Cathedrals of Culture

Marklear-1 summed up the film perfectly. I watched it one or 2 segments at a time to help get through it, each segment being about 25 minutes. The film is at it's best when it concentrates on the structure architecture rather than the contents of the building. About half the films were very engrossing, primarily The Berlin Philharmonic, Halden Prison and Centre Pompidou. Unfortunatly, The Oslo Opera House wasn't about the building at all (which is stunning from the outside) but about the ballet dancers inside it. All the segments had a meditative quality about them.

This is a long documentary (150 minutes plus) which is made up of six shorter separate documentaries, each featuring a different building, and directed by a different (often well- known) director. They are all narrated very well, and often the "narrator" is the building itself. Most people (even those of us from Australia) will recognize some of these iconic buildings. The cinematography is outstanding, and we really get to know each building during its segment. The individual styles of presentation vary from one segment to another, and, in my opinion, some work better than others, but the very good ones are excellent. One in particular, is quite astonishing. (You will know which one I reckon!) So, if you have a liking for architecture of varied styles and purposes, enjoy design and wonder about how a building can shape its surroundings, this will appeal.