by Nathan Southern
synopsis
Edward Hopper qualifies as one of the most enduring of 20th century artists -- to such a degree that his images of domestic America (from the wolf-hour urban corner bar of "Nighthawks" to the sunlight-bleached storefront of "Summertime") are now part and parcel of American iconography. Actor and screenwriter Steve Martin hosts the Carroll Moore-directed documentary Edward Hopper, which provides an overview of the artist's career, from 1925 through the mid-'50s. Via a combination of archival photographs, glimpses of the artist's tableaux, and contemporary footage of the locations where he painted, Moore's film explores Hopper's aesthetic influences, the milieux that inspired him, and his contributions to the American artistic canon.
