No one believed men who said they bought Playboy for the articles. If only because Paul, the Bauhaus-inspired son of Ukrainian Jewish immigrants, wasn’t anything like his robed boss’ carefully branded image, preferring to be a design-obsessed workaholic pushing the idea of what illustration could do alongside copy, and hiring artists both local and internationally known (Andy Warhol, Salvador Dali) to achieve it. When the focus is on how he made Playboy pop on the page — as backed by archival footage, interviews with Paul and those who worked for him, plus plenty of examples from the issues — director Jennifer Hou Kwong’s movie compels as a portrait of unwavering dedication to aesthetics and breakout creativity. It’s her efforts to sell Paul in home scenes as a coulda been musician, mighta been wordsmith and undiscovered solo artist that feel reaching, like a sentimental family tribute video. 'Art Paul of Playboy: The Man Behind the Bunny' Not ratedRunning time: 1 hour, 14 minutesPlaying: Starts Feb. 28, Arena Cinelounge Sunset, Hollywood

Source: Los Angeles Times February 27, 2020 16:52 UTC