Wiseman’s films tell story of American life

Ask Frederick Wiseman and he’ll say that his goal in life over the past 25-plus years has been to make as many films as possible about the many varying aspects of American life. And critics agree, that is exactly what the renowned documentary filmmaker has done and continues to do.

Now the Walker Art Center is about to launch a three-week film retrospective highlighting some of Wiseman’s finest films in the aptly titled Frederick Wiseman: A Sense of Place Film Retrospective, starting this Sunday. It is a presentation that museum curators say is well overdue.

“There has been such a surge in interest in his work again, especially from young documentary filmmakers that the timing was perfect,” said Sheryl Mousley, curator of film and video exhibits at the Walker. “His films are beautiful and he can articulate like no other. We’ve wanted to do this for a long time.”

The retrospective will feature 12 of Wiseman’s 34 films that span the past few decades, including many of his most famous works, like Titicut Follies, High School, Domestic Violence 2 and Model (see descriptions below). While the topics are diverse, they all share a theme, an exploration of American institutions.

“I have always been fascinated with institutions that can be found anywhere and everywhere in this country,” Wiseman said. “Hospitals, prisons, schools, these are all places that exist everywhere and are important to American society. And they are fascinating.”

While the topic of his films might be place, Wiseman, whose resume of filmmaking awards is almost too long to read, focuses each film on people, more specifically everyday people who are caught up in day to day activities and ideals that may seem normal … until they are put under the microscope.

“I think in my films, I’ve tried to show the complexity of daily life and the complexities of American ideals,” Wiseman said. “They focus on a specific place, but they serve as a microcosm for our society as a whole.”

Frederick Wiseman: A Sense of Place Film Retrospective Schedule and Descriptions. Unless otherwise noted screenings are $7 and take place in the Walker Auditorium, 725 Vineland Place, Mpls. 612-375-7651:

Domestic Violence 2
Monday, Nov. 10, 7 p.m.
In Hillsborough County, Fla., Wiseman follows a series of domestic abuse cases into arraignment and court, where lawyers and judges ask questions that elicit riveting stories of couples’ conflicts and the ensuing violence. 2002. 159 min. Oak Street Cinema, 309 Oak St. SE.

Racetrack
Wednesday, Nov. 12, 7 p.m.
A comment on materialism, Racetrack focuses in on Belmont, one of the world’s leading tracks, and highlights the training, maintaining and racing of thoroughbred horses. 1985. 114 min.

The Store
Friday, Nov. 14, 8 p.m.
This film about the main Neiman-Marcus store in Dallas shows the daily practice of selection, presentation, marketing, pricing, advertising and selling of a vast array of consumer products all the while showing the internal management of a large corporation. 1983. 120 min.

Model
Saturday, Nov. 15, 8 p.m.
Wiseman documents the harrowing attention to detail required by the men and women at work on TV commercials, fashion, shows, print advertising, posing for magazine covers and ads for a variety of products. 1980. 129 min.

La Comedie-Francaise ou L’amour joue
Sunday, Nov. 16, 1 p.m.
Wiseman takes a hard look at what makes theater theater and film an art, this documentary examines the oldest continuous repertory theater company in the world, founded in Paris in the late 17th century. 1996. 223 min.

The Last Letter
Wednesday, Nov. 19, 8 p.m.
This is a drama set in 1941 in a small city in the Ukraine just seized by the Germans. A Russian Jewish doctor writes a final letter to her famous physicist son describing detailed observations of daily life in the ghetto. 2002. 61 min.

High School II
Thursday, Nov. 20, 10:15 a.m.
This film follows Central Park East Secondary School, an alternative high school in New York’s Spanish Harlem that sends 85 - 95 percent of its graduates on to four-year colleges. 1994. 220 min.

Regis dialogue with Frederick Wiseman and Jim McKay.
Friday, Nov. 21, at 8 p.m.