I saw this film at the NuArt in LA, and you can feel Timoner's raw energy from her documentary work from the very from the first scene. Seeing Mapplethorpe in his officer's uniform, listening to music was such an unexpected way to open the film, and it suggested a whole backstory in a very succinct way. Beyond that, the film is extremely visceral. I really felt his conflicted desires that culminated in that heartbreakingly raw scene of him breaking down in the middle of his first sexual encounter with another man. A daring reminder of the courage that all artists must have in pursuing their vision.
Review of Mapplethorpe: The Director's Cut
