Great Expectations (2007 film)

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Great Expectations
Directed byJesper Wachtmeister
Produced byJonas Kellagher
Written byJesper Wachtmeister
Starring Le Corbusier
Oscar Niemeyer
Peter Cook
Buckminster Fuller
Moshe Safdie
Antti Lovag
Superstudio
Archigram
Paolo Soleri
Peter Vetsch
Jacque Fresco
Music by Silverbullit
CinematographySimon Pramsten
Edited byJesper Wachtmeister
Production
company
Solaris Filmproduktion
Eight Millimetres AB
Sveriges Television
Distributed byDR International Sales
Icarus Films
Quantum Leap
Artfilms
Release date
2007
Running time
52 min
Language English

Great Expectations (a journey through the history of visionary architecture) is a 2007 documentary about the history of visionary architecture by director Jesper Wachtmeister. The film uses interviews to frame the history of utopian and visionary architecture through the 20th century. Subjects include Le Corbusier, Oscar Niemeyer, Peter Cook, Buckminster Fuller, Moshe Safdie, Antti Lovag, Paolo Soleri, Peter Vetsch and Jacque Fresco.

Contents

Reception

Dagens Nyheter reviewer Tomas Lisinski wrote that "the astounding images of more or less bizarre projects were intertwined with a fantastic interview material. This was also a documentary that treated the viewer seriously. We were assumed capable of following a train of thought, and understanding interviews without meddlesome guidance.”(translated from Swedish)" [1] Leonardo reviewer Michael R. Mosher wrote that "the architects articulate their visions, and the camera explores at least one of the major built accomplishments of each. Wachtmeister brings to his documentary a fun and light touch, with little bits of Monty Python-style animation, hand-colored photographs, even flying saucer noises. Archigram, and its London Pop Art-influenced publications, made him do it! Sometimes it’s as if the filmmaker really doesn’t put much stock in the promised completion of the Venus Project, but was happy to enjoy the trek in bejungled Florida alongside its talkative old planner Jacques Fresco.”" [2]

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References

  1. Tomas Lisinski (March 29, 2007). "Modernismens Våghalsar". Dagens Nyheter .
  2. Michael R. Mosher (May 1, 2008). "Great Expectations: A Journey Through the History of Visionary Architecture". Leonardo .