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The Mystery of Picasso

Le Mystère Picasso

1956

H.G. Clouzot

Documentary, Self: Pablo Picasso, H.G. Clouzot, Claude Renoir

7.2

936

Documentary Using a specially designed transparent 'canvas' to provide an unobstructed view, Picasso creates as the camera rolls. He begins with simple works that take shape after only a single brush stroke. He then progresses to more complex paintings, in which he repeatedly adds and removes elements, transforming the entire scene at will, until at last the work is complete.

	Media	Author	Review
		Chuck Bowen Slant	"Clouzot, in his way, de-sentimentalizes art-making, showing the exaltation and the terror of a way of life that requires knowing how and when to throw something away (...) Rating: ★★★½ (out of 4)"
		Bosley Crowther The New York Times	"We wonder how many moviegoers will want to sit for well more than an hour and watch a largely repetitious performance that amounts to a sheer artistic stunt."
		Roger Moore Orlando Sentinel	"The gold standard of nonfiction films about the creative process."
		Michael Atkinson Village Voice	"The work's potential impact is diminished by the gimmicky setup and Picasso's flip approach."

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