The first five minutes of the documentary “Manufactured Landscapes”
consists of a long tracking shot down the aisle of an immense Chinese
factory as thousands of workers sit at long tables assembling goods of
an indeterminate nature. Most wear company-color yellow shirts or
jackets suggesting worker bees in some enormous hive, where one works
until one dies. The scene will also remind you of the concluding moments
of the documentary “In the Pit,” which consists of a lengthy aerial view
of the mammoth elevated highway construction project in Mexico City.
“Manufactured Landscapes” shares the Mexican film’s sense of awe over
large-scale capitalist development projects but is mixed with dread over
their ultimate impact on humanity and nature.
“Manufactured Landscapes” was inspired by the photographs of Edward
Burtynsky, a Canadian who specializes in landscapes of the most sterile
and industrialized places on earth, particularly in China where the
government is on a forced march to “modernize”. The documentary follows
Burtynsky and his crew around China, as we see some of the most dramatic
examples of the hyper-growth that is attracting investor dollars from
around the world. As a skilled artist (we see many examples of his work
throughout the film), Burtynsky manages to draw out the beauty of vast
piles of coal, rusting ships, construction projects, factory interiors,
etc. But as becomes clear in his travels around China, he feels that the
impact on the environment ultimately threatens the “modernization”
project itself.
full: http://louisproyect.wordpress.com/2007/05/31/manufactured-landscapes/
