Review of Sketches of Frank Gehry (2006) by Walter M — 17 May 2007

[font=Century Gothic]"Sketches of Frank Gehry" is an insightful documentary about noted architect Frank Gehry, the creative force behind such buildings as the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain; Walt Disney Concert Center and my personal favorite, the practice rink for the Anaheim Ducks. This is architecture that stands out from its surroundings, as it should, which is especially true for art museums which should look like works of art themselves. But unlike the architecture of Antonio Gaudi, Gehry's stresses the artificiality of the buildings as a way of showing how artificial all of humanity's creations really are. Along with his buildings(I would have liked to have seen more of the interiors), there are also thoughts on what drives him, the chaotic design process and his influences. Talking heads include colleagues, celebrities and critics.[/font].

[font=Century Gothic]"Sketches of Frank Gehry" is directed by Sydney Pollack who is also a friend of Gehry's. This is the first documentary he has made and he also appears in front of the camera on occasion which is always a tricky proposition for a documentary.(Werner Herzog being a main exception because of his captivating presence.) Here, it definitely hurts the movie, even though I can see that his intent was by having a filmmaker interview an architect, that it would give a broader look at the creative process but it does not come close to succeeding. [/font].