Quick Movie Review: My Architect

[John Cole]

Saw it the other night (and dragged along Rick, too). Louis Kahn's son, Nathaniel (whose mother Kahn never married), sets out in search of his father through an examination of his buildings and through interviews with his father's aquantainces and friends, among them I.M. Pei, Robert Stern, and Philip Johnson. The film combines interviews, archival footage, and some glorious shots of his father's work--many using time lapse photograph--to present a fascinating look at a true iconoclast. Nathaniel also interviews his mother and aunts, and he sketches out a family portrait at the same time.

Perhaps the most moving scene, for me, occurs at the end of the film when Nathniel interviews an architect in Bangladesh, for which Kahn had designed the Capitol. The archtect says the Louis wasn't a political man, but he brought freedom and democracy, with his building, to his country. Another highlight is Nathaniel freewheeling on roller blades outside the Salk Research building in La Jolla to Neil Young's "Long May You Run."

A very good movie.

[Ray Zee]

how many times did you have to wake rick up during the movie. the highlight is some guy rollerblading. geez.
whats rick doing in your neck of the woods. or are you in his. if you are get a gun for protection.

[John Cole]

And this from the guy who got all teary-eyed during Whale Rider. Ha!

Ray, you missed my post in response to your shooting people in Montana thread.

[Zeno]

[ QUOTE ]
...and some glorious shots of his father's work--many using time lapse photograph--to present a fascinating look at a true iconoclast.

[/ QUOTE ]

Are the buildings iconoclastic or the architect? or both? How can a building by iconoclastic? I'm lost.

I think your brain is getting soggy. You need to bone up on some Ambrose Bierce if you want to start talking about iconoclasts.

Your Friend,

Zeno

[John Cole]

Zeno,

Since "iconoclast" is a noun, it should, at least, be clear that it doesn't modify any of the words in the sentence. I think the meaning will carry over from the previous sentence, but I'm never opposed to rewriting for improved reading ease.

[Zeno]

I am almost always confused by the technicalities of English. I find the technicalities bothersome. I go almost completely by ear and my ear did not like your music.

So for us more simple-minded folk of the forum - a rewrite is in order. But I will not hold you to it unless you wish to improve upon a B+ grade. /images/graemlins/grin.gif


Still your friend,

Zeno

[andyfox]

Architect, n. One who drafts a plan of your house, and plans a draft of your money.

Iconoclast, n. A breaker of idols, the worshipers whereof are imperfectly gratified by the performance, and most strenuously protest that he unbuildest but doth not reedify, that he pullest down but pilest not up. For the poor things would have other idols in place of those he thwackest upon the mazzard and dispelleth. But the iconoclast saith: "He shall have none at all, for ye need them not; and if the rebuilder fooleth round hereabout, behold I will depress the head of him and sit thereon till he squawk it."

-The Devil's Dictionary


I have not seen the movie, but Louis Kahn, as an architect, is overrated by plenty.

[Ray Zee]

sorry john, i had read your post in the montana thread. i didn t correlate it to mine though. but maybe because i was so flustered with you putting a voltaire quote into a gun discussion and fussing it all up. i might give rutan a call as i have met his brother and buy you a ride.

[andyfox]

Some things he said:

"The brick was always talking to me, saying you're missing an opportunity. . . . The weight of the brick makes it dance like a fairy above and groan below."

"Architecture has little to do with solving problems. Problems are run-of-the-mill. To be able to sole a problem is almost a drudgery of architecture."

"In the mind . . .is the temple, yet not made. A manifestation of desire, not need. Need is so many bananas. Need is a ham sandwich."

More evidence of why modern architecture means so little to so many and why a synagogue Kahn built in Pennsylvania could look exactly like the Indian Institute of Managememt he built in Ahmedabad.

[Zeno]

Thanks for pitch hitting. You slammed a homer.

-Zeno

[John Cole]

All the talk of the spirituality of the materials evades me, too. In literature, writers usually associated with postmodernism tend to "bare the device," as the critical theory goes. That is, they manifest the fictive devices that operate within a text, often blurring the line between fiction and reality. Italo Calvino's If on a winter's night sort of fits here.

Kahn's buildings, with their exposed concrete walls, seem comparable. (One person in the film theorizes, though, that Kahn exposes the scars and imperfections because his own face was scarred and imperfect.) Nevertheless, I think you would enjoy the movie.

[Rick Nebiolo]

[ QUOTE ]
Saw it the other night (and dragged along Rick, too).

[/ QUOTE ]

You didn't drag me along as I was a willing participant. Who else would I go to “artsy fartsy” movies with? Besides, we were already walking by, had already walked the city, and it was too early to go out for a drink given we just ate a big meal.

I liked the movie too. Seeing it put me back in another time given the size of the screen (I bet Ray Zee's home system is bigger). I enjoyed the other amenities too, for instance, good coffee at the snack bar that seemed no more expensive than Duncin Donuts.

Anyway, the last time I went to the Cable Car Cinema (http://tinyurl.com/37cxj) was 26 years ago on one of my first dates with my ex-wife. We went to see Dona Flor and Her Two Husbands (http://tinyurl.com/37cxj), one of those "artsy" films that I thought would impress her. Our relationship almost didn't survive the early scene where the ghost of Dona's first husband follows her down the street naked with his "member" prominently exposed. Given the dusty couches used for seats, she wondered what she was getting into and came close to walking out.

BTW, I found some good links to Haven's Brothers I might post under that Best Hamburger thread if I get time. Had a chance to go there last night and things have only changed a little.

See you next year,

Rick

PS On the way home on 95 south I saw the sign for the new "corporate sponsor" of the old Civic Center". Now that was funny.