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Sep 04, 2019maipenrai rated this title 2 out of 5 stars
Sorry to say, but what this film needs the most is an editor. More than 3 hours long - feels like 15... I had to watch it in three sittings or I would have given up. I read and watch many WWII non-fiction books / documentaries and literature / films. A WWII and post-war German film has to be pretty bad for me not to like it. There are long scenes while the artist sits staring a a blank canvas without inspiration and in despair. I could commiserate with him as I stared at this film. We begin with gratuitous sexuality involving a child - the schizophrenia of the main character's aunt could have been depicted in many ways that would not involve child abuse. Was the artist not sufficiently traumatized by surviving the war and the demoralization of his father?? The director and cinematographer loved nudity. I am not a prude, but I felt like I was going to lose my mind ( like the aunt ) as the camera showed scene after scene of "nude girl lying on nude boy". Yes the shot was beautiful the first time, and the second time maybe, but the 8th time, not so much. The director should have fallen in love with the story he wanted to tell, not the pretty cinematography. It would have resulted in a tighter, more compelling story line. I expected the artist with his freedom in West Germany to produce some amazing new art. I too could be an artist if I projected a photograph on a canvas and duplicated the picture. Not exactly a wow experience, although some of the juxtapositions were interesting. Oh, yes, don't forget the Nazi doctor who performs abortions on his own daughter to preserve his family's racial purity, euthanizes the mentally ill, goes on to fame and fortune thanks to the Soviet military and has to flee to the west when the authorities are getting too close. What lesson are we to learn from this??? I wanted to like this film, but I could not. To sum up: Do Look Away... Kristi & Abby Tabby