G A U D I
Share
The celebrated original film written and narrated by Patrick Egan and directed by Marcus Thompson is still being screened as a landmark film on the work of Spain’s most esteemed architect Antoni Gaudi. The film was selected as one of the officially recognised ‘must see’ videos by the Ajuntamento De Barcelona in the Institut De Cultura’s 2002 “Gauditeca”, celebrating the architect’s one hundred and fiftieth anniversary. Acknowledged by the curator of The Gaudi Museum as one of the most original films ever made on the subject, An Act Of Kindness was shot on location in Barcelona, which Egan describes as ‘the central star in the universe of Catalonia’ and ‘queen among cities’. The collaboration between Egan, Thompson, cinematographer Roger Eaton and composer Doug Gordon resulted in a powerful homage to the brilliant architect.
Patrick Egan’s heartfelt enthusiasm and admiration for his subject flows from the screen in a twenty-seven minute celebration of Gaudi the artist, who, according to Egan, created a “cul-de-sac movement in an art so personal, it could never be copied.”
Awesome time-lapse footage of some of Barcelona’s most treasured buildings and ethereal fantasy sequences supported by Egan’s poetic narration combine to make the film a powerfully visual, informative and meaningful experience.
“The roofs of Gaudi’s later buildings became the focal point of his symbolism. In a celebration of giving back to the sight that which he took from it, they became the backdrop to the scenes enacted by his players. And if Casa Batllo was his Carnival,” explains Egan, standing on the roof of ‘La Pedrera’, “here at the Casa Milas a couple of years later, was his Corpus Christie. Behind me the giant doll-like sculptures are slowly moving in procession around the streets, while the pavement choirs, with mouths – some half open, some fully extended, seem to be singing in harmony with the overhead sculpture. Veiled women, huddled in groups peer through mantillas, in reverence and awe. It’s at moments like this, that the living and the dead hold each others’ hands, for when an architect communicates like this, he’s not just making conversation with his contemporaries or with those who have gone before him in time, but with those who haven’t yet been born.”
The film had originally been intended as part one of six programs on 20th century Catalan art, entitled “The Living Dead”. ‘From it’s streets at the turn of the century…” says Egan in his narration to the film,” came an art so powerful, it rocked the world.” The artists to be featured included Dali, Miro, Picasso and Paties. The idea for the series was shown to a Commissioning Editor at Channel Four, who commissioned a colleague to produce just the one film, but with twice the length and budget, and bearing the very same title.
Fortunately, Egan was retained as writer-presenter and Gordon’s music was also featured. The film, however, screened in Britain was a merit-less, watered-down rehash of the brilliant original, and of no consequence.
Marcus Thompson’s film ends with a spiritually powerful sequence of images of the Sagrada Famiglia reflected in water accompanied by Egan’s moving summation; “Its a building of his last will”, he says standing beside Gaudi’s model of the building. “Symbols change, as do relationships to ideals. The importance of a church as a social centre or temple has become irrelevant; a football stadium, television or political persuasion is probably a more contemporary equivalent. We have become technologically triumphant yet without an ideal or direction to unite us. Gaudi had this ideal; all of his effort was directed towards it, and even if he was wrong in his beliefs, it wouldn’t matter, because if we’ve ever had any thing to offer as a species, it’s only through our art and beliefs that we’ve expressed it. Gaudi left so much of his love on everything he touched, that his work is one great act of kindness; to his city; to the world; to all time.”
Share
Follow