Antonio Gaudí

Though an actor and musician by trade, I have been an architecture enthusiast my entire life. I suppose Antonio Gaudi's style would be lumped into the category of "whimsical" by architectural scholars, but for a man to have had the imagination to design such magnificent buildings a century ago is to me a sign of sheer genius.

Until seeing TCM's airing of this film I'd only seen photos of the Cathedral of the Holy Family. The beautifully photographed walking tour through so many of his designs was a visual feast and the absence of speech was not only a blessing, but entirely appropriate. After all, what could one say that the images hadn't already said? I sat there dumbfounded and agape.

When I go to thrift stores and buy a bunch of obscure VHSs this is exactly the kind of gem I am hoping to find, particularly since I may not find it any other way. Antonio Gaudi is an artist who I was familiar with and enjoyed before finding this but had not extensively studied. Now I feel like I understand the life and work of the artist whose name gave birth to the adjective meaning ornate and over-the-top. This film is a gorgeous and mind blowing gallery of videos and stills taken of the interiors and exteriors of the Spanish architect's incredible and pioneering buildings as well as sketches, blueprints and some history of Spanish architecture. There are some brief segments of scholars talking about the artist, but mostly it is silent film backed by haunting and unique soundscapes that I felt truly enhanced the visuals. The films main focus (Gaudi and his work) is truly deserving of such a deep and quiet examination, and the buildings are still incredibly ahead of their time, each one a timeless work of art that could be explored for days or years. Simply put, this was the most breathtaking film I have watched in recent memory and highly recommend for lovers of art and experimental films, art nouveau, medieval architecture, and Wendy Carlos-esqe musical scores. Before it was even halfway through it was already in my list of favorite films!

A strange and occasionally puzzling experience, Hiroshi Teshigahara's avant garde documentary focusing on the fascinating architecture of Antonio Gaudí is a real hidden gem. In a way, it feels almost like a film that tells a "story" entirely through shots normally used to set UP a scene, rather than shots that make up of the scene itself. Due to the film's nearly dialogue free style, we familiarize ourselves with Antonio Gaudí's own unique vision as well as that of the filmmakers as the camera glides through the architecture. Sometimes there is use of slightly uneasily hand-held camera movements, while other times the camera remains entirely still. Behind this collage of technique and structure is a haunting soundtrack that further adds to the film's meditative and hypnotic atmosphere.

Instead of human beings, this film's characters are made up of buildings. Although it may not sound likely, the buildings themselves manage to capture enough personality to keep patient viewers entertained. Every now and then, the camera also focuses on visitors to these enigmatic structures, more voyagers to share this breathtaking experience with.

Is this a documentary ?

Of course it is not, since there are no voice-overs, obtrusive commentaries and no polemics.

Yes, sure it is, because it gives a lot of background and insight to a unique artist, who, although legend has it, did not came out of the blue. Nature provided him with a lot of inspiration, and the movie shows some architects of the same epoque and generation, who try to go the same way Gaudi did.

With a handful of explaining subtitles and one interview director/producer/editor Hiroshi Teshigahara (don't miss his incredible WOMAN IN THE DUNES) shows it all in a wonderful way in this 'documentary or is it a feature', in which the music of Toru Takemitsu is never on the foreground but inescapable present.

Watching this picture will give the viewer the shortest 73 minutes of his or hers live. Is there nothing wrong then... Well, every now and then there are too many dark corners, but to paraphrase Cinematographer Nestor Almendros: Darkness stimulates the viewers mind, and maybe even his imagination. And camera-movements are neat but a bit crude. But of course, truely gifted camera-operators like Alessandro Bolognesi & Erwin Steen were too young in '84 to help the Japanese Maestro out.

Thank you Antoni Gaudi; thank you Catalunia. Thank You Teshigahara and Takemitsu.

I just watched this film in a very nice DVD edition, and found it fascinating. It's a documentary by Hiroshi Teshigahara showcasing the works of the Catalan architect Antonio Gaudi (1852-1926). In Chicago, where I live, the city has always taken pride in its heritage of great architecture. These works by Gaudi, however, make the familiar architecture of this city, and most other American cities, look aesthetically bland and timid in comparison. Gaudi's designs were apparently tested for their stability before being built, but on seeing them, I could barely believe my eyes. They remind me very much of buildings depicted in the illustrations to Dr. Seuss stories. They seem to bulge, twist and writhe like living things, and Gaudi did indeed base his designs on organic models such as trees and plants, as well as natural geographic formations like caves. It must be fascinating to see them for real, and I imagine the people who live and work in and around them feel fortunate.

The cinematography of this documentary is beautiful, and shows us the buildings from afar, and up close in exquisite detail. Mercifully, the film is almost entirely free of taking-head commentary, and there is no narration to distract the viewer from the bizarre and beautiful subject matter. The interiors are as fantastic and surreal-looking as the exteriors. They must be seen to be believed. A haunting musical score by Takemitsu nicely compliments the eerie beauty of the buildings.

The film ends with Gaudi's monumental last work, the Templo de La Sagrada Familia (a huge cathedral), which was still under construction when this film was made in 1984, almost 60 years after Gaudi's death. I seem to recall that its completion was finally announced just a few years ago. This is a beautiful film about a great artist.