A naked modern artist? Maybe, partly. But he sure gives himself to the part, and the work stands up both formally (these volcanoes of paint look great) and thematically (all is violence and striving), if you want them too. The middle part, when Appel looks around and absorbs the world around him, is quite contrived. Or, it’s like Flaherty’s Nanook. He’s acting, but he’s also himself. The composition, the assembly, the creation sections are all very nice.