196. Silhouette Secrets; movie review

SILHOUETTE SECRETS
Cert TBA
65 mins
BBFC advice: TBA

Everyone knows what a silhouette is although few of us would consider how many we see in daily life.
It turns out that they are a subliminal but significant part of the advertisers' toolbox. Yes, the lady really does love Milk Tray.
But how many of us were aware that there are professional silhouette artists and they are the latest in a proud line?
Charles Burns is one - a man who can use scissors to cut a portrait at incredible speed. His finished work often takes less than a minute. The final result is mesmerisingly good.
Burns is passionate about his art and takes us on a journey through the history of silhouettists who were once the celebrities of British seaside piers.
Apparently, there were long queues for a likeness to be cut by the artists who resided in popular seaside resorts such as Brighton or Llandudno.
The history is intriguing as is Burns's semi-reluctant pursuit of the world record of cutting the most portraits in an hour.
The film follows him to the United States where he has a friendly duel with the long-standing record holder who bashed out 133 - that's less than 30 seconds per piece of art!
I enjoyed Burns's narration as he explores the silhouettists' heritage and brings to life some of the obscure and eccentric characters who have practised the art in the past.
The film starts and finishes in the present day but also charts from the Georgian era when the first professional silhouettists appeared.
He recounts their stories and speaks to historians and collectors, including a star contribution from the late Paul Daniels.
It makes for an illuminating and interesting documentary which has a bit of a 'how do they really do that' factor and doesn't outstay its welcome at a very crisp 65 minutes.


Reasons to watch: Fascinating insight into an unheralded art form
Reasons to avoid: Some may not be lured by the subject

Laughs: None
Jumps: None
Vomit: None
Nudity: None
Overall rating: 7/10

Did you know? The total number of words which can be made out of silhouettists is 440.

The final word. Charles Burns: "Making a film has been an unexpectedly wonderful experience, taking me well outside my comfort zone. I’ve loved every minute of it, from finding myself in front of a camera for the first time to the long hours spent in the editing suite."

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