tannersky

Looking for Langston is a beautifully photographed faux travelogue through the Harlem Renaissance using the poetry of Langston Hughes alongside those of Richard Bruce Nugent, James Baldwin, and Essex Hemphill. Also shown are the controversial photographs of black men by the photographer Robert Mapplethorpe. Director Julien also uses a cast of actors to recreate the moving image scenes of the era, chiefly focusing o poems and words about the homosexuality at odds with the established black America's desire for more assimilation. Juxtaposing the words with images of desire both fulfilled and unfulfilled in exquisite black and white creates an atmosphere that is both erotic and withholding, spaced out, yet full of embrace.

A phenomenal artistic achievement!

Story is great. Acting is great. Music is great. But the photography is perfect. Coming from the photography world, you should be able to pause a film at any time and be able to see a story in the still. Each scene in the Transcendents could be paused, printed and framed. It's just so full of life, color, hidden intentions, and style. The camera is either contorted like a gargoyle or dancing like a swan. Watch the movie, and pause it. Do it randomly. It's amazing.