122. Cunningham; movie review

CUNNINGHAM
Cert U
93 mins
BBFC advice: Contains infrequent very mild bad language

I could write down what I know about contemporary dance on the thinnest of cigarette papers.
Actually, that could apply to any type of dance - personally, I lack even the remotest shred of grace or rhythm.
Nevertheless, I admire those who do and was hoping to be enlightened by this documentary about one of dance's renowned boundary-pushers Merce Cunningham.
Sadly, it didn't really allow in those who didn't have prior knowledge of the subject.
Alla Kovgan's documentary is a chronicle of Cunningham's career for 30 years from the early 1940s and is interspersed with his most well-known choreography, performed by modern-day dancers.
It shows how he began as a struggling dancer in New York and gradually built a reputation until he was seen as one of the most visionary troupe leaders in the world.
But it also amplifies the difficulty of the journey and how he spent swathes of time being derided by the dance establishment and audiences.
Indeed, it wasn't too uncommon for tomatoes to be thrown during performances.
Cunningham was unfazed by the condemnation, established new techniques and developed an appreciation for new-style dance performances in collaboration with composer John Cage and visual artist Robert Rauschenberg.
Kovgan's film touches only briefly on his relationships which is a pity - Cage was his lifelong partner.
Instead, the movie concentrates on excerpts from Cunningham’s works from the time and also re-imagined at  interior and exterior locations.
It also presents Cunningham's diagrams and drawings provide insight into his creative process.
I probably missed out because I watched the documentary on my laptop on not on 3D as it was intended for cinema screens.
Nevertheless, I am now aware of one of the key drivers and performers who inspired much of the contemporary dance of today.

Reasons to watch: If you are a fan of contemporary dance
Reasons to avoid: If you don't understand the genre

Laughs: None
Jumps: None
Vomit: None
Nudity: None
Overall rating: 6.5/10

Did you know? Cunningham died peacefully at home in Manhattan in July 2009 and his company, unable to bear the prospect of continuing without him, launched a two-year farewell tour. They visited more than 50 destinations over the course of the grand goodbye, before closing forever with one final performance in New York on December 31, 2011.

The final word. Alla Kovgan: “I think I’m really on a mission about bringing back physicality to cinema." Gold Derby

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