Awesome
cato | bewildered, australia | 08/17/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"first a disclaimer, i haven't seen the first half. i went straight for the 2nd half where they made the 2 huge moulds & poured a massive 8 tons of bronze in one hit. having helped with bronze pours myself i was very interested to see how on earth they did this 8 tons at once business. well, it was absolutely awesome and to see the blokes wandering about with a gaulliose hanging out of their mouth while casually holding up a hand occasionally to shield their unprotected face from the radiant heat of a pool of 8 tons of molten bronze....its just amazing to see. one day i'll watch the beginning too but for now i just watch the 2nd half over n over. p.s. i love Rodin's work too & you get to see the gates here in ways you never did before, but really the star of the 2nd half is the foundry & the men who work there.
"
Incredible sculpture drama doco...
S. S. Rowsell | sydney australia | 07/26/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This documentary has to be seen to be believed.
...the amount of money, dedication, physical labor and tenacity involved in bringing Rodin's plaster sculptural mega masterpiece 'Gates of Hell' into its fully finished bronze is a wild tale of skill, technical brilliance, sweat and disaster...
one can only imagine the wonders of the master sculptors and laborers in the bronze foundries of our past 'lost civilizations' when they also must have learned from these types of casting mistakes.
praise must be given to the patrons whose money allows us all to see such iconic, inspiring works... if only the "wise wealthy elite's" money was always spent in such dedication to arts instead of empire...
i often imagined Rodin screaming abuse and clasping his head in frustration during this doco, but the final work from the foundry sets them up on the pedestal they deserve, and must have put a chill in Rodin's heart... awe inspiring."