Joseph Beuys - Transformer (1979)

This filmed profile of Joseph Beuys is promising but may be ultimately frustrating for any viewer not already familiar with the career of the late avant-garde artist. Consisting primarily of footage shot during the Beuys show held at New York City s Guggenheim Museum in 1979, the video mostly features Beuys himself being interviewed, holding forth about art, mankind, and particular creations of his own. Having the artist himself speaking at some length seems like a fine idea, but a serious flaw with the video is that there is no narration beyond the commentary provided by Beuys. We see that the Guggenheim Museum devoted much of its grand space to an exhibit of his often puzzling work, so we know he was important, but the viewer is given scant information about the artist. What makes this all the more frustrating is that at times--such as when Beuys explains how his life was transformed when he was shot down by the Russians while serving in the German Luftwaffe during World War II--he speaks with such passion and obvious intelligence that a viewer is naturally curious to know more about him, which a narration would naturally provide. There are highlights to this video, such as a segment where Beuys explains the inspiration for his 1962 sculpture of copper, asphalt and wood, Grauballe Man, but unless someone already is familiar with Beuys, this tape may prove to be disappointing. Or perhaps, as a Beuys fan at the Guggenheim puts it in the video, Most people here are just confused and that s good, that s the whole point. --Robert J. McNamara