Glenn Gould is one of those Canadian figures who Canadians know but few outside Canada are familiar with his work.
Yet Thirty Two Short Films About Glenn Gould works well as a biography film because Gould's eccentricities are illuminated by the genius of Colm Feore (as Gould), director Francois Girard, and writer Don McKellar (with Girard).
Glenn Gould was a renown piano genius most associated with his interpretations of Johann Sebastian Bach's music. His idiosyncrasies such as shaking people's hands while wearing gloves adds to a character worth exploring.
Gould only lived to be 50 (1932-1982). Gould was one of the finest concert pianists until he abruptly retired after playing on April 10, 1964 and never performed in public again.
The film is filled with different storytelling elements: dramatic versions of key events with interviews with real people who knew Gould. The film skips around in seemingly a random order but feels like a carefully crafted order of the chaos.
The highlight might indeed be Gould on Gould where Feore as Gould interviews himself. The scene can play out like an internal monologue among himself but gives space to explore what might be happening in his brain. Girard shoots the scene in shadows to hide Feore's face to play with the illusion.
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Even Canadians may struggle with the story if they don't know too much about Gould. The film doesn't offer much context or explanation about his story. You almost could enjoy this as a story about a fictional character who was actually real.
The film is entertaining enough as a way to tell a story about a person's life. You can watch the film and then learn more about Gould. I didn't know that much about Gould before the film and the film held my interest.
Glenn Gould was an intriguing figure in classical music in the 2oth century. His life needed an unique way to tell his story. Thirty Two Short Films About Glenn Gould accomplishes that goal.
The 1993 film received 6 Genie Award nominations and won 4 Genies, including Best Motion Picture and Best Direction for Girard.
video credit: YouTube/Reel Canada
photo credit: Thirty Two Short Films About Glenn Gould
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