Search - Thirty-Two Short Films About Glenn Gould on DVD
Thirty-Two Short Films About Glenn Gould
| Actor(s): Colm Feore, Gale Garnett, Katya Ladan, Gerry Quigley, Derek Keurvost Director(s): François Girard |
Movie Details
| MPAA Rating: R Content Advisory: Adult Situations, Questionable for Children, Adult Language, Drug Content Movie Release: 1994 DVD Release: 02/20/2001 Format: DVD - Enhanced Wide Screen Letterbox for 16x9 TV,Pan and Scan Audio Tracks: English Subtitles: English, Spanish SwapaDVD Credits: 1 Number of Discs: 1 Run Time: 1 hrs 33 mins Studio: Columbia TriStar Members Wishing: 17 Genres: Drama, Musical Drama, Biopic [feature] |
DVD Synopsis
The highly acclaimed and famously eccentric classical pianist Glenn Gould is the subject of this idiosyncratic film portrait. As the title suggests, Gould's life is explored through a series of thirty-two self-contained but interrelated vignettes, a structure inspired by Bach's "Goldberg Variations," the compositions that were the basis for one of Gould's most famous recordings. Fictional recreations, many starring an excellent Colm Feore as Gould, follow the musician from his precocious childhood to his early death at the age of fifty. Juicy biographical details like a surprising early retirement from public performance and an addiction to prescription drugs are featured prominently, but equal attention is paid to Gould's challenging theoretical ideas. Director Francois Girard refuses to provide easy explanations for the pianist's quirks, instead using his unconventional structure to provide great insight while suggesting the real Gould remains essentially unknowable. Especially interesting is the film's mix of dramatization and documentary, as it juxtaposes its fictional recreations with actual interviews with Gould's friends and associates. ~ Judd Blaise, All Movie Guide
Actors
Colm Feore - Glenn Gould
Gale Garnett - Journalist
Katya Ladan - Gould's Mother
Gerry Quigley - Music Critic
Derek Keurvost - Gould's Father
Gale Garnett - Journalist
Katya Ladan - Gould's Mother
Gerry Quigley - Music Critic
Derek Keurvost - Gould's Father
Editorial Review of DVD
François Girard's quirky biopic of Canadian pianist Glenn Gould, Thirty-two Short Films About Glenn Gould, comes to DVD with a pair of transfers. The widescreen anamorphic transfer preserves the original theatrical aspect ratio of 1.85:1, and is preferable to the standard full-frame transfer. A closed-captioned English soundtrack is rendered in Dolby Digital Surround. English and Spanish subtitles are accessible. Supplemental materials include a theatrical trailer, production notes, and information on the cast and crew. This is a solid disc from Columbia/TriStar that should satisfy fans of the film. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
Member Movie Reviews
Kendra M. (KendraM) from NASHVILLE, TN wrote on 5/19/2008...This movie is a fascinating entre into Gould's world and into his mind. For anyone who enjoys Gould's music this movie is derigeur.
While Gould is played by an actor in the movie, Gould certainly is playing the piano. Sergei Eisenstein the great film director once said, "One should be able to see the music and hear the image." This film about Gould lets that happen.
Done in short mini-films, 32 Short Films combines to create an image of Gould much like a Bach two- or three-part invention disc does for Bach's masterpiece. Separately, each stands alone and has value and import but together a new, vivid and complete unit is formed.
Gould is so brilliant and talented-- yet self-absorbed, that he practically lives inside his head. The movie shows him having difficulty, as many brilliant artists do, in interacting in a satisfying way (to themselves and for the other) with other people. But there were moments when all the walls fell away, and all the neuroses pushed aside so that a real, yet brief connection could be made with another. There is such a moment in this film and for me it was the highlight.
In the most beautiful sequence of the movie, Gould is in a hotel in Europe, Germany if I recall correctly-- the land of Bach himself. He is preparing for an evening's concert and has just received by courier the brand new pressing of his newest Bach LP. It is a lovely day, Gould is silent and preparing. A maid enters his room, she doesn't appear to know that the man in the room is Glenn Gould, likely the greatest pianist alive on the planet at that time. He asks her if she would like to hear something. He places his brand new LP, Bach piano, on his record player and puts the needle down. The disc is spinning... stunning piano music is heard.
The maid is shown almost in a dream a kind of reverie as she glances out the hotel room overlooking the German city, transported by Bach music played so superbly on the piano. Gould lets the woman enjoy the moments as he watches her reaction in silence. She glances from the window and the realization that it is Gould himself who is playing the piano on the recording arises in her eyes. It is a beautiful moment. The maid is humbled and completely appreciative of this gift that Gould has just given her. She says, "Thank you." I have never seen a "thank you" delivered by any actor on film seem so meaningful and important as that one. This is what Bach does to people who care to listen... Bach transports you.
When played by a pianist such as Gould, it's only a matter of time before Bach grabs your imagination and soul and takes you on a grand journey. Gould seems almost a channeler more than a virtuouso pianist. One can almost see the master standing over Gould as he plays whispering to him. Perhaps this is why Gould is often heard on his recordings humming-- perhaps Bach is just too close.
The world is a lesser place with Gould not existing in it, playing for us, bringing Bach alive through his awesome talents. But, for a few minutes, with this movie-- we have him back in all his glory and fascinating eccentricities. Bravo!
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