Searching for Sugar Man - ‘How do you create a mythical legendary artist?’ is an textual analysis exercise that explores an extract from the documentary film.

1. MDA3200 Film Theory
Textual Analysis Exercise
Chandra Khan
Searching for Sugar Man| ‘How do you create a mythical legendary artist?’
My essay will explore a scene from 04:03-09:55 in Searching for Sugar Man, Malik Bendjelloul, 2012.
I will critically analyse the scene surrounding the question in my essay title and clearly state reasons
for selecting this scene by providing evidence that will support my thesis. So how do you create a
mythical legendary artist? From the very beginning we are set on a journey to discover this acclaimed
artist, Rodriguez, in South Africa to only find out that in his home country, America, he was an unknown
and unsuccessful artist. Throughout the documentary film, there is a sense of mystery created around
Rodriguez and this scene is no different from that effect.
At 04:03, a drawn-like animation of Detroit with title ‘1968’ and diegetic sounds of thunder and
lightning, sets the tone of this segment and takes us to the context of that time period. The use of sounds
questions whether it is a warning of what is about to come or what was stated in the beginning of the
film which I will explain in a moment. At 04:07, a voice-over appears on-top of the animation and
diegetic sounds carries onto the new setting, a bar, titles inform us that the interviewee is Dennis Coffey
and gives vital information regarding Coffey’s criteria. He is in a typical position of an interview setting,
at the corner of the frame at eye level.
The lighting is slightly dim but distinct colours pops up, Bendjelloul uses orange, red and green and
makes use of this colour pallet. The colours set the tone of the scene and Coffey recalls his memories
of the event, the description of the environment at 04:30 has a video-tape quality footage of an empty
street with a voice-over “isolated part of Detroit”, he speaks of the mist coming from the river and non-
diegetic noise sounds like a long fog-horn sound are evident. This shot is like a poetic visual metaphor
for what Coffey is describing and it feels slightly surreal. A common Bendjelloul filmmaker’s trait is
evident in this shot; he uses tracking shots, creating a fluid motion and does this throughout the film,
there is always movement in his shots, camera swaying in one direction adds a depth to his shots.
Coffey references a fictional character, Sherlock Holmes, a detective who solves crimes fits in well
because we are trying to find out about Rodriquez. Also I want to note, which relates to the point I was
going to make earlier, in the beginning of the film Stephen “Sugar” Segerman, who went on this journey
to unlock the mystery behind his icon legend, informs us that Rodriguez committed suicide. Bendjelloul
choice of keeping that reference within his film adds a depth to his film. It fits in perfectly because as
the audience knows that Rodriquez had killed himself, we are trying to solve why he did it and this
shocking information fits in with the thunder and lightning noise in the beginning of my chosen scene.
Bendjelloul is very innovative and intelligent, his film is very layered and even this tiny lucky accident
information creates a film that has been well thought through and there is a sense that something bigger
is waiting in store for us as a viewer.

2. MDA3200 Film Theory
Textual Analysis Exercise
Chandra Khan
My research of Bill Nicolas’ theory, while I agree that as a framework using his theory is useful in
understanding documentary format, but I agree more with Stella Bruzzi who criticised his theory and
states that documentary is far more intricate than initially thought during Nicolas time. It has evolved
more than one documentary format and does not need to represent reality to the fullest as realism is not
reality, it is subjective. This documentary is a combination of participatory, poetic and reflexive and
more than half way through the film we are informed Rodriguez is alive.
There is manipulation but the filmmaker’s choice of conveying the story that way adds in creating
Rodriguez into a mythical legend. Similarly, this creates mystery surrounding Rodriguez but revealing
the truth at the right moment impacts greatly of the outcome of the viewing experience and his creative
stance becomes even more effective. Bendjelloul recreates the journey of discovery but along the way
Bendjelloul is trying to find out new information such as where all the money is going and interviews
Clearance Avant to find out.
The bar scene has a video-tape quality, lighting is dim, significance of distinct colours, dark figures,
silhouettes of people all ties in together producing a mysterious and alluring effect on the audience.
Mike Theodore, also a co-producer of Rodriguez first album, describes the music he heard and it
manifests as he goes on and we can hear it. The editing interweaves what the interviewees are saying
to what we see and hear. We hear “strange voice” and “ethereal voice”, they speak of his voice and we
haven’t heard his voice yet so it builds up the moment of intrigue. They speak of not being able to see
him, his back to them, only his silhouette, he is becoming a mythical character to us not only by
interviewees recalling memories but the way Bendjelloul is orchestrating the interviews, visuals,
lighting, sounds and editing together.
At 06:16, there is animation and titles, Rodriguez music plays, the animation submerges into actual
footage of streets and it creates a lyrical poetic dimension to it. At 07:35 Dan DiMaggio describes
Rodriguez as “this wondering spirit around the city”, voice-over goes on to an aerial shot of Detroit, a
poverty stricken area which has greatly influenced Rodriguez music. He would set meetings for
producers and “would be there all of a sudden”, this adds to the mythology of Rodriguez and we are
getting a sense of his character, “we thought he was this inner city poet”. When Coffey and Theodore
speaks of Rodriguez, there are archive footage and ends with a powerful statement regarding Rodriguez
career “this still haunts me”.
I believe my chosen scene has demonstrated different techniques used to produce Rodriguez as a
mythical legendary artist and by the end we are left full of wonder and want to find out more about this
mysterious figure who has the ability to make it in the industry but didn’t and sets us on a mission to
discover more. Additionally, I have dismantled certain key points in order to critically analyse the scene
surrounding the question in my essay title and have clearly stated reasons for selecting this scene by
providing evidence that have supported my thesis.

3. MDA3200 Film Theory
Textual Analysis Exercise
Chandra Khan
Bibliography
Understanding Film Theory, Christine Etherington-Wright and Ruth Doughty, Basingstoke: Palgrave
Macmillan, 2011
Representing Reality, Bill Nichols, Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1991
New Documentary: A Critical Introduction, Stella Bruzzi, London; New York: Routledge, 2001