dvd: almost absolutely robert wilson

Robert Wilson, The Temptation of St Anthony courtesy Melbourne International Arts Festival

FOR THOSE WHO MISSED ROBERT WILSON’S SURPRISINGLY ANIMATED, PERFORMATIVE AND VERY FUNNY TALK ABOUT HIS LIFE, ART AND CAREER AT THE 2006 SYDNEY FESTIVAL, ABSOLUTE WILSON, A GENEROUS 105-MINUTE DOCUMENTARY BY KATHARINA OTTO-BERNSTEIN, IS MORE THAN COMPENSATION.

The film offers a talkative Wilson, words from Tom Waits, Susan Sontag (who saw every performance of some works), William Burroughs, David Byrne, Phillip Glass and others, along with images and footage from many shows. There are tantalising glimpses of works Australians are unlikely ever to see and ones they just might have (Einstein on the Beach or Black Rider) or are looking forward to (like the The Temptation of Saint Anthony at the 2007 Melbourne international Arts Festival). The film gives us as much of the personal Wilson as he doubtless allows, some of it fascinating, and plenty of the artist (including the hard taskmaster), and even though there’s no interrogation of the great man’s attitudes, this is an immensely valuable, well-crafted and entertaining document. RT

We are giving away six copies of Absolute Wilson courtesy of DV1.

See giveaways (p56)

RealTime issue #81 Oct-Nov 2007 pg. 34

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