Thursday, March 18, 2004
32
Today's Film: 32 Short Films About Glen Gould(1994); NYTimes1000Best; docu-drama; beautifully done; extraordinarily moving.
I never saw or heard Glen Gould in person but I was deeply moved by his recording work and, at one time, had more than a few of his records; that huge library of LPs that became obsolete. His 'touch' was unmistakable. I think that I can still pick out a Gould recording if it comes over the FM station. This film is structured on the Bach Goldberg Variations; one of Gould's signature works. He recorded them many times. Amazon lists 24 editions; some of them may be retreads.
What is not well known about Gould is that he was a radio artist; a writer; and a deeply engaged friend to a wide variety of people. Wildly eccentric and obsessively isolated from his own musical 'system', he sought the company of simple people where he relaxed and became just Glenn or Mr. Gould.
This film is just superb. It does not shy away from the sad parts of Gould's life (he was a prescription drug addict) and it does not attempt to 'solve' the riddle of his unique talent. If you sit and take the film in you will 'get it' and not be able to explain it either. I will give it a 5 out of Netflix 5.
