The Bolero/In Search of Cezanne

The Bolero/In Search of Cezanne compiles two early shorts by documentarian Allan Miller, whose feature-length films Small Wonders (which inspired Music of the Heart, starring Meryl Streep) and The Turandot Project have been much praised. The Bolero (1973) is an imaginative take on Maurice Ravel's symphonic showpiece, in which a single theme is repeated by various instruments before culminating in an explosion of orchestral color. Miller's film follows rehearsals by the Los Angeles Philharmonic, interweaving comments from conductor Zubin Mehta and individual musicians, before concluding with a complete performance. In Search of Cezanne (2002) is a docudrama examining the work of turn-of-the-20th-century painter Paul Cezanne through the eyes of a young filmmaker named Martha (Jacqueline Kim), following her journey of discovery from a museum in New York to France (where she converses with local experts and even Cezanne's great-grandson). Ultimately, Martha concludes that even though an understanding of the context in which art is created can be useful, it's the emotional connection one feels with the work that is of greater importance. Although the two films aren't a perfect thematic match, both demonstrate Miller's ability to look at the creative impulse from different approaches. DVD extras include a biography of Miller and the director's notes on the films. A strong optional purchase. Aud: C, P. (F. Swietek)