what (not) to doc

Coming to DVD today, Tuesday, February 25: PEOPLE OF A FEATHER

Joel Heath’s examination of the Inuit and their relationship to the eider duck made its debut at Hot Docs in 2011. It went on to screen at Vancouver, DocuWest, United Nations Association, Big Sky, Cleveland, and at numerous environmental fests in San Francisco, Korea, New Zealand, Estonia, and Indonesia, among others.

Attempting to blend ethnography with environmental awareness, Heath approaches the Inuit of Canada’s Hudson Bay both historically, reconstructing their life from a century ago, in an homage to Robert Flaherty’s NANOOK OF THE NORTH; and, in contrast, presently, working with the inhabitants of Sanikiluaq to explore their day-to-day and traditional activities, including the hunting of the eider duck, whose down keeps them warm. Expanding from the latter, the film adds yet another dimension, the observations of a scientific research team looking at the behavior of both the eider duck and the troubling environmental impact of hydro projects in the region. Of these, the historical reconstructions add the least to the proceedings, detracting from the more compelling, and urgent, ecological controversy. Despite this, the beautiful lensing, including underwater and time-lapse photography, presents audiences with a distinct view of the challenges transforming life for both men and fowl today.

Coming to DVD tomorrow, Tuesday, February 25: BETTER THINGS: THE LIFE AND CHOICES OF JEFFREY CATHERINE JONES

Maria Paz Cabardo’s portrait of the comic book artist and fine art illustrator made its debut at Kansas City’s Spectrum Fantastic Art Live! event in 2012. It went on to screen at Belfast, Leeds, and Hoboken, among other fests.

Jones, who passed away in 2011, had a career that spanned four decades, including sequential comic book art, fantasy/sci-fi book cover illustrations, and regular strips in National Lampoon and Heavy Metal. While this work is greatly admired by fellow artists, it hasn’t extended much beyond a niche fanbase. Cabardo’s film, in great part, aims to correct this obscurity, serving up countless examples of Jones’ impressive work, and offering points of curiosity, such as the influence of the 1979 art book, THE STUDIO, produced together with workspace-mates and now-notable fellow illustrators Bernie Wrightson, Michael Wm Kaluta, and Barry Windsor-Smith. While this is an admirable mission, it still feels somewhat too insider and anecdote-driven, and serves to dilute the more intriguing personal elements that make Jones’ story unique, chiefly his transition from male-identified Jeff Jones to female identified Jeffrey Catherine Jones, but also her complicated friendship with artist – and, at that point, fellow crossdresser – Vaughn Bode, and bouts with depression which at times interrupted her ability to create art. While the film addresses these biographical details, the more general artist appreciation often competes with them, holding the project back from transcending its limited scope or likely audience. Still, Cabardo succeeds in creating a tribute to Jones’ work that demonstrates the late artist’s exceptional talent.