Manufactured Landscapes Review

During my nature photography class we watched the documentary Manufactured  Landscapes, and the following is my reaction to it.  

The images, message, and presentation all combined to make Manufactured Landscapes a stunning movie. I really like Edward Burtynsky's concept, and how he shows all the damages capitalistic waste causes on the environment and other people with great artistry. The images of ugly destruction are beautiful and stunning.  I would love to work on a documentary like Manufactured Landscapes, because it overlaps with both my passion for environmental and human activism, and with photography.

The pictures and video clips of the factories and of the young children surrounded by waste are especially powerful, but all of the footage and photographs in this movie are strong both artistically, in meaning, and content. The presentation of the documentary is also creative and visually appealing. I really enjoyed the different scales at which many of the pictures were shown. One of my favorites was the crowds of people in yellow, as the pictures slowly moving farther out, until finally it was a photograph on the wall of an art gallery.

The mix of still and moving images, along with the subtle music and limited commentary also add the the visual and emotional impact of the documentary, Manufactured Landscapes. The format and focus let the images speak for themselves. Overall it is a beautiful movie, showing horrible realities.