Discover the wild story of pioneering English photographer and great-uncle of cinema Eadweard Muybridge in this fascinating documentary that sifts legend from truth.
Considers the question of whether there is truth in photography and how Muybridge employed the fledgling medium in service of both fact and fiction.
Screened as part of NZIFF 2022
Exposing Muybridge 2021
The oddly monikered Eadweard Muybridge is probably best known for his trailblazing 19th century photographs of a galloping horse that foreshadowed the birth of cinema. This documentary from Marc Shaffer tells us more about the mysterious man behind the lens and proves that truth really is stranger than legend. Guided by photographers, writers, academics and avid Muybridge collector Gary Oldman, the documentary sheds light on the many lives of the English-born Edward James Muggeridge, uncovering a tale of unbridled ambition and even cold-blooded murder. — Michael McDonnell
“Oldman, who has been developing a Muybridge biopic for some time provides additional details that would make for an electric period film about a man he fears has been mistreated and misunderstood by history. In his life Muybridge certainly viewed himself as an underdog of sorts, telling his grandmother before setting sail for the US that he’d either make a name for himself or she’d never hear from him again…
The academics chosen by Shaffer also provide information that is technical, personal, and critical without ever feeling like a dry work of art history. The film, like Muybridge, is full of mystery, playfulness, and complexity – an illuminating and engaging history lesson.” — John Fink, The Film Stage