[HEART OF A DOG
opens in Akron on Friday December 4th exclusively at the Nightlight Cinema.]
Review by Bob Ignizio
Most documentaries fall into one of two categories: either “you
are there” cinema verite that exists in the moment, or “talking heads” type
films that blend interviews with old film clips and photos. But there is a
third, much rarer kind of documentary that aims for a more abstract, poetic
approach. It should probably come as no surprise that when performance artist
Laurie Anderson decided to direct a documentary, it would fall into this last
category.
HEART OF A DOG is
a film about loss. Overtly, Anderson talks about the loss of her mother, and of
her dog, Lolabelle. The recent death of her husband, rock legend Lou Reed, isn’t
addressed directly, yet it pervades the entire film.
