Person Details

Birthday: 1930-01-01 14:30:27

Aliases: No known aliases

Gender: Male

Place of birth: Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.

Homepage: http://www.zipporah.com/

Movie Involvements: 156

TV Involvements: 1


Most Famous Work

Biography

Frederick Wiseman is an American filmmaker, documentarian, and theatre director. Documentarian Frederick Wiseman has been noted for his ability to capture the nuances of life in American institutions such as prisons, hospitals, welfare offices, and high schools. He started out in 1963 by producing a fictional feature film, The Cool World, an examination of the lives of Harlem teenagers. In the beginning, Wiseman was a staunch social reformist, and his films were calls for change. Titicut Follies, his first documentary, is an exposé of life in a prison for the criminally insane in Bridgewater, MA. It was controversial and left Wiseman with the reputation of being a muckraker. His four subsequent documentaries were all exposés of other tax-supported institutions designed to show the ineffectiveness of the bureaucracy that not only threatens to destroy them, but also dehumanizes the people they were meant to serve. Wiseman toned down his message and began focusing more on American culture to point out the symbolism of daily activities in his film Primate (1974). In the ‘80s, he began examining institutions as they relate to ideology. Unlike other documentaries, Wiseman’s work does not progress chronologically; rather, the segments are arranged thematically, like an essay, and are linked via rhetorical devices such as comparison and contrast to create a patterned structure. His films are never narrated, thereby forcing viewers to make connections between the sequences themselves. Wiseman has occasionally returned to fictional films, albeit in a non-fiction performance style, as with Seraphita’s Diary (1982) and La Derniere Lettre (2002).

Most Famous Work

I Miss Sonia Henie
Average
6

I Miss Sonia Henie

(1971) Director
Menus-Plaisirs Les Troisgros
Average
8
Titicut Follies
Average
7

Titicut Follies

(1967) Writer
Ex Libris: The New York Public Library
Average
6
High School
Average
7

High School

(1969) Writer
National Gallery
Average
7

National Gallery

(2014) Writer
Crazy Horse
Average
7

Crazy Horse

(2011) Producer
City Hall
Average
6

City Hall

(2020) Producer

Acting

Year Character Movie/Tv
2023 Le client du printemps
2022 Dr. Wiseman
2019 John
2018 Membre Commission CNC
2013 Edward Hopper (voice)
2012 L'homme
Year Character Movie/Tv

Directing

Year Role Movie/Tv
2023 Director
2022 Director
2020 Director
2018 Director
2017 Director
2015 Director
2014 Director
2013 Director
2011 Director
2010 Director
2009 Director
Director
2007 Director
2005 Director
2002 Director
Director
2001 Director
1999 Director
1997 Director
1996 Director
1995 Director
1994 Director
1993 Director
1991 Director
1989 Director
Director
1988 Director
1986 Director
Director
Director
Director
1985 Director
1983 Director
1982 Director
1981 Director
1979 Director
1978 Director
1977 Director
1976 Director
1975 Director
1974 Director
1973 Director
1972 Director
1971 Director
Director
1970 Director
1969 Director
Director
1967 Director
Year Role Movie/Tv

Editing

Year Role Movie/Tv
2023 Editor
2022 Editor
2020 Editor
2018 Editor
2017 Editor
2015 Editor
2014 Editor
2013 Editor
2011 Editor
2010 Editor
2009 Editor
2007 Editor
2002 Editor
2001 Editor
1999 Editor
1997 Editor
1996 Editor
1995 Editor
1994 Editor
1993 Editor
1991 Editor
1989 Editor
Editor
1988 Editor
1986 Editor
Editor
Editor
Editor
1985 Editor
1983 Editor
1981 Editor
1979 Editor
1978 Editor
1977 Editor
1976 Editor
1975 Editor
1974 Editor
1973 Editor
1972 Editor
1971 Editor
1970 Editor
1969 Editor
Editor
1967 Editor
Year Role Movie/Tv

Production

Year Role Movie/Tv
2023 Producer
2020 Producer
2018 Producer
2017 Producer
2015 Producer
2014 Producer
2013 Producer
2011 Producer
2007 Producer
2002 Producer
2001 Producer
1999 Producer
1997 Producer
1996 Producer
1995 Producer
1993 Producer
1991 Producer
1989 Producer
Producer
1988 Producer
1986 Producer
Producer
Producer
Producer
1985 Producer
1983 Producer
1981 Producer
1979 Producer
1978 Producer
1977 Producer
1976 Producer
1975 Producer
1974 Producer
1973 Producer
1972 Producer
1971 Producer
1970 Producer
1969 Producer
Producer
1967 Producer
1963 Producer
Year Role Movie/Tv

Writing

Sound


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