, Big Spirit and The Project Prints. Kim’s interesting perspective on life on Wildcat Hill (Weston’s home), and blunt analysis of the “Weston mystique” are worth watching.

Any fan of Weston’s life and work will find this film insightful.

 

-Philip

More Information . . .