Visual Acoustics

A particular truth of understanding architecture lies in its context as a subject for photography to measure its scale and spatial impact. No one has a better eye for architecture and landscapes than documentarian Eric Bricker's subject,  the preeminent Modernist photographer Julius Shulman. "For every person who visits a private house, there may be 10,000 who only view it as a photo." This reality plays into Schulman's influence as a photographer working since the '30s, and responsible for introducing "form-follows-function" Modernism to the world. As a subscriber to the "church of nature," the candid Shulman reveals his thought processes during plentiful interview clips. Bricker's by-the-doc-book editing approach easily handles an enormity of photos, archive clips, and interviews with friends, family, and associates that make up the film. Just as its evocative title promises, "Visual Acoustics" offers a history lesson, biopic, and visually harmonic essay via Julius Shulman's gifted focus.

Not Rated. 83 mins. (B) (Three Stars)