Absolute Wilson

Absolute Wilson

Absolute Wilson is a richly provocative and moving portrait, intimately revealing one of the most visionary and controversial theater artists of our time, Robert Wilson. The film delivers a surprisingly candid look at Robert Wilson, who drops his characteristic reticence and speaks with unprecedented candor about his personal life. Nothing is left in the shadows, as he discusses his troubled and lonely childhood as the son of the Mayor of Waco, Texas, his early learning disabilities, his work with disabled children using therapy as a tool for artistic expression, his departure from Texas at the time of his coming out and his fascination with the downtown New York avant-garde scene of the late 60s. What emerges is a life full of impressions, colors and rhythms, making it all the more poignant how Wilson's early hardships ultimately shaped his ground-breaking aesthetic vision. More than a biography, the film becomes an exhilarating exploration of the transformative power of creativity itself and the inspirational tale of a shy, stuttering boy who grew up to become a fearless artist with a profoundly original perspective to share with the world.

Absolute Wilson [DVD]

An excellent introduction to Wilson's singular vision. --Jonathan Rosenbaum, THE CHICAGO READERAbsorbing. --A.O. Scott, THE NEW YORK TIMES ABSOLUTE WILSON chronicles the epic life, times and creative genius of Robert Wilson, intimately revealing for the first time one of the most controversial and rule-breaking artists of our era. His revolutionary stage work has so altered our concept of theater that, as David Byrne says, 'It makes... other theater look hopelessly old-fashioned.' The sheer scope of Wilson's output, the prior unavailability of visual records, and his own personal privacy have given him an elusiveness that is thoroughly dissolved by this fascinating, full-access portrait. At the film's center is Wilson himself. A riveting screen presence, Wilson speaks with unprecedented candor about his life. Nothing is left in the shadows, as he discusses his restrictive upbringing, his therapeutic work with disabled children, his departure from small-town Texas at the time of his coming out as well as his experiences in the New York avant-garde scene of the 1960s. More than a biography, the film becomes an exhilarating exploration of the transformative power of creativity itself and the inspirational tale of a shy, stuttering boy who grew up to become a fearless artist with a profoundly original perspective to share with the world.Katharina Otto-Bernstein's book ABSOLUTE WILSON: THE BIOGRAPHY, published by Prestel, is available online, including at Amazon.com, and select retail locations. For more information on ABSOLUTE WILSON, the documentary and the book, visit http://www. absolutewilson. com.DVD Details: USA/Germany, 2006, 105 minutes, Color, Region 1, NTSC, Dolby Digital Stereo 2.0, In English; Special Features: extended interviews with Robert Wilson, Philip Glass and Susan Sontag; Robert Wilson's film The House (1965. 19 minutes. B&W. Silent.); interview with director Katharina Otto-Bernstein; contemporary vignettes about Robert Wilson's working methods; theatrical trailer; scene selections; closed captioning; liner notes with a Robert Wilson timeline and director's bio.