Frederick Wiseman, Pioneering Documentary Filmmaker, Dies at Age 96
Frederick Wiseman, the prolific documentary filmmaker renowned for his immersive and expansive studies of ordinary life within institutions, has died at the age of 96. His maximalist approach brought a uniquely empowering scale to cinema, focusing on human detail without explicit commentary.
The Unconventional Documentary Form
While documentaries often follow a manageable feature-length format with a clear high concept, such as profiling a person or historical event, Wiseman's films defied this norm. His colossal works, characterized by the absence of voiceovers, intertitles, or directorial interviews, are not easily summarized. They represent entire structures rather than mere parts, immersing viewers in the full complexity of their subjects.
Unlike epic films typically reserved for grand historical topics, Wiseman applied his maximal approach to static cross-section studies of seemingly mundane institutions. Examples include Paris's Crazy Horse nightclub and the French restaurant Le Bois Sans Feuilles. However, his greatest achievements lie in top-to-bottom examinations of public institutions, creating intricate constructions that mirror their subjects in architectural form. These films were often funded by PBS, the Public Broadcasting System, further embedding them within the public sphere.
Landmark Works and Institutional Focus
Wiseman's filmography includes seminal works that delve deep into various institutions. Titicut Follies (1967) explores life at Bridgewater State Hospital for the Criminally Insane in Massachusetts, with its title alluding to the hospital's annual revue. Essene (1972) examines a Benedictine monastery, while Primate (1974) investigates a primate research centre.
The 1986-7 tetralogy—Blind, Deaf, Adjustment & Work, and Multi-Handicapped—focuses on the Alabama Institute for the Deaf and Blind. His sombre six-hour film Near Death (1989) provides an intensive look at a hospital's intensive care unit, showcasing his commitment to lengthy, detailed portrayals.
Masterpiece: Welfare and Its Impact
Arguably, Wiseman's masterpiece is Welfare (1975), a vast study of New York's social provision bureaucracy. The title carries an irony as vast and inscrutable as the institution itself, reminiscent of Kafka's Castle. The film depicts a wide array of individuals, including stressed officials, security guards, and desperate claimants, illustrating how the welfare office both imprisons and repels them. It serves as a powerful critique of bureaucratic systems, with a British equivalent potentially titled Benefits.
Viewer Experience and Legacy
Watching a Wiseman documentary feels like encountering a massive audio-visual database, where viewers are free to make their own edits and selections. This approach is uniquely empowering, though some may find the unsignposted, overwhelming nature of his films does not necessarily provoke institutional change. His works stand as monuments to human suffering, challenge, and potential, offering raw, unedited insights into societal structures.
A personal favourite among his films is In Jackson Heights (2015), an ethnographic study of a diverse New York community under pressure from gentrification. The title's first word, "In," is crucial, as it immerses viewers in the place, creating a sense of real-time, unedited experience. Wiseman's legacy endures through his groundbreaking contributions to documentary filmmaking, leaving behind a body of work that continues to inspire and challenge audiences worldwide.
