Emile de Antonio's Painters Painting: The New York Art Scene 1940-1970 (1973) is a film about artists done by a political filmmaker, which gives a heft and seriousness to the subject. The history of the twentieth century grounds the film by providing a continuous invisible counterpoint to all the talk about art. Seeing famous artists in their heyday makes the film into an art history textbook come to life. From the top, Kenneth Noland, Andy Warhol (surrounded by the documentary crew), Helen Frankenthaler, and Willem de Kooning.
