X
- 2018
- R
- Bleecker Street Media
- 1 h 51 m
- 2018
- R
- Bleecker Street Media
- 1 h 51 m
Summary Alexander McQueen's rags-to-riches story is a modern-day fairy tale, laced with the gothic. Mirroring the savage beauty, boldness and vivacity of his design, this documentary is an intimate revelation of his McQueen's own world, both tortured and inspired, which celebrates a radical and mesmerizing genius of profound influence.
Directed By: Ian Bonhôte, Peter Ettedgui
Written By: Peter Ettedgui
- 2018
- R
- Bleecker Street Media
- 1 h 51 m
- 2018
- R
- Bleecker Street Media
- 1 h 51 m
McQueen
7.7
Where to Watch
Summary Alexander McQueen's rags-to-riches story is a modern-day fairy tale, laced with the gothic. Mirroring the savage beauty, boldness and vivacity of his design, this documentary is an intimate revelation of his McQueen's own world, both tortured and inspired, which celebrates a radical and mesmerizing genius of profound influence.
Directed By: Ian Bonhôte, Peter Ettedgui
Written By: Peter Ettedgui
Where to Watch
Top Cast
Metascore
Universal Acclaim
Based on 28 Critic Reviews
84
100% Positive
28 Reviews
28 Reviews
0% Mixed
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
Metascore
Universal Acclaim
Based on 28 Critic Reviews
84
100% Positive
28 Reviews
28 Reviews
0% Mixed
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
McQueen is a haunting story of extravagant talent and inescapable private sorrow, made with exquisite craftsmanship worthy of its subject. While a narrative biopic has been in development for years, this excellent documentary delivers an eye-popping, emotionally wrenching experience that paints a fully dimensional portrait of a complex artist.
Even if the dramas and dictates of couturiers and catwalks mean little to you, it is hard to resist the propulsive energy that director Ian Bonhote and co-director and writer Peter Ettedgui bring to the story of a designer whose background, beliefs and gifts were not what one would expect.
User Score
Generally Favorable
Based on 29 User Ratings
7.7
86% Positive
25 Ratings
25 Ratings
7% Mixed
2 Ratings
2 Ratings
7% Negative
2 Ratings
2 Ratings
User Score
Generally Favorable
Based on 29 User Ratings
7.7
86% Positive
25 Ratings
25 Ratings
7% Mixed
2 Ratings
2 Ratings
7% Negative
2 Ratings
2 Ratings
Really inspiring, tons of information. Amazed to see all the geniality of him.
Report
If you are interested in creativity and/or fashion, you will enjoy this excellent documentary about the wildly gifted British fashion designer Alexander McQueen. Although you hear from his family and his colleagues, this documentary is mainly (and thankfully) about the fashion he created, which was really amazing. The only fault is that the documentary slows down at the end. Once the charismatic McQueen dies, the film loses its energy and fascination. The film should have ended immediately after McQueen’s death, rather than continuing with eulogies from family and friends, whose presence and ideas pale so obviously in comparison to the energy and genius of McQueen himself.
Report
The film opens with a camera slowly swirling around a skull. Red droplets splash on the cranium. In Michael Nyman’s score, a brass section booms rhythmically like blood in your ears. The effect is brooding and provocative. It’s pure drama. It’s perfectly Alexander McQueen.
A film that’s refreshingly free of the gushing sound bites from sycophantic celebrities that too often dominate fashion documentaries.
[A] sombre, thorough, intelligent and informative documentary.
This is a fascinating portrait of an artist.
Bonhôte and Ettedgui leave viewers winded from the pace of the ascent. But much the way we know that there was a rise, we also know a fall is imminent. This is where McQueen wobbles.
Well-done doc of a person with whom I had zero familiarity. It does a great job tracking Lee's career, and the interviews with his family & co-workers are excellent. I wish it brought us into his personal life in a more tangible way. The "skull" interludes are interesting, but perhaps a bit overdone.
Report
Alexander McQueen was a bold, genius designer. He was also a tortured soul. This doc offers opportunities to watch him work on his incredible creations. Fortunately, there's lots of footage that provides bits of insight, which is supplemented by interviews with family, friends and co-workers. It's fascinating to see him rise from struggling and scrappy to the leader of more than one major fashion house. Sadly, the constant darkness that hangs over his life dominates the story , so much so that it starts to drag down the momentum in the final third (the extended segment on Isabella Blow's death didn't help). Even so, the filmmakers have used some interesting animations to symbolize various parts of McQueen's career and they've effectively told the story of this fascinating and sad artist.
Report
Fashion designer Alexander McQueen was no doubt a generational talent, one of those burn too bright and die too soon sensations that make great material for a documentary.
In turn, the problem for documentarians is trying to create a piece of work that lives up to the real-life hype. Co-directors Ian Bonhôte and Peter Ettedgui have done an admirable job at capturing the light-and-dark duality of the designer's extraordinary career. However, the first half of the documentary was so zoomed in on everything they were featuring on screen that it's actually burdensome on the eyes, and the rest of the film, while certainly worth the price of admission, is far less groundbreaking than the man they set out to memorialize.
Report
Production Company
Misfits Entertainment,
Salon Pictures,
Creativity Capital,
Time Based Arts,
The Electric Shadow Company,
Commondeer Films,
Moving Pictures Media
Release Date Jul 20, 2018
Duration 1 h 51 m
Rating R
Genres
Tagline A Documentary on the Life of Lee Alexander McQueen
Awards
BAFTA Awards
• 2 Nominations
GALECA: The Society of LGBTQ Entertainment Critics
• 1 Win & 1 Nomination
Tribeca Film Festival
• 1 Nomination
