Blue Vinyl (Documentary)
Picture: C+
Sound: C+ Extras: B Main Program: B
It is obvious that anything made of artificial materials
can potentially be dangerous, but Blue Vinyl (2002) makes a stunning
argument that vinyl products are far more toxic than ever thought to be and
that they offer such a high amount of deadly dioxin by-product that one wonder
show it could have been produced so massively for so many decades to begin
with.
The threat is two-fold, from the production that causes
all kinds of deadly waste products, to its application to houses and other
consumer uses. This is so bad, that
burning it and throwing it out is yet another bad idea. A variant of vinyl was even being used in
hairspray and it was a big fashion material going back to science fiction and
the “future worlds” imagined in the 1950s and 1960s. The Avengers and Andy Warhol would not have quite been
same without it.
Co-directors Judith Helfand and Daniel B. Gold interview
every single person they can, including those who may not be very comfortable
with what they are doing. Helfand has a
particular investment in this as she was dangerously and permanently affected
by the production of these materials through vinyl on her house and a nearby
production plant. She calls the money
she received in a settlement her “uterus money” with great irony. The money was to buy her off, but she is
using it to expose how she and literally millions of unsuspecting people have
been hurt.
Anything unnaturally produced, especially out of toxic
chemicals has to have some problems, but it turns out vinyl may be up there
with lead, asbestos and smoking as dangers sold as safe that are beyond
scandalous in the way they permanently damaged generations to come. The title refers to the vinyl on the side of
her family home. The only problem with
the program is that it offers a very sound argument, which seems to have great
validity, but much more research and science is needed and the massive records
they found is under-presented in the 98 minutes of the program. Nevertheless, I believe her.
The 1.33 x 1 full frame image is recently taped and looks
nice and clean for non-HD digital. The
Dolby Digital 2.0 is simple stereo usually from audio taped on location, though
some music has been added in post-production.
The combination is adequate for such a documentary. Extras include a stills gallery, deleted
scenes, two worthwhile bonus shorts, a different epilogue and a fine audio
commentary track by the co-directors.
The extras are the equal of the feature and Docurama once again has
issued another thought provoking, highly political, uncompromising look at the
dark side of The American Dream. Blue
Vinyl is a must see.
- Nicholas Sheffo
