Why Man Creates (1968) User Reviews

endowed by invention

[lee_eisenberg · 8/10 · 5 February 2016]

Saul Bass was best known as one of Hollywood's leading graphic designers. He designed the opening sequences of several notable movies - among them "Vertigo" and "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World" - as well as posters for some of the most famous movies (among them "The Shining"). But with "Why Man Creates" he turned to directing. This Oscar-winning documentary short comically looks at the creative process. It mixes animation and live action. The live action segments mix humor with serious discussions about world hunger.

It's an impressive piece of work. Like Stanley Kubrick's "2001" released the same year, it poses the question of humanity's place in the universe. I understand that an uncredited George Lucas was the second-unit cameraman. Not a great documentary, but worth seeing.

Very Thought-provoking

[joshwenger · 7/10 · 26 September 2017]

I recently watched this film in seminar class and was intrigued by its unconventional way of communicating to an audience. While it was created in 1968, the ideas still hold very true today. My personal favorite part was the beginning ("The Edifice"), in which human progress and technology through the ages was shown by moving the camera up a tall building. There are tons of great lessons that can be learned about creativity from Saul Bass's film, such as persistence paying off and the benefits of being different from the crowd. I would highly recommend it to anyone who takes an interest in history, philosophy, or someone who wants to be more creative them self.

Inspiring, thoughtful, clever and funny

[duraflex · 10/10 · 2 November 2004]

Most people know Saul Bass as this genius who created memorable title and credit sequences for major Hollywood pictures (also a number of important corporate logos) - but he also created this marvelous short (about 25 minutes) called "Why Man Creates".

I first saw this wonderful film in a post graduate class in the 1970s. It was a real eye opener and made me think about why we create the things we do - whatever they may be and how we sometimes have to suffer the negativity of others for our artistic efforts.

Saul Bass' vignettes and parables in this film have depth and meaning that grab and stay with you. My favorite is the one with ping pong balls, which I won't give away.

This film makes you think. If you ever get the chance, don't miss it. It could influence your life in a very positive way. It did mine. It is a film I will never forget.

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UPDATE: "Why Man Creates" is now available on VHS and DVD for direct sale through pyramidmedia.com for $49 plus S&H. Technical quality of film to video transfer is disappointing. However, although the film is dated in some aspects - it holds up very well in its premise and concept.

It Changed My Life...

[arion_p · 10/10 · 10 August 2003]

This is a really powerful documentary. I first saw it on my first day of Gifted & Talented Education at Pinewood Elementary. I was so amazed by the revolutionary ideas, especially the part with the ping pong balls at the factory. Balls come off the production line and are tested to make sure they bounce within a certain range. One ball bounces higher and is rejected, and ends up bouncing further and going on to greater heights than any others. For a Gifted & Talented class, this was a really powerful metaphor. This is a great film to make one think critically about the world surrounding us and how ideas can be influenced by others' opinions -- especially if the opinions later prove to be invalid and fearful. 4/****

This Film Shaped My Young Brain

[lbcsrw · 21 April 2003]

This film, when I saw it as a child in the early 70's, affected me profoundly. Although my memory has faded some, certain specific things were inexorably embedded in my consciousness: A wee creature hopping along, chanting "I'm a bug, I'm a germ, I'm a bug, I'm a germ!" Upon bumping into the boots of a bearded man, it exclaims, "Louis Pasteur!!! I'm not a bug, I'm not a germ!" And I cannot forget the exchange between Michaelangelo and da Vinci: "Whaddaya doin?" "I'm painting the ceiling! Whadda you doin?" "I'm painting the floor!"

These recollections, faded but still strong, do not reflect the scope or genius of this short film, but they do reflect its spirit. In a series of unconnected sequences, Why Man Creates is simultaniously an exploration, example, and homage to Man's creative spirit. It shows, with the unique power of film, that imagination is, indeed, boundless and that the act of creation is as much a part of being human as anything else.

This film deserves to be preserved and shared with each generation of young children so that their imaginations can be freed to soar with whimsy and joy.

The Best "Educational" Film I Ever Used in Class

[dcgray-1 · 10/10 · 5 June 2007]

I saw Why Man Creates in grad school in 1969 and used it at the beginning of nearly every high school World History or Western Civ class I taught here in Alaska between 1970 and 1993. It is the most thought-provoking, engaging, stimulating film I've ever seen that can be used from about 5th grade to age 95. The other descriptions of sequences and 'mini-episodes' in IMDb are very accurate but do not replicate the experience of seeing it. Having seen it 150 or 200 times, to me it still is entertaining and I still notice new details in its fast paced blow by. Bass created a masterpiece. He died in 1996 but this is his generous legacy.

Should WMC be shown regularly on TV? Maybe, but I think it's best when viewers can discuss WMC together, rather than watching it alone in the dark. It ought to be put on DVD and marketed at a low price; it is timeless and could sell across generations. I'm curious how it might be regarded in other nations if it were seen abroad. Would Canadians, Australians or the British find it funny or provocative? How about English speakers in Nigeria or Kenya or India? Parts of it are culturally bound to European civilization, but other sections could be dubbed into any local language and enjoyed. Unequivocally, Why Man Creates is a MUST-SEE film!

...definitely a cult classic and a "must see" for newcomers.

[lizannrenz · 10/10 · 28 January 2002]

I was 8 years old when this film came out, so I saw it a couple of times in school (in California). I had never seen anything like it before, nor have I seen anything to compare it with since. For example, Louis Pasteur would have probably remained uninteresting and forgettable to me had I never seen this film; it stimulated my curiosity and enthusiasm for otherwise dry, boring topics. Its short and digestible segments intrigue and entertain. We who love this film get a smile on our faces and warmth in our hearts just to hear the title spoken out loud. "Why Man Creates" is definitely a cult classic and a "must see" for newcomers. I'd love to be able to see it again and show it to my kids.

I think this could, no should, have been more creative

[Horst_In_Translation · 4/10 · 31 January 2018]

"Why Man Creates" is an American 25-minute short film from 1968, so this one has its 50th anniversary this year actually and it is the film that made writer and director Saul Bass not just an Oscar nominee, but an Oscar winner right away. It stayed the only Oscar of his career, a career that started with working in minor positions on several Hitchcock films. I still am not too happy with this huge win here as honestly it was partially witty, but never really a funny or entertaining or interesting watch. At least it did not win in an animated category, but documentary short as honestly the animated sequences are really really rare in here. It is a very fast film indeed, maybe too fast for its own good even and maybe they tried to include too much in here as the transitions are not exactly smooth on quite a few occasions. Overall, I think Bass has done better in a few other films he worked on, so it's not too great that this here may be one that most people will remember him for. I myself thing the mediocre and forgettable parts are far more frequent in here than real creativity, so don't watch it unless you are an Oscar completionist or so, but even then this one should be at the bottom quarter of your list. Not recommended.

Mrs. Sweet's 8th Grade English class

[bcolquho · 22 April 2003]

That's where I first saw Why Man Creates back in 1975. There was a segment with a traffic light and people crossing a busy street.

The light had four commands: "DON'T WALK", "WALK", "STOP",

and "JUMP", and they stopped in the middle of the street and did jumping jacks. The historical segments were funny. There was

one with monks chanting: "What is the shape of the world?" "Flat!" "What would you do if you go off the edge?" "Fall!" and then there was another one with a man who was so excited he couldn't contain himself. "Hey!" he shouts to his friend who's offscreen. "I invented the zero!" His friend's incredulous. "What?!'" he exclaims. The second man, defeated, says, "Nothing."

very funny, very interesting

[elsterusa · 10/10 · 27 July 2006]

This is a very unconventional film.

I saw this during a lecture at Cornerstone University's Journalism Institute. Honestly, I'm having a hard time understanding the film's application to journalism. Still, I enjoyed it very much.

I love how the introduction seemed like it was copying off of Monty Python's animation style, while, in fact, this was released before "Flying Circua." The sixth episode, with the high-jumping ball, provides an interesting comment on deviating from the norm.

The seventh episode was very uplifting piece on human perseverance. All in all, this is a great compilation of tales that prove that even the most bizarre goals have a chance of succeeding.

Fascinating mix of animation and live action looking at the drive in humanity to create

[llltdesq · 10/10 · 12 June 2015]

This short won the Academy Award for Live Action Short Subject. There will be spoilers ahead:

Saul Bass is best known for his inventive and memorable opening and closing credit sequences for films such as Anatomy of a Murder, Psycho, Vertigo and Around the World In Eighty Days. This is a short film using a mix of animation and live action which proves both amusing and thought-provoking.

It starts with a five minute animated sequence starting with prehistoric hunters and traveling on up through time to the present (1968). It references major events/eras such as the Iron Age and the Bronze Age, the various scientific discoveries (and the orthodoxy's attempts to squelch them) figures like Leonardo da Vinci and Lincoln, the Wright Brothers and so on. These are occasionally out of sequence. This segment is almost worth the price of admission itself.

The varied segments are all introduced, as the film itself is begun: a hand writing with a pencil puts down a heading, much as you would find on an outline. While the sections are mostly unconnected, there are a couple which are directly related. Most of these are best viewed without too much information, so I'll avoid spoiling them here. Portions of this are essentially blackout comedy sketches.

Ultimately, the whole seemingly unrelated short more or less comes together with the last part, which asks the question, "Why does man create?", to which the answer is rather obvious.

This short deserves to be much more widely available and better known. Most highly recommended.

This film goes a long way toward explaining it

[go_seaward · 10/10 · 15 May 2002]

My talented and gifted group has watched this movie at least once a year since 5th grade. I have now seen the movie at least 10 times. It is one of the most thought-provoking films I have ever seen, plus it is a lot of fun to watch. The vast majority of my friends can quote lines with me; it's that good.

Why Man Creates explores different parts of the creative process, from its history (an amazing animation sequence) to themes of originality, criticism, experiencing art, and searching for meaning. It's very thought-provoking and well worth seeing for anyone. You probably won't find this film outside of an educational setting, but if you ever get the chance to watch it...seize the opportunity.

Saw this in Humanities class in 1980

[gr3yw01f · 10/10 · 8 February 2004]

I enjoyed this movie so much I spent the next 20 years trying to obtain a copy of it. I succeeded in 2000 and it cost me $79 for a VHS copy. (which I paid very willingly) Now I can't wait for my kids to be old enough to understand it.

Why Man Creates as a teaching tool

[sandersd-1 · 26 August 2002]

I first saw Why Man Creates in high school 1978. I also saw it in college - both times it was shown by a drama teacher/professor. When I started teaching in 1984 I got a copy from the service center and I also showed this film to my drama classes. With an average of 2 classes a year and 40 students, I have now shown this to over 700 students. I start my Theatre I class with a unit on creativity and the importance of failure to the creative process. And after seeing it over 40 times, I'm still finding new things to discuss! I have had several students come back to me after graduation asking where I got my copy, so I was thrilled to find in on the Internet. While it does appear dated in some ways, the message is loud and clear. I would hate to start the year without it!

A Film to Remember

[walterx4 · 9/10 · 4 January 2013]

When a film is remembered many, many years after watching it; when a person tries to find a copy again and again, the film deserves a high rating. I give it a 9 because when I saw it when I was young, I remember loving it. I would look forward to the next time it was shown in a classroom. As time passed, and I got older the film became dated, but I always looked forward to seeing it.

The reason I don't give it a 10 is because time makes things seem better than they actually were. Is this the case with this film? I don't know, but I do know I've never forgotten this film, nor the ping pong ball in it... Boing...boing...boing...boing...

A life-changing film

[visiondancer · 10/10 · 7 March 2002]

I saw this short film in high school and it really changed my life. It helped to cement my ambition as a young filmmaker. If you can find a copy, watch it. It won't disappoint you. I just found out the title while researching Saul Bass in a College course. His work is amazing and revolutionized the film industry.

Mrs Stones class 1984

[kirsten-hindes · 9/10 · 30 December 2005]

My favorite part was a small organism skipping across the screen singing "I'm a bug, I'm a germ..." then exclaiming "Louis Pasteur!", turning on heel and singing "i'm not a bug, I'm not a germ." This animation included the entire history of the world in a few minutes. It was followed by the strange stop light scene described earlier, and a funny bouncing ball segment. I have thought of this often in the last 20 years and would love to own a copy!

I saw it twice in high school. My teacher was Eliza Stone. She was strange and tough- a frail old bird whose class is one of the few I would not cut. Mostly because I was afraid of her judgement.

Unique and Untraditional

[johannamartin6 · 10/10 · 31 January 2019]

I watched this short film in a seminar class this year. At first, I was slightly taken aback at how different this film was. It was not what I was expecting when my teacher said it was "the most important film" she had ever seen. Nevertheless, by the end of the film I realized that it was unique and vague intentionally as it explores the indescribable creative process through brief vignettes. I watched it through a second time about a week later, and new things kept popping out at me. It never blatantly answers the question of why man creates, but the film ends with a thought that makes the viewer actually think about the question. I definitely recommend this film if you want a fresh outlook on the creative process.

Entertaining and educational

[bw92116 · 14 October 2011]

This film was shown widely in classrooms in the late 1960s and early 1970s, usually at the middle-school level, and usually by English or Social Studies teachers. I saw it several times, shown by several teachers. I don't know if it's still in use today in classrooms, but it seems to be largely a forgotten film. It's entertaining all the way through (except the interviews with the scientists does drag a tiny bit, in comparison to the other segments) and inspires you to think and wonder about the processes of creativity, imagination, invention and discovery. In today's world, where it seems like an entire generation has been lost to video games where all you do is go around and kill people, this film may seem like an anachronism. But it should still be shown in classrooms as it may inspire some students to think boldly and create something valuable or memorable during their lifetimes. I would encourage anyone, of any age, who has not seen this to get it and watch it at least once. It's a compact, short film, less than 30 minutes so there is really no excuse for anyone not to watch it.

Will I ever see it again?

[davemiller · 10/10 · 7 December 1999]

I write this in early December of 1999, the evening after my high school physics teacher whipped out an old copy of Why Man Creates.

My class watches cheap educational films all the time, so my expectations were not very high. Boy, was I wrong.

Saul Bass and collaborators have created something with WMC that I've never experienced before; the animated and live-action sequences are simply astounding, if not for their technical excellence, than for artistic merit. The bouncing ball segment is a must-see!

It's quite possible that generations of students before me have watched this in classrooms years ago, but judging from the number of votes on IMDb (20 as of today) it is relatively unknown. Oh, will I ever have a chance to see it again?

This is the best movie I have ever seen in a school

[gr3yw01f · 10/10 · 8 December 2001]

I was in 11th grade at Frankfurt American High School Germany when I saw this movie in Humanities class. It has been over twenty years since I saw it, and I still talk about it to this day. The very short scene with the snails talking about digression alone makes the film worth seeing. I believe this film should be required viewing by all high school students. If anyone knows where a copy can be purchased please contact me.

One of the all time best movies to show in any art or design class

[cmcinerney-1 · 10/10 · 16 September 2006]

Harold Grosowsky, a designer and instructor of mine in the 70s at SIU showed his classes this film. It left an indelible mark in my mind, and since I have been teaching, I have shown it to thousands of high school art, architecture,art history, sculpture, and photography students, billing it as a sort of 'cult' film for artists. I am amazed each and every time I show it, how quiet and riveted the students are to the screen. (incidently, it is the movie playing on the monitor at the beginning of the block buster movie Spiderman, no surprise) It leads to great discussions and it is wonderfully entertaining and inspirational. I have watched it easily 100 times, and I still enjoy it!

A Magically Wondrous Expression of Creativity

[chip-154 · 10/10 · 30 November 2006]

I, too, saw this film when I was younger, and the long lasting Joy of Creation instilled in it's viewing is worth every effort to preserve and propagate this wonderful expression in perpetuity.

For me, the "High Bouncing Ping-Pong Ball" and the embracing of being different from the crowd of Ping-Pong balls will never cease to bring a smile to my heart to this day.

Also, the wonderful Gunslinger taking 'shots' from Critics about a piece of art that he created, is delightful. His 'piece' (that you never get to see, it's all about his reactions to review) is NOT liked by anyone. The visuals of the pains caused by the words used is a great, non-preachy presentation of the power of ill chosen words and phrases.

A lesson not easy to show, yet presented with simple grace and humor.

This is one of those films that could easily be missed, and (in my humble opinion) should be sought out and viewed again and again.

So Good That It Was Too Short!

[bettycjung · 20 November 2017]

11/20/17. I can see why this film won an Oscar and is a National Film Registry pick! Educational as well as entertaining at just the right length to keep you engaged and focused. Don't we wish all films were made this way? While it is very much a product of its time ('60s), it still has a message for any and every generation, what makes Man (Humankind) unique is its creativity. It is the stuff of Culture and what makes us who we are. Wished this was longer.

Where can I get a video copy of this remarkable film?

[larstodson · 10/10 · 30 March 2005]

I have truly fond memories of this mind-bending, thought-provoking, imagination-challenging film, which I saw in third or fourth grade and again in seventh or eighth during two different school assemblies. I loved the initial animation sequence that expounded upon the history of creation from ancient times to the present in a Tower of Babel-like fantasy. The "Fooling Around" sequence was hilarious, when those party-goers' heads opened up, and an energetic young dancer had ice cream and milk thrown into her head so she would make a "milkshake" as she danced, and someone shouted "Hello down there!" into the skull of an air-headed woman who babbled on and on about nothing. I also remember a scene where people were trying to build something out of large blocks but the blocks kept moving around. And that ping-pong ball scene was a classic -- a metaphor for the above-the-ordinary maverick who doesn't "fit in" to the mainstream and is too gifted for his own good, "because ball was not meant to fly." The special effects in these and other scenes were ingenious for their time; since computer animation was almost nonexistent, I still wonder how Saul and Elaine Bass created that magic. (Perhaps they were that high-flying ping-pong ball!) That film will always stay with me, and if anyone knows where and/or how I can get a video copy of it at a reasonable price, please let me know. Thank you.