Review of Glass: A Portrait of Philip in Twelve Parts (2007) by Walter M — 27 Mar 2010

"Glass: A Portrait of Philip in Twelve Parts" is an illuminating documentary, perhaps too much so, of the life and career of the famed composer, whose work I know mostly through his film work, starting with "Koyaanisqatsi" which a college friend watched repeatedly until an intervention had to be staged.

So, it should come as no surprise, that my favorite part of this documentary is the segment with Errol Morris, Woody Allen and Martin Scorsese talking about their collaborations with him. There is also ample time given over to Glass' philosophy which informs some of the projects he has worked on over the years.

(Why it does seem everybody famous gets photographed with the Dalai Lama?) And what starts off as simply providing background information on his personal life and marriage to a much younger woman(There is a joking reference to a guideline that a man should marry a woman who is one half his age plus seven which I also remember from The Autobiography of Malcolm X) takes on a life of its own as there emerges a sense of his failing to balance his work and personal life adequately in preparing a new opera in Germany.

While most men his age in their seventies are more likely starting to retire and relax, Glass' pace is picking up as he pushes himself to write the music that is filling his head while keeping himself in excellent physical shape at the same time.

Not only that, but he also starts a new family to whose attention he cannot give his fullest. I do not think that has anything to do with my thinking that men should stop reproducing at the age of 50 and am loath to ever be put into the position I find myself here to comment on somebody else's personal life.

Instead, I would have preferred the writing, crafting and performing of the opera to be used as a framing device and given more attention in general.