Helmut Newton: The Bad and the Beautiful

Description

Helmut Newton (1920–2004) was one of the most influential — and most controversial — fashion photographers of the 20th century. He became known for his glamorous and often provocative black-and-white images, radiating elegance, eroticism, and power play. A fixture in Vogue, his work was both hailed as groundbreaking and criticized as sexist and fetishistic. Newton himself consistently rejected the label “artist,” yet his photographs left a profound mark on the development of modern fashion and portrait photography. The documentary The Bad and the Beautiful takes us into Newton’s world. Through archival footage and behind-the-scenes clips, we see him in action: direct, humorous, uncompromising. We meet several of his famous muses — Claudia Schiffer, Grace Jones, Charlotte Rampling, and Isabella Rossellini — along with fashion world voices such as Anna Wintour, and not least Newton’s lifelong partner and wife, June Newton, who accompanied him throughout his career. The film also revisits Newton’s background. Born into a Jewish family in Berlin, he was forced to flee Nazi Germany in 1938. He eventually settled in Australia before finding his way to Paris, where he became a star photographer with a style that defined an era. Art on Film: Art on Film is presented and curated in collaboration with The Art Trotter — a learning platform and art club that makes art simple, accessible, and fun for everyone. Explore The Art Trotter here. Good to know: * Languages: English, French, and German * Subtitles: Swedish