Viewed in
2007
Premise
A documentary on the art of fakery using a footage from a documentary about Elmyr de Hory.
Who should watch
Very open-minded moviegoers. Film buffs.
Thoughts
This was arguably the weirdest film I had ever seen. It felt very much like and unlike a documentary should be. But it was magical.
Basically, Elmyr de Hory was the world's most famous paint forgery artist. His biography was written by Clifford Irving, who created his own scandal when he wrote Howard Hughes' biography (a complete fabrication). François Reichenbach did a documentary on Elmyr at this time. Finally, Orson Welles used this footage and created his own documentary narrative about the art of faking.
As for the film itself, it was quite riveting. The subjects, Elmyr and Irving, were very interesting. Was it a crime? Was it cheating? Was it genius? Was it art? With the help of Orson Welles' undeniable presence, I was swept up into a great story with explorations into the meaning of art, full of lies and truths about lies.
This was a weird film, but I love weird film. Watch at your own risk.
What I would change
Nothing.
