Rivers and Tides

Documentaries about artists at work can be tedious, but filmmaker Thomas Riedelsheimer is fortunate in his subject: Andy Goldsworthy, a Scotsman who fashions his sculptures from natural phenomena--rocks, leaves, branches, flowers, tufts of snow, even (in one memorable instance) icicles. The pieces are mostly ephemeral (an exception being the “clay walls” he creates for museum interiors), likely to be obliterated very quickly by the heat of the sun, a creek's current, the tide, or some other natural force, and in some instances they collapse before they're even finished, with Goldsworthy left to sit sullenly staring at the debris. Most are preserved only in an album of photographs the artist keeps, carefully catalogued, at home, but thanks to Rivers and Tides some are now captured on celluloid, too, and as Riedelsheimer shoots them, the unusual sculptures take on a shimmering, evocative, strangely calming beauty, much like the artist himself. As the quiet, contemplative Goldsworthy describes his methods, and we watch him collecting materials and communing with the landscape, the film adopts a soft, ruminative tone that may make some viewers impatient with its almost mystical reverence for a man who's effectively making castles in the sand and then watching them wash away. But those who attune themselves to its wavelength will find this highly acclaimed documentary to be an inspiring appreciation of a unique artistic vision. Highly recommended. [Note: DVD extras include seven bonus shorts (2-20 mins. each), text bios of filmmaker Thomas Riedelsheimer and artist Andy Goldsworthy, a photo gallery, and trailers. Bottom line: a small but solid extras package for a fine documentary.] (F. Swietek)[DVD Review—Oct. 31, 2006—Docurama, 2 discs, 155 min., not rated, $39.95—Making its second appearance on DVD, 2001's Rivers and Tides (Special Collector's Edition) boasts a great transfer and Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound. DVD extras include the same features as the original release, plus a bonus disc with a 46-minute interview with filmmaker Thomas Riedelsheimer, the 19-minute featurette “Snowballs in Summer” highlighting artist and subject Andy Goldworthy's newest project (19 min.), and a fully-illustrated companion photo guide. Bottom line: a fine extras package for a fine documentary.]