MovieChat Forums > The Salt of the Earth (2014) Discussion > Just no.

Just no.

posted 9 years ago by gerim
6 replies | jump to latest

Sebastião Salgado built his fame by showing the alleged "beauty" of poverty and misery of humanity. No, there is nothing beautiful in that, not at all. Real poor people are always trying to flee from poverty, dreaming with the comforts and achievements of civilization. Only bourgeois and philistine people find some "beauty" in poverty.

Beware, beware, beware!

[–] Keely 9 years ago

Yes, we should only show flowers and lovers and cute puppies in photographs and movies, that will certainly make the world a better place. I think you should see the movie before you make a judgment.

[–] guccipix 8 years ago



http://letterboxd.com/guccipix/list/my-top-100-favorite-films/

[–] PoppyTransfusion 9 years ago

Have you looked at his photos? They do not show beauty in any conventional sense. They are stunning, compelling and sometimes brutal.

Real poor people are always trying to flee from poverty, dreaming with the comforts and achievements of civilization.

I think this is a very dubious claim and reflects your view and values rather than speaks for the "real poor people" who are clearly a different category to "poor people" ...

A bird sings and the mountain's silence deepens.

[–] ThreeSadTigers 9 years ago

Sebastião Salgado built his fame by showing the alleged "beauty" of poverty and misery of humanity

I don't think that's what he's doing. He's simply documenting.

You could argue that what his pictures really show is the perseverance of the human spirit, which is itself more beautiful than the aesthetics of the imagery. The will to survive and endure, the community spirit, the charitable kindness of others, even in death, are inspirational factors, and it's the documentation of these things that make his images remarkable; not simply the use of light and contrast.

His photography shows us a brief perspective on worlds and cultures that are close to extinction, on landscapes that no longer exist, on people that have been displaced, or mistreated, but continue to journey on. It is humbling to see such images. It reminds us not to take our own lives for granted. And if it inspires people with the power and the money to actually go out into the world and create a change for the better, then the documentation of such things isn't just necessary it's essential.

[–] flaiky 8 years ago

You could argue that what his pictures really show is the perseverance of the human spirit, which is itself more beautiful than the aesthetics of the imagery. The will to survive and endure, the community spirit, the charitable kindness of others, even in death, are inspirational factors, and it's the documentation of these things that make his images remarkable; not simply the use of light and contrast.

Based on what is shown in the film, I have to disagree that this is an element of Salgado's work. I was starting to feel seriously depressed because I was being shown these horrors, relentlessly, with very little hope or humanity to cling onto. The people are suffering terribly and that's the end of it. I couldn't even sense any "will to survive", as you claim, just utter despair. The film at least tries to put a positive spin at the end, but through appreciating the wonders of the natural world rather than finding any salvation for these people.

That is a masterpiece of understatement.

[–] MacacoBanditi 8 years ago

Try watching the movie before making a complete fool of yourself.