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Architectural Documentary Film Sources

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Does anyone know where documentary films on architects & architecture can be purchased?

I know PBS has several FLW and a Philip Johnson film and you can get “A Constructive Madness” through OSU and the documentary on the Rural Studio here.

But there are so many films I keep seeing in galleries that I am wondering how to get my hands on. There is a source that exists to sell these films to schools but they cost a fortune because they come with “performance rights.” I don't own a theater and I'm not going to make money showing these things I just want to check them out.

Does anyone out there have a source or maybe a direct link to filmmakers who would sell me copies at a reasonable price?

 
Nov 19, 04 11:50 am
xtbl

i've run across these on amazon

Nov 19, 04 1:03 pm  · 
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threshold

Cris,

Your link does not seem to work.

Nov 20, 04 8:57 am  · 
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Medit

French TV Arte released 3 dvd's with 6 documentaries each. You'll find them in Amazon too.

I've got them all and they are superb... Zumthor interviews, Gaudí's La Pedrera, Gropius' Bauhaus, Calatrava's Satolas train station, FLL Wright's Johnson Wax, Paris Opera, Pompidou...

Travellings a la Kubrick. 26 minutes each documentary... Fabulous.

Nov 20, 04 10:41 am  · 
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Are they in French? That would be problem for me.

Nov 20, 04 10:47 am  · 
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montu

MICHAEL BLACKWOOD PRODUCTIONS

Nov 20, 04 10:51 am  · 
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Medit

They are in french, german and english. You can choose your own audio option.

Nov 20, 04 12:18 pm  · 
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TED

Not a direct link to film makers best place i know is FACETS RENTAL which ships as rentals all over the country or FACETS MULTI-MEDIA did a quick search for 'architecture' came up with 37 rentals and 240 or so for sale. dont know why you feel the need to buy them.

facets carries many pbs / bbc /frontline / nova features docs also.

Nov 20, 04 1:15 pm  · 
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Janosh

Anyone know where I can get a copy of "Reyner Banham Loves Los Angeles" short of stealing it from UCLA or the Getty?

Nov 21, 04 12:32 am  · 
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crillywazzy

i'll second medit...

before i saw those i was content playing ProEvo3, watching football all day and reading the occasional koolhaas book.

after viewing i'm in my first year of architecture school. damn dvds...

really though... seriously excellent series there.

Nov 21, 04 2:47 am  · 
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mpsyp

Yeah... Architectures is a fantastic series. I had a similar experience. I was toying with the idea of getting an M.Arch, and then I saw Architectures 1-3 and it lit a fire under my seat.

Marc

Jan 4, 05 12:11 pm  · 
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mpsyp

Daver >

By the way, it's tough to find a lot of these films without "public performance rights". I know because I am the manager of a public library's film library and I purchase our films as an institution. Lately I've been looking for architecture-related films to pass the time at work... :-) but my point is that a lot of really great architecture films are owned (copyright-wise) by the bigger PPR distributors (many of whom also do theatrical releasing). For instance:

Films for the Humanities (www.films.com)
First Run/Icarus (www.frif.com) (They have a great Australian series ("In the Mind of an Architect" and another I'm buying called "Calatrava's Travels"...)
Bullfrog Films (on Green Architecture/solar homes)
Direct Cinema Limited ("Going Up" by Gary Pollard, among others)
Insight Media (a reseller, even more expensive, but a huge selection -- good for finding what's out there: www.insight-media.com)
etc.

All very expensive ($100-400 per tape). But we buy these for the library, and so I suggest that you ask your local library if they have a public performance collection and/or if they would be willing to purchase any of these films for their collection. If you live in St. Louis, you're in luck, because I'm particularly amenable to suggestions to purchase architecture films. :-)

Marc S.

Jan 4, 05 12:39 pm  · 
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e

philip johnson wouldn't agree with me on talking about him in this thread, but bucky fuller was a better architect than johnson ever tried to be. buckminster fuller: thinking out loud is a great video. check it out if you haven't seen it.

Jan 4, 05 12:40 pm  · 
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