Could there be a more arcane title for a documentary? Quite possibly, no. But despite its seemingly cold appearance, Visual Acoustics: The Modernism of Julius Shulman is a fascinating exploration of the cross section between photography and architecture and their critical symbiosis as seen through the eyes of the titular photographer. Shulman is an aging master of the art of photography (still capturing Los Angeles at 97 years old when the film was made), and helped launch the careers of architects instrumental to the development of the field, such as Frank Lloyd Wright.
My own knowledge of architecture resides in a three month job at the University of Oregon’s Allied Arts and Architecture library, and more specifically, to the time I spent looking through architecture books when I was supposed to be shelving them. Hence my familiarity is cursory at best, but Shulman proves a personality captivating enough to lead a viewer like myself through the history of modern architecture, essentially divulging the roots of Modernism itself. The expert direction of Eric Bricker drives the film at a surprisingly quick pace, leaving one satisfied but ultimately wanting more at the end of its 82 minute run time.
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