Review: Observational Masterworks 'Streetwise/Tiny: The Life Of Erin Blackwell' Open Up a World Previously Unencountered

One of the most indelible impacts left upon the viewer after watching the one-two punch of the Criterion Collection's latest box set release, "Streetwise/Tiny: The Life of Erin Blackwell," is that these films never once place judgement upon their subjects. Therein lies the power of these purely observational masterworks. The camera simply serves as an eye, a vessel for us to experience a world previously unencountered, or even unimaginable.

In "Streetwise" (1984), director Martin Bell, photographer Mary Ellen Mark, and journalist Cheryl McCall aimed to capture the daily hustles of homeless and runaway teenagers living on the streets of Seattle in 1983. In doing so, they created an unforgettable work that captures the iron will and fractured innocence of marginalized youths, most notably three central subjects: The resourceful Rat, the drifting Dewayne, and the unforgettable Tiny, who would go on to become the film's most memorable figure.

Undeniably empathetic, devastating, and candid, "Streetwise" can be a difficult but rewarding watch, as it immerses the viewer in the daily existence of these teenagers' world. We witness their efforts in panhandling, prostitution, and dumpster diving, along with glimpses into the private lives beyond the streets (Tiny and her mother; Dewayne and his imprisoned father). The access granted to Bell, Mark, and McCall is truly astounding. By the film's end, it's hard not to feel somewhat, or even monumentally, changed.

In the spirit of Michael Apted's brilliant "Up" series, Bell and Mark continued their relationship with their subjects far beyond the release of "Streetwise." The most notable is Tiny, or Erin Blackwell, who is revisited over 30 years later in the profound "Tiny: The Life of Erin Blackwell." Now a mother of ten, battling methadone addiction and daily regrets, yet remaining as much a persevering force as she was at 14, Blackwell is a fascinating subject. And, as in "Streetwise," her existence is presented in such a frank and effective way that judgement is never passed by the creative team. We are the observers here, and how we interpret and accept the lives shown on screen is ultimately up to us.

This Criterion Collection release includes both films on one disc, along with some excellent shorts that came between the two films that further examine Erin Blackwell's life: "Tiny at 20" and "Erin." Also included is "Streetwise Revisited: Rat," which checks in on one of the other documentary's central figures, and "The Amazing Plastic Lady," an unrelated, yet still interesting, work. Supplemental material also includes a new audio commentary by Bell, as well as an interview with him, plus a new interview with "Streetwise" editor Nancy Baker.

The booklet inside the packaging includes an essay by historian Andrew Hedden, journalist Cheryl McCall's 1983 Life Magazine article about teenagers living on the street in Seattle, on which "Streetwise" was based, as well as reflections on Blackwell written by Mark in 2015. For documentary fans, empathetic souls and collectors alike, this release is a must.

"Streetwise/Tiny: The Life of Erin Blackwell" is available on Criterion Collection Blu-ray for the suggested retail price of $31.96