Cunningham

Release Date: December 13, 2019
Runtime: 93 minutes
Rating: PG
Studio: Magnolia Pictures
Director: Alla Kovgan
Cast: Merce Cunningham; John Cage; Robert Rauschenberg; Carolyn Brown; Jennifer Goggans

Cunningham puts the “motion” in “motion picture.” This isn’t so much a movie as it is a celebration of dance, movement, and the man who devoted his life to fusing the concepts of both: Merce Cunningham. Director Alla Kovgan isn’t interested in crafting a rudimentary biopic but rather an exploration of the artistic career of her subject.

Several of Cunningham’s dances created between 1942 and 1972, many of which were developed with musical assistance from longtime professional (and romantic) partner, John Cage, and set designer, Robert Rauschenberg, are magnificently and vibrantly brought to life. Several of Cunningham’s most iconic dances are staged courtesy of directors of choreography Jennifer Goggans and, Robert Swinston, as well as an extraordinary team of Cunningham dancers, all of whom have more grace and physical discipline than you do.

The defining, crucial element of the film is its brilliant use of 3D, which places the viewer in the physical space with the dancers. Dances are staged in specific locations that emphasize the fluidity and expanse of each creation: a clearing in the woods or an airplane hangar, as well as traditional bare sets. Cunningham’s dances were more studies in physical motion, the unconventionality of which branded Cunningham an artist of the avant-garde, a label which Cunningham did not embrace: in Merce’s words, “I’m a dancer. That’s sufficient for me.”

The extraordinary access the 3D allows the viewer is simply astonishing. One doesn’‘t experience the performance from a distance, but actively participates in the life of the performance. Kovgan’s camera swoops over and across and from side-to-side in step with the flow of the dancers. This is about as intimate as you are likely to get to a professional dance production in progress apart from being a primary participant yourself.

In between the dance numbers, Cunningham rolls out some wonderful archival footage of Cunningham in action, along with Cage, Rauschenberg, and the initial core group of dancers that comprised the Merce Cunningham Dance Company beginning in the 1950s. Many stills are smartly presented as though they are encased in floating picture frames, a particularly interesting and appropriate stylistic flourish given the elegance of the dances.

Now, I have always been a fan of dance and of movement and of the dexterity that the human body is capable of. However, I admit I was not overly familiar, if at all, with Merce Cunningham, his work, or his legacy. Cunningham offers a beautiful and sincere tribute to a true visionary and the art that he gifted upon the world. Alla Kovgan’s film, a labor of love that took roughly seven years to bring to the screen, will allow current and future generations of dance enthusiasts, or those who simply appreciate great and unique art, the opportunity to experience Merce Cunningham in what is, in truth, a gorgeous work of art in its own right.