Manufactured Landscapes

Theatrical Release Date: 2007 06 20 (USA - Limited)

UPC: 795975109536

Studio: Zeitgeist Films

MPAA Rating: NR   Contains:null

Summary: Documentarian Jennifer Baichwal's latest film, Manufactured Landscapes, represents a multifaceted effort. The picture ostensibly provides a thought-provoking investigation of photographer Edward Burtynsky's legacy, with its aesthetic studies of industrial landscapes. But Baichwal's documentary probes deeper than a mere surface-level glimpse of Burtynsky's life and work. It uses the topic of Burtynsky as a springboard, segueing, from there, into a protracted exploration of "the aesthetic, social and spiritual dimensions of industrialization and globalization." Whereas Burtynsky's photographs reveal human beings dwarfed by the massive industrialized landscape that surrounds them, Baichwal (much as Louis Malle did in his Humain, Trop Humain) sheds a light on the tedium and monotony suffered by workers who are assigned small components of huge manufacturing processes, and must endure the repetitive work that it entails. She and cinematographer Peter Mettler also travel to China and Bangladesh -- the corner of the world that serves as a destination for much of the West's industrial waste -- and convey the devastating impact that corporate disposal makes on indigenes, such as the two young men who must wade around, waist deep, in toxic sludge while tearing ships apart with their bare hands. The picture thus raises some significant and sobering questions about the impact that we, as humans, make on our environment. ~ Nathan Southern, Rovi

Category: Culture & Society

Awards: Toronto City Award for Best Canadian Film – Toronto International Film Festival Best Canadian Film – Toronto Film Critics Association Best Documentary – Toronto Film Critics Association Best Documentary – Genie Awards Film Presented – Rotterdam International Film Festival Film Presented – Miami International Film Festival Best Documentary – Independent Spirit Awards

Features: Gorgeous 16:9 anamorphic transfer, enhanced for widescreen tvs
Additional scenes, with audio commentary by director Jennifer Baichwal
Al Gore and Baichwal at the Nashville Film Festival
Edward Burtynsky photo gallery, with audio commentary by the artist
Video discussion with Baichwal and Burtynsky
Video interview with cinematographer/ collaborator Peter Mettler
U.S. theatrical trailer
Dolby Digital 5.1 feature soundtrack
Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hearing impaired

Manufactured Landscapes

Format: Digital Video Disc (DVD)

Release Date: 11/01/2007

Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Theatre Wide-Screen

Audio: DD5.1 Dolby Digital 5.1, DD2 Dolby Digital Stereo

Runtime: 90 Minutes

Sides: 1

Number of Discs: 1

Language(s) English

Subtitles: English

Region: USA & territories, Canada

Chapters: Disc #1 -- Manufactured Landscapes
1. Chapter 1 [8:28]
2. Chapter 2 [5:55]
3. Chapter 3 [6:19]
4. Chapter 4 [5:28]
5. Chapter 5 [7:27]
6. Chapter 6 [7:43]
7. Chapter 7 [4:19]
8. Chapter 8 [3:32]
9. Chapter 9 [6:57]
10. Chapter 10 [6:36]
11. Chapter 11 [3:45]
12. Chapter 12 [4:18]
13. Chapter 13 [3:30]
14. Chapter 14 [4:24]
15. Chapter 15 [4:13]
16. Chapter 16 [3:23]

Cast and Crew: Edward Burtynsky  Actor 
Gerry Flahive  Producer 
Daniel Iron  Producer 
Peter Starr  Producer 
Jennifer Baichwal  Director 
Jennifer Baichwal  Producer 
Nick de Pencier  Producer 
Dan Driscoll  Composer (Music Score) 

Country: Canada