Documentary about war photographer James Nachtwey, considered by many the greatest war photographer ever.
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One of the most profound aspect i found in this documentary, is the use of sound. I think it's one of the best, if not most calculated sound editing ever done, since the film supposed to focus on images. It's quite easy to overlook that, and will be forgiven even. But rather, the production teams managed to reflect the personality of James Nachtwey in result. A distant man, watching from a far, though awfully trying to get as near as possible, ... to get involved.Personally i think, a lot, not all mind you, people misunderstood him. The reviews here reflect that. They might think that he have some personal agendas. Since i believe no people can escape side effects of wars, unless they're the ones who inflict them, i believe James have been greatly changed by his experience, in better or worse terms i have no idea, but he cannot run from it. He has to come back, to experience it all over again, to feel alive. It's vampirism all right, but not from the material, or the moral angle. He simply needs that sense of purpose, to live, and to fulfill his life, with higher aims to reach. I imagined he lost that sense a lot of times, and that must be painful.For whatever reason he seems to have , it all comes down to this basic human need, to find their purpose, takes the journey and try to fulfill it. This is a reminder of that, for all of us. And for that, i am grateful for this film.
This film is incredible and shows the power of one man. Nachtwey has dedicated his life to being a war photographer and shows how one man can help shape public opinion with the power of images. As was the case in Vietnam, photos can be very subversive since they show the falseness and fraud of the government's official line or 'spin' on stories.And thus we see that in the war in Iraq the gov't is keeping a tight lid on images. Once you see pictures of a 4 year old boy in a morgue with his limbs blown off, the generals and the politicians cannot, no matter how hard they try, justify it. this is why Al Jazeera has become the boogeyman of the west.once people see enough of these images, they cannot support war any longer. this, i believe, is Nachtwey's vision and his struggle.
I watched this film and was riveted throughout. The image quality is very high. Watching James Nachtwey work in silence with total dedication and focus while flames crackle in the background... this film is a masterpiece of understated intensity. Everybody has seen this photographers images - they just may not realize who the author of those images are. Watch this film to find out why one (and many other) individual takes the risks and endures the hardships to freeze-frame and expose the uglier sides of human nature.
This film manages to show us an extraordinary slice of life, and make a significant comment on western society at the same time. The directerremains distant-letting Nachtway and others make the point. Ingenious use of multiple cameras as well as Nachtway's "still" black and white photos make this compelling to watch as well.Regardless of location or assignment this should be a primer for all working journalists as well as all journalism students.