The brief, fascinating life of British fashion designer Lee Alexander McQueen is energetically told over a brisk two hours with the late great's landmark runway shows serving as anchors for the steady pace.

Directed by Ian Bonhôte and Peter Ettedgui, both making their feature-length film debuts, copious home videos and archival interviews sketch a strong portrait of the artist while modern-day chats with family, friends, colleagues and models help fill in much of the rest.

Even with the numerous Documentary 101 talking heads, McQueen more closely resembles the unseen-interview approaches of Asif Kapadia's innovative Senna and Amy, and Mat Whitecross' Oasis: Supersonic (which Kapadia executive produced), especially with its steady montages of exquisitely edited footage.

Fashion aficionados will revel in this deep dive into one of the medium’s best and brightest, while those unfamiliar with McQueen's work will be treated to an accessible and engrossing portrait of a creative, tragic soul.

Grade: B-plus. Rated R. Starts Aug. 24 at the Fine Arts Theatre

(Photo: Bleecker Street)