Customer Reviews

America's Castles: Homes of Frank Lloyd Wright [VHS]

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Those who exhibit exceptional talent in a given field always have a starting point. Frank Lloyd Wright was the most celebrated and admired architect of his time and is considered the greatest architect of the 20th Century. How he became such a giant is shown through his three homes that served as a launching pad for his future career.

Journey to Oakdale, ILL where Wright builds his first home and studio which broke the mold of conventional home architecture. His Oakdale home was not the Victorian monstrosity of the period but instead incorporated more space and eliminated the litte boxes so common in building homes. This home was his first experiment.

As an iconoclast and womanizer, Wright's personal life took a turn for the worst. Architecturally it was a blessing as he left for Wisconsin and built his second home "Taliesin". This home was another refinement of his previous endeavers. Built on the brow of a hill and using natural materials, Wright once again pushed the button of coventional architecture.

Age will catch up on you and to accomodate his battle with harsh winters Wright built Taliesen West in Arizona. Once again he does further refinement incorporating the natural materials of his area and perfecting it as a training ground for future architects.

The scenery and designs of these homes are magnificient. You can see why this man was the master of his craft. In viewing each home you can see the progression of his ability as it grows through various stages in his life time. You will be moved by these homes as well as the stories that they tell.

For someone who's never seen any of Frank Lloyd Wright's domestic architecture other than in books, this video is something of a revelation.

Although the video mainly discusses the architect's life and how his philosophy of architecture may be seen in his own homes (the Oak Park house, near Chicago; Taliesin in Wisconsin and Taliesin West in Arizona), it's been an eye-opener for me to see the delicate quality of some of his leadlighting, the way the houses might 'feel' when you first enter them... and the wonderful sense of space he was able to achieve.

Seeing this video has only increased my resolve to see the real houses... I just *know* that it will truly be awe-inspiring when I do.

Vastly superior to the Ken Burns DVD on Frank Lloyd Wright in every way. You will come away from this learning a great deal about Wright's style based on three concrete examples, including his own residence outside Chicago. The only downside is that the 50 minute running time of the video does not leave time to tour more of the buildings for which Wright was responsible. For that, there are plenty of books out there that cover the subject. If you are more interested in Wright's personal excesses, get the Burns DVD. Otherwise, this is where you want to start.

this tape is only for those with a very passing interest in wright's work. the ken burns version is FAR superior, giving us insight into his work through interviews with prominent architects (most notably phillip johnson), authors and critics.

in burns' biography, the camera lingers on the houses allowing us to inhabit the space as much as possible. the music which was so important to wright is also present. period footage and photographs also add depth and context.

the time spent examining wright's personal life (which some find distracting) is absolutely essential to understanding and fully appreciating his architecture. his life is an amazing story of tenacity, excess, vilification and vindication.

if you are already a fan of wright, pass on this. it will show you nothing new.