Remembering Arthur

Arthur Lipsett was a Canadian filmmaker who came to prominence in the 1960s, and is still best known for his early shorts which were – to put it mildly – extremely experimental and (according to his colleagues and admirers) flat-out revolutionary. Directed by close friend Martin Lavut, the picture documents Lipsett’s career and life, with a particular emphasis on his tragic later years. While it seems obvious that Lipsett’s films have influenced a whole host of contemporary moviemakers (George Lucas sings his praises early on), it’s virtually impossible to completely grasp what made his work so indelible. Lavut offers the viewer less-than-impressive bits and pieces of his films, and as such, one can’t help but walk away with the feeling that Lipsett swindled his followers into believing that was some kind of an innovative genius. But the reality is that Lipsett’s distinctly avant garde sensibilities are very much a product of its time; there’s virtually nothing within his work for contemporary viewers to embrace (although, admittedly, his use of rapid cuts and spatial disorientation have clearly influenced the modern music video). Lavut’s closeness to his subject becomes increasingly problematic as the movie progresses, as the filmmaker dwells on some of the less interesting aspects of his life and simply doesn’t know when to stop. As a result, Remembering Arthur goes on for at least a half hour longer than it needs to – although there’s no doubt that, as a primer on Arthur Lipsett and his work, the film succeeds (it’s just as clear, however, than fans of the filmmaker will undoubtedly get a whole lot more out of this than neophytes).