Manolo: The Boy Who Made Shoes for Lizards

Fashion editor Michael Roberts's documentary is an almost fawning portrait of his septuagenarian friend Manuel "Manolo" Blahnik, known in the world of haute couture for his unusual, extravagantly designed (and very expensive) footwear. The film features mediocre recreations of scenes from Manolo's past, including his idyllic childhood in the Canary Islands, where he fashioned candy wrappers into shoes for lizards (thus the title). Also featured is archival footage, including some with faithful customers who gush about their "Manolos." And there are excerpts from talking-head and audio interviews, the most extensive with Manolo himself, as well as unfailingly effusive comments from friends and colleagues. Manolo is a cheerful and charmingly unpretentious man—one of his admirers points out that he still refers to himself as a cobbler—and it is interesting to hear Sofia Coppola enthusing over his contributions to her film Marie Antoinette. But despite the efforts of some scholars here to connect Manolo's designs to paintings by Goya and ancient Greek statuary, the artistry argument feels a trifle ridiculous. A strong optional purchase. (F. Swietek)