This is a multilayered documentary; it's a story of a brilliant artist but also of complexity of human nature and how it transforms if exposed to different events. Szukalski is no doubt a great artist but he is a human foremost with all the vices and virtues, a very interesting human with amazing imagination and very unusual outlook on life and all its aspects.
I like the way the focus shifted from lighthearted narrating in the beginning to more serious aspects of life and its meanders in later stages of the movie followed by a very moving end. It is definitely worth watching.
34 Reviews
Very interesting.
MoistMovies29 December 2018
This doco left me in a unusual mood after viewing. Not quite sure what the mood is. I only just finished it.
Rarely do i just watch something these days without looking up abit about it before jumping in. But the short netflix preview piqued my interested enough that i just started it right then and there.
Im really glad i did. As someone who gave up art around 10 years ago and is trying to find a rhythm to get back into it again, i found this quite inspiring.
That masters like this live among us, unnoticed by the masses. Is humbling and fascinating.
The Ultimate Non-Conformist Unknown Artist of Modern Time
AudioFileZ20 February 2019
Having never heard of Szulkalski I was interested when I saw the title. Since life's struggles often produce art of note it seemed worth a look...especially with the word "lost" in the title. I'd say the man and the film was quite engrossing as was the breadth of his other worldly art. It was obvious in short order this was a singular artist who wouldn't accept other men's conventions. His life was like multiple lives with the constants of heart wrenching struggles and a period of great success and adulation. Post War World II he was forgotten never to reach the heights of his greatness in the mid to late thirties in his homeland. Throughout his anonymity he soldiered on in creating unconventional art and thinking. Integral to the film he was discovered by a young artist who become like a son to him whose guides the film in a highly personal way. Szukalski is re-introduced to a cadre of other, mostly avant garde, artists who provide insightful observations and counterpoints. Along with the extraordinary art it makes for an entertaining watch while helping to elevate the work of Szukalski. The man was not just amazingly talented, but a strong survivor who grew in his humanity while never being conventional. Apparently he was a friend of Leonardo DiCaprio's father and this proved to be key in the funding and creation of this documentary. There will be plenty who see his art in a lesser way to be sure, but the fact is this is a singularly unique person whose journey was very interesting and well presented. I think it will appeal to many viewers as such and is a nice elevation of a man who would otherwise be a forgotten but hugely talented artist.
Top Notch Documentary
twright-5140223 December 2018
A very thorough documentary about a man who lived a remarkable life. I did not know that Leonardo DiCaprio and his father were producers until the credits rolled. Szukalski was an artistic genius who was eccentric from a very young age. He was also controversial. A must watch.
Unknown genius
tomaszswider29 December 2018
Who knew? I definitely did not. A hidden gem of a man. A mind free of influence. One who was allowed to do whatever he wanted. He followed his heart and passion. He learned as he went along in art and life. Big thank you to DiCaprio Sr. and Jr. Perhaps movie about Enigma/Rejewski next? Hint.
It shakes and brings to life the art in yourself.
mattiri31 December 2018
Warning: Spoilers
I loved it. Obviusly i have to do my own research of this man and see him in different lights, but as i saw the documentary i was delighted in its objectivity. Even one of his friends, who is also one of the documentary's producer, talks about the betrayal he felt when they found about some aspects of the man he thought he new.
As for the man itself, I was amazed by this unkown genius whose art made me discover my own capacity to appreciate and love art in ways i never knew i could.
I was also sad to hear how he was a bigot in his pre-waf life but with the hope that he had the power to change and discard those foul beliefs at some point in his life.
Nonetheless his art and his mind were that of a singular man with unique skill and im glad his work is coming out of the darkness and to have the opportunity to enjoy it myself.
As for the man itself, I was amazed by this unkown genius whose art made me discover my own capacity to appreciate and love art in ways i never knew i could.
I was also sad to hear how he was a bigot in his pre-waf life but with the hope that he had the power to change and discard those foul beliefs at some point in his life.
Nonetheless his art and his mind were that of a singular man with unique skill and im glad his work is coming out of the darkness and to have the opportunity to enjoy it myself.
Wonderful
stacey-398206 January 2019
Inspiring documentary! I'm usually not drawn to art or history docs but this was so well done that I'm now looking for other information on Szukalski. Beautiful & tragic. Thank you for documenting his story and sharing it.
How many miles?
saferstreets27 December 2018
Excellent documentary but?
berg-7453226 July 2020
Warning: Spoilers
Enjoyed it very much until I realized what other people watching this would end up doing. I knew absolutely nothing of this man and I'm glad that from the start they gave the impression something bad was coming. I was thrilled by his work to the point that I was picking spots on my body for places to put tattoos of his work. My impression of art was unknowingly similar to his but more so art critics I have not only never understood how to squares of different shades of white stands for anything nor The idea that you have groups of people who are trained specifically to separate people from art by claiming the curved line under what is supposed to represent a nose on a Picasso is different from a straight line under another thing that's a nose on a separate Picasso. To dumb it down further for idiots like myself it reminds me of people who claim they like super hot spicy food because a good meal to me is only truly excellent If your eyes are watering you have snot pouring out of your nose not to mention the pain you will endure when that meal is leaving your body. Both things are for status and much like everything else when people with tons of money are involved it's harder for people like myself to take part. I find it hard to believe this was Oog's (or whatever the French equivalent of Oog is) intention when he mixed urine and red clay to draw what he claims was a Mastodon or whatever giant beast that I didn't pay enough attention to remember now, that some pretentious jerk from a cave in a better part of the forest saying this is bad because it's not to scale or it's great because Oog is showing inner angst and it's not supposed to look like what he says it is. With the subjects age and his place if birth it was pretty easy to guess that what ever the issue about to be unleashed was centered around WW2 but I won't go into detail. But at the start I said that I had a feeling that something would happen and it did. Without details I'll just say that because he's a great artist most of the people involved in this almost completely excuse his words, beliefs and even some truly beautiful sculptures that the initial Inspiration for is less then good and with some downright evil. This idea of the artist living by different rules which is used to allow them in some instances be horrible people. One of the most disturbing claims by those Nazis or even those who today heinous acts is the claims of change but this only happens when they are exposed this man is no different and while he wasn't a Nazi his views are less than enlightened. It's much better than five stars by but I'm not sure how I explain my enjoyment with the people excusing him because of his art. Art is personal as is my view here
Fantastic
jonathancley31 December 2018
Loved this documentary. I always like seeing the hidden messages in movies and documentaries and this was full of gems. If you can go beyond some of the subtle dogma in the film (where it gets into the whole anti-Semitic stuff that got brought up from a judgmental point of view, showing the film-maker's bias rather than just reporting on what happened as a slice of life and letting the viewers form their own opinions about it - which really wasn't necessary and probably the only thing that took away from the film), perhaps one of the best things that can be learned from watching came from what Szulalski had to say about sourcing your own unique genius in the world. . . don't listen to anyone else or model your life off of what someone else has already done, but rather discover the answers inside of yourself. The guy was a brilliant thinker . . .kind of reminded me a little of Buckminster Fuller in a way. We can see it led to a very challenging life as portrayed in the film (but then again, whose life isn't challenging in this regard and considering this - why not go for making the biggest bold statement as possible in the world). Definitely worth a watch.
It was decent I guess
muamba_eats_toast19 April 2020
If I'm honest I'm not a massive art fan so I'm not sure how I ended up watching this! The guy was a very interesting character and his art seemed reasonable if a little eccentric. Nicely put together documentary but I can't say it either wowed me or bored me! Recognised a few things from visiting the krakow national museum a few years ago! Always find that sort of thing better to see in person it's mkre the personality that comes across on the screen!
One of the Best Documentaries of the Year!
rguffey-7850921 January 2019
This is the documentary I've been waiting to see since first being introduced to Szukalski's extremely strange art book BEHOLD!!! THE PROTONG way back in 1996. Without a doubt, this is one of the best films of the year. I've seen the entire film twice already, and will no doubt watch it many more times. It's endlessly fascinating. If I have any complaint at all, it's that I wish the film was double its current length. The filmmakers, Irek Dobrowolski and Stephen Cooper, could have spent an entire two hours just on Szukalski's theory of Zermatism alone. (In fact, I could happily watch two hours focusing solely on Szukalski's Bigfoot/Yeti drawings.) Nonetheless, Dobrowolski and Cooper managed to accomplish the impossible. When I first heard about this project, I couldn't imagine how the filmmakers were going to compress so much information down to under two hours and still leave the audience with a coherent story that managed to convey the epic scope of Szukalski's life. Against all odds, the filmmakers somehow succeeded in pulling off this magic trick. Of course, Szukalski would be proud. Needless to say, somewhere in the Corridors of Power, the Yetisyn are getting angry at these two troublemakers for letting the cat out of the bag....
I would argue that the documentary is greater than the man
mindfire-315 December 2020
The documentary, while aggrandizing Szukalski does a good job of showing him warts and all and putting him and his life in perspective. I found his ego very off-putting. I wasn't that impressed with his artwork, though he was certainly a good artist and more than competent. It's easy to see why he hasn't been established as one of the greatest artists of the 20th century as his art seems very of his time, though he has interesting influences and his blending of European influences with Native American art and the iconography of early human artifacts. His art fits in with art that tells a story and uses iconography and is monumental in its approach. He certainly lived an interesting life that was a part of history. His greatest tragedy is ultimately that of most of us, even those of us lesser than him, which is that life and history pass us by. This was obviously very hard for him to process. But he maintained a prolific and searching existence which is quite commendable. He ended up by being a kind of outsider artist who traveled down his own quirky path. As it is this documentary is a very good portrait of the human struggle and our mad need to make something of ourselves. In that respect I would say that it is better than the sum of its parts.
The producers of this show own a huge collection of the artists work.
patrick-price-246-81116823 December 2018
I'd imagine this was made to gain notoriety for the artist and vastly increase the worth of their art.
Whilst this deals with the fact that the artist was a racist and had serious issues, it still glamorises him.
As a documentary it's well produced and challenging for the viewer but it's difficult to shake the feeling that it's not something anyone should be celebrating.
Whilst this deals with the fact that the artist was a racist and had serious issues, it still glamorises him.
As a documentary it's well produced and challenging for the viewer but it's difficult to shake the feeling that it's not something anyone should be celebrating.
Sometimes the line btwn genius and maniac is thin
siyun-fan22 December 2018
da Vinci? Nikifor?
jakubxmuszynski25 December 2018
Quite a character
kosmasp8 July 2019
You sometimes come by a curious documentary where you wonder: Who is that? What is this about? Do I want to watch it? Will it be worth my time? Or maybe you just take a look here on imdb and you're like, let's give it a shot. And you discover a man who's quite out there. Very crazy, very discomforting and someone you will most likely hate too ... but that's the deal, right? Whatever you think of him, he did it his way.
And it couldn't have been that wrong, having a documentary out now. And a really insightful and good one at that. Many interviews, many soundbites and a lot of fun with quite a bit of controversy mixed in for good measure. Not everything he said will play well with audiences ... but that's just how it is
And it couldn't have been that wrong, having a documentary out now. And a really insightful and good one at that. Many interviews, many soundbites and a lot of fun with quite a bit of controversy mixed in for good measure. Not everything he said will play well with audiences ... but that's just how it is
a story about a "polish Dalì"
joystyk19 May 2019
Thi documentary is so interesting.i didn't knew nothing about this genius. it was so interesting to discover the life of szukalski, a forgotten artist. a trip between the art and history of the first half of the 20th century.
Wow.
mercyaintfree29 November 2020
Just so hard to explain and understand what message moves from your eyes to your brain when you view the work. It is seemingly really from another dimension as it is original..provoking...disturbing...awesome.
Antisemitic? Dont be greedy! I believe all religious beliefs were disliked by this maniac...and if this is mania? We could do with some more.
The good the bad and the ugly and change...
noelnoelnoel-4396212 August 2019
I just watched the best documentary I have ever seen.
It is about so much!!! Art and genius and the human workings of a brilliant mind... A mind that was narcissistic, creative ... and a mind that changed. A mind that slipped and found new feet.
And it is about love.
Historically, this show punched me a few different times as the past is again now...
.
It is a very heavy watch.. and I highly recommend it.
Shalow, glamorizing portrait on a rasist narcissist
BigDuck202228 December 2018
Warning: Spoilers
Shallow, glamorizing portrait on a rasist narcissist. The artificial emotion is not earned. The ending of spelling ashes, filmed by amateurs, is ridiculously fitting end of pretentious life that was not tragic at all. The film tried to make it "tragic".
Brilliant artist, flawed person
chopperDavo28 December 2020
I found this documentary really interesting. This man was described as a megalomaniac, and that is certainly the case. He is a narcissist as well.
But he's also a brilliant and interesting artist. I find his sculptures and drawings really interesting to look at. I'd really like to go to an exhibition of his works.
So anyway, this is the story of a person with quite nutty views of the world but never the less, interesting things to say.
But he's also a brilliant and interesting artist. I find his sculptures and drawings really interesting to look at. I'd really like to go to an exhibition of his works.
So anyway, this is the story of a person with quite nutty views of the world but never the less, interesting things to say.
Fascinating Art Documentary of Tragic Genius - Strluggle: Szukalski
arthur_tafero14 December 2020
The life of this very talented artist is similar to the lives of many of us; we are full of ourselves in youth, we say and do things we regret later in life, and then as we get older, hopefully, we begin to gather some wisdom. So, it was the life of the sculptor Szukaiski, who migrated from Poland to Chicago and then on to California with occasional trips back to the motherland. His work, at times, is breathtaking, and his habit of working in pieces as tall as builings was a testament to both his skill and his ego. But then, don't many of us (including myself) have enormous egos? What the man lost during the German invasion of Poland was truly tragic, but his body of work was inspiring. Unfortunately, like many of us, he went off the deep end a bit with his Easter Island fantasies, but we all have our foibles. His talent was undeniable, despite having to listen to his half-truths and outright silly propositions about life. Some of his views, however, were right on the money; especially his thoughts about following your gut instincts and ignoring all those who want to "help" you. Another observation I agreed with was his evaluation of some modern art; colors full of sound and fury, signifying nothing. A good documentary to put on you list.
The Struggle Is Real
mannly6 January 2019
What an incredible life... This was a man who had truly loved someone, was truly loved, and had some extreme everchanging views. Genius is always multi-layered & nobody is perfect. In his darkest hours he jumped on a bigoted bandwagon, but any criticism for that should surely be overshadowed by his later work that bowed down to the very people he once discriminated. We live & learn. Even creating his own ideology I find profound. Imagine sitting down and writing that much of your own truth? I think that in itself should be put in a book with a disclaimer (if only many works that exist now had disclaimers). One of the best documentaries I've seen in a long time... A complex ridiculously talented man who stuck by his roots & code. Who cares if he was narcissistic? Sometimes the greatest talents should be allowed a little.
Surprising gem
throbbingforeheadvein7 December 2019
Warning: Spoilers
I knew nothing about the subject, S. Szukalski, before watching this documentary. This is the story of an extraordinarily talented sculptor and his collision with history. That would be interesting enough, but it covers much more than that. It is about genius and the responsibility it entails; the uses and misuses of great art and great artists; the dark side of talent; love and friendship. Finally, it is about redemption.
There are images and archival material, but the story is told mainly through interviews with Szukalski himself and those who befriended him later in life and rescued him from obscurity in the US and possibly from a distorted legacy in his native Poland.
Spoiler, sort of:
An unexpected bonus for me personally was the interviews with Robert Williams and Jim Woodring or underground/alternative comix fame.
There are images and archival material, but the story is told mainly through interviews with Szukalski himself and those who befriended him later in life and rescued him from obscurity in the US and possibly from a distorted legacy in his native Poland.
Spoiler, sort of:
An unexpected bonus for me personally was the interviews with Robert Williams and Jim Woodring or underground/alternative comix fame.
See also
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