Magical
Universe (2013/MPI/Sundance Selects DVD)
Picture:
C Sound: C Extras: A Documentary: C+
For
over 20 years, Al Carbee has been hidden away from the world creating
his Magical Universe (2013), him and his house full of
Barbies. An artist and recluse from the world he has spent the last
few decades making dioramas and taking pictures as if Barbie was a
real person. Profiling Al Carbee is Jeremy Workman and his wife
Astrid. Vacationing in Maine one day, they discovered Al and over
the next ten years begin a relationship and an unlikely friendship
with him as they share Al and his Barbies with the rest of the world;
Al's story of art and passion.
Most
people who find an 80-year-old man with a houseful of Barbies would
think he is a perverted/crazy old man (showing how wide-ranging
fanboy cultures really are), but it takes a rare soul to be still so
passionate about something they love, and even more so to then turn
it into art. I would say it is like the Andy Warhol of Barbies by
him and from him. It is just mind blowing to see how much, how many
he has collected and how many pictures he has taken. You can feel
the passion and his love for Barbie, as he takes one of the world's
most iconic toys and creates a world of Barbies. It's not like
Barbie is not extremely popular and some on the collector's market
are very expensive, yet Al is not in it for the money. You'll have
to see this one for yourself.
The
anamorphically enhanced 1.78 X 1 image is soft and mixed at times,
while the lossy Dolby Digital sound has many flaws and location audio
issues, so the combination can be challenging to sit through at
times. Extras include featurettes, teasers and a trailer.
-
Ricky Chiang
