Frank Gehry on Film
What a new documentary does and doesn't say about the famous architect.
By Witold Rybczynski
Updated Wednesday, July 26, 2006, at 12:51 PM ET
"It's not just that I didn't know anything about making documentaries. I
didn't even know anything about architecture," says Hollywood director
Sydney Pollack, recalling his reaction to Frank Gehry's request that he
make a movie about his work. "That's why you're perfect," Gehry is
supposed to have answered. After seeing Sketches of Frank Gehry, I'm not
so sure.
....
He spent five years filming Sketches, which is clearly a labor of love.
Some of the unaffected scenes are conversations between Gehry and
Pollack—old friends and schmoozing old pros. But when Hollywood talking
heads such as Michael Ovitz, Michael Eisner, and Dennis Hopper (who
lives in a Gehry-designed house, though we never see it) pontificate
about architecture, it's downright embarrassing.
Pollack was right: He doesn't know much about architecture....
cont'd....
http://www.slate.com/id/2146515/