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Movies / On DVD / Sketches of Frank Gehry
Sketches of Frank Gehry

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Sketches of Frank Gehry (2006)

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Reviews Counted:78

Fresh:63

Rotten:15

Average Rating:6.9/10

Consensus: This affectionate, casually framed portrait of the acclaimed architect reveals him to be an engaging, likeable subject.

Rated: 12A

Runtime: 84 mins

Genre: Musical & Performing Arts

Theatrical Release:29-06-2007

Synopsis: Oscar winning director Sydney Pollack takes a sharp sideways turn with SKETCHES OF FRANK GEHRY, a documentary about the noted architect. Usually known for making grandiose productions such as THE... Oscar winning director Sydney Pollack takes a sharp sideways turn with SKETCHES OF FRANK GEHRY, a documentary about the noted architect. Usually known for making grandiose productions such as THE FIRM and OUT OF AFRICA, Pollock adds a genuine curio to his filmmaking resume with this movie. Although the two men have been friends for years, Pollock thankfully bypasses the opportunity to pay a fawning tribute to Gehry, instead presenting a well-balanced portrait that offers both positive and negative commentators the chance to etch their thoughts into celluloid. But it quickly becomes clear that the biggest naysayer of all is Gehry himself, who is painted as a highly self-critical man, clearly ill-at-ease with fame and his own achievements. Pollock offers some screen time to Gehry's magnificent creations, but not as much as a less experienced director might have done, instead choosing to focus on the man himself. People such as Gehry's therapist, Milton Wexler, and garrulous artist/director Julian Schnabel (BASQUIAT) offer their thoughts, but the real magic occurs when Pollock and Gehry are on screen together. The series of interviews between the two men have the kind of relaxed atmosphere that could only exist after years of friendship, and Gehry comes across as an astonishingly normal and likeable fellow who keeps his ego firmly in check. Shooting mostly with hand-held digital-video cameras also brings a nice intimacy to the proceedings, creating a warm testimony to a great artist who has somehow managed to keep his integrity intact despite the ruthless nature of the industry in which he works. [More]

Starring: Frank Gehry, Dennis Hopper, Bob Geldof, Julian Schnabel

Starring: Frank Gehry, Dennis Hopper, Bob Geldof, Julian Schnabel

Director: Sydney Pollack

Director: Sydney Pollack
Producer: Sydney Pollack, Ultan Guilfoyl

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Reviews for Sketches of Frank Gehry

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1 - 20 (sorted by date; UK critics are listed first)
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The result is a persuasive movie which proves beyond doubt that at least some geniuses are intensely practical as well as intuitive.

Full Review Source: This is London | comment Comment
06/29/07
Derek Malcolm
Derek Malcolm
This is London

While Pollack continually favours celebrity gush over objective analysis, the shots of Gehry's buildings – the Guggenheim in Bilbao being the centrepiece – and his stunning use of light do make a case for him as a genuine visionary.

Full Review Source: Independent | comment Comment
06/29/07
Anthony Quinn
Anthony Quinn
Independent

The questioning is skin-deep and Pollack’s handheld DV approach doesn’t show the buildings at their best.

Full Review Source: Total Film | comment Comment
06/29/07
Total Film

What's missing is a critical edge.

Full Review Source: Daily Telegraph | comment Comment
06/29/07
Sukhdev Sandhu
Sukhdev Sandhu
Daily Telegraph
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

an intelligent piece of partisan adoration - although he gives some space to Gehry's detractors, too.

Full Review Source: Guardian [UK] | comment Comment
06/29/07
Peter Bradshaw
Peter Bradshaw
Guardian [UK]
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Ultimately the picture is as revealing about the director as it is about the subject. But it won’t appeal to those who like their documentaries to come armed with teeth.

Full Review Source: Times [UK] | comment Comment
06/29/07
James Christopher
James Christopher
Times [UK]
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

A fond and always accessible portrait, but the lack of objectivity and drooling images of Gehry's work deprives this documentary of any objectivity.

Full Review Source: Empire Magazine | comment Comment
06/29/07
Patrick Peters
Patrick Peters
Empire Magazine
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

More a thumbnail than a full portrait.

Full Review Source: BBC | comment Comment
06/26/07
Matthew Leyland
Matthew Leyland
BBC
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

too vague for real insight, too conventional to match its subject's iconoclasm, and too affectionate to offer a truly critical account of the Gehry phenomenon.

Full Review Source: Channel 4 Film | comment Comment
06/21/07
Anton Bitel
Anton Bitel
Channel 4 Film
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Pollack’s documentary is a friendly affair that presents some stunning footage of several Gehry projects.

Full Review Source: Time Out | comment Comment
10/30/06
Wally Hammond
Wally Hammond
Time Out
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Orlando Sentinel | comment Comment
05/13/09
Roger Moore
Roger Moore
Orlando Sentinel

(...) Un documental que debería ver todo aquel que alguna vez haya sentido la necesidad o las ganas de crear algo, ya sea una pieza de cerámica, un edificio o una película.

Full Review Source: Uruguay Total | comment Comment
10/13/07
Enrique Buchichio
Enrique Buchichio
Uruguay Total

[Pollack] and Gehry share a long friendship, which is evident in this elegant, diverting, affectionate documentary.

Full Review Source: Film Journal International | comment Comment
03/01/07
David Noh
David Noh
Film Journal International

Watching Frank work in his studio is a lesson in creativity. He seems to pride himself on buildings with no right angles; it all comes together to create facades that stand out in a skyline.

Full Review Source: TheMovieChicks.com | comment Comment
12/20/06
Cherryl Dawson and Leigh Ann Palone
Cherryl Dawson and Leigh Ann Palone
TheMovieChicks.com

The film is a credit to Sydney Pollack, whose warm and intelligent style infiltrates this fascinating documentary allowing us the pleasure of spending some time with an architect whose approach to design is as fundamental as to life itself

Full Review Source: Urban Cinefile | comment Comment
11/10/06
Urban Cinefile Critics
Urban Cinefile Critics
Urban Cinefile
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Sydney Morning Herald | comment Comment
10/13/06
Sydney Morning Herald

Sketches isn't for everyone, as enjoyment requires at least an elementary interest in architecture or art. Anyone who meets that requirement will receive not only a nice portrait of Gehry the person, but a great survey of his work.

Full Review Source: Reno Gazette-Journal | comment Comment
10/09/06
Forrest Hartman
Forrest Hartman
Reno Gazette-Journal

..curious and sometimes magical.

Full Review Source: Arkansas Democrat-Gazette | comment Comment
09/08/06
Philip Martin
Philip Martin
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

... it's probably the best movie Pollack has made in awhile.

Full Review Source: Deseret News, Salt Lake City | comment Comment
08/13/06
Jeff Vice
Jeff Vice
Deseret News, Salt Lake City

A lovable softball documentary on a lovable acclaimed architect famous for his controversial unique looping indescribable structures.

Full Review Source: Ozus' World Movie Reviews | comment Comment
08/12/06
Dennis Schwartz
Dennis Schwartz
Ozus' World Movie Reviews
 
 
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