Customer Reviews

The Belly of an Architect

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

This was made a few years before "The Cook, the Thief, His Wife and Her Lover," which remains Peter Greenaway's best-known film. Not as many people know about this one. Brian Dennehy, that hardworking character actor and veteran of many thrillers, finally got a shot at art-house cred in this stubbornly interiorized drama. Dennehy is Stourley Kracklite, an American architect in Rome supervising the exhibition of the classical architect he idolizes. When he learns that his idol had stomach ailments much like his own, he becomes convinced that his straying, younger wife (Chloe Webb) is poisoning him. Stomachs become a fixation for him (and for us; after a while, our eyes automatically travel to characters' tummies), and he gets sicker and more paranoid as his wife, unborn child and career slip away from him. Even in the shallowest roles, Dennehy has been a burly force of nature; here, in a showboat artist role Hemingway could've written, Dennehy, with his white beard and Homeric shoulders, is about the only actor who could be posed between classical Roman statues (as cinematographer Sacha Vierny often frames him) without looking like a nerd. You knew he was physically powerful, but in this movie Dennehy achieves Brando-esque emotional power. The film itself is another Peter Greenaway number, full of art-major allusions, but that great bull Dennehy takes the snob curse off it. Greenaway wisely puts him in almost every frame - the better, perhaps, to appreciate him as art.

In his most accessible and mainstream film, Peter Greenaway looks at an architect in the days leading up to the grand opening of an elaborate building he has designed. The film looks at all of the nagging doubts that an artist has about life, a legacy, and death. Not for all tastes, but well worth your time. Fans of Greenaway will notice all the usual touches (working art history into the story, for example). One viewer here noted they couldn't get past the first 15 minutes and couldn't understand why the main character was behaving in such a way to his wife -- as in many European films, the characters are a bit more complex and Greenaway takes his time unfolding the character sketches, so the reasons for Denehey's behavior is explained. In all, a very rewarding film for those inclined towards this type of thing.

The ebullient Brian Dennehy gives a fine performance as Stourley Kracklite, an American architect who is in Rome with his younger wife Louisa (Chloe Webb) to arrange an exhibition on the French architect Etienne-Louis Boullée. Kracklite is obsessed with Boullée and even writes letters to him. Kracklite's life soon begins to deteriorate. He starts to suffer excruciating stomach pains and vomits each time he eats. He even thinks that his wife is poisoning him. His wife then falls pregnant and has an affair with Kracklite's rival architect, Caspasian Speckler (Lambert Wilson). Kracklite then sleeps with Speckler's sister, to get some sort of satisfaction. Speckler intrudes while they are having sex, and announces, "having sex with your pregnant wife is perfect, because I don't need to use contraception". Kracklite then punches him on the nose. Speckler's sister then says, "Don't put your blood on my white towel."

The film follows the parallels of these two unappreciated architects from different eras. The film is memorable for Dennehy's (an actor who is also unappreciated) remarkable performance. Also, the beautiful cinematography by Greenaway's trusty DOP Sacha Vierny makes the film very easy to look at. From the ancient architecture of Rome, to a painting-like bowl of figs, it is pristine-looking. Michael Nyman is absent, but the music by Wim Mertens is splendid. This film was made in between A Zed & Two Noughts and Drowning by Numbers, and it is quite unlike those two films, which, I think, are superior to this in the way they offer us a much more enigmatic, abstract concept. But even a ever so slightly lesser Greenaway film is a thing to behold.

Peter Greenaway, presently a professor of Cinema Studies at EGS, has said," I really don't think that we have seen any cinema yet. I think that we have seen a 100 years of illustrated text."
As a former film editor, he cuts in the camera. He loves long tracking shots, and he usually does them in one take. He will open his scenes in tableau, usually in a long shot, and then he allows it to stir to life. Each frame is a masterwork of color, light, and shadow, and a sumptuous feast of dazzling props.

His cinematographer, the great Sacha Vierny, helps Greenaway's cinematic look and style immensily. He has shot eleven of Greenaway's projects. Vierny composes each frame as if it were to be a Pulitzer prize-winning photograph. Two composers, Glenn Branca and Wim Mertens completed the score. This was the first film score for both men. It soared from Neo-classical to jazz; kind of like Nino Rota-lite.

After seeing a Greenaway film, I always feel rushed, like I have just run a foot race through the Louvre, as if ten times too much visual information has rippled over my retina, and that my visual cortex has only perceived a tiny portion of it; that repeated viewings are in order. I usually feel ignorant of the many classical, historical, and philosophic references. I feel that I need to read more, study more, think more, and that I wish I were smarter than I am. I feel extremely challenged and vastly over-stimulated.

Enter Brian Dennehy as the American architect Stourley Kracklite. He is an accomplished actor, and in this film he was able to grandstand, to perform a one-man show. His bulk and his energy were barely contained in the frame. He seemed to shake those pillars on all those great buildings as if they were bed railings. The movie opens in the heat of a sexual encounter as Kracklite copulates his way into Italy. A minor architect, hailing from Chicago, city of red meat and money. Wide of shoulder, amble of belly, bearded and bellicose, Kracklite swaggered about barking orders. He had come to Rome to set up and oversee an exhibition honoring his artistic hero, the 18th century architect, Etienne Louis Boullee'.

Chloe Webb played his young wife, Louisa. He was 54, and she was 24. They had been married for 7 years. She was not very good in this film. She badly needed direction, but Greenaway was not available for such trivial pursuits. Lambert Wilson, known these days as the French rogue Merovingnian in the MATRIX trilogy, played the handsome wealthy Roman architect, Caspasian Speckler. He was rich, arrogant, randy, and deeply dishonest. He would steal Kracklite's life and his wife. He would wrench the exhibition our of the American's hands, and he would witness the man's rapid deterioration with delight.

Kracklite was striken with stomach cramps immediately upon his arrival. This turned out to be the demon cancer, blossoming in his colon. He snarled, raged, and thrashed about, but to no avail. Cancer would be the victor. Or would it? He had some other ideas on that subject.

Greenaway set up the structure of the film to fit within the cycle of gestion, from conception on the rails to birth during the opening ceremony of the Boullee exhibition. Then he added death to the mix; death coiciding with birth, one making room for the other. This film was not a masterpiece, but it was masterfully constructed. Nor was it a vacuous exercise in esthetics as some critics have labeled it. It is a very good film, filled with plenty of grist and gusto.

For those viewers who have found Greenaway's films excessive at times, and the metaphors attenuated to the point of losing their dramatic power, you will find "The Belly of An Architect" a superb, cinematic work of art. Like the "Draughtsman's Contract" but far more complex, the conflicts which are at first masked by social and artistic conventions unfold gradually between the layers of visual imagery, dialogue and music.

Stourley Kracklite, played so perfectly by Brian Dennehy, is a man with a prodigious ego, lust for life and may seem initially to be less than a sympathetic protagonist. But surrounded by intrigue, opportunism and philistinism, he emerges as a hero. He is an architect, an artist with a vision and a mission.From the beginning, his passion for his intellectual mentor,a fictional 18th century French architect, Etienne-Louis Boullee, and the scientist Sir Isaac Newton, provokes thinly veiled ridicule and skepticism from his Italian colleagues. Even
faced with a young and ruthless nemesis, Kracklite remains indomitable. His belly, the center of gravity, becomes a metaphor for his frailty, his humility and his humanity.

What makes this film a work of art, in my opinion,is that you have all the components: A setting that complements the drama, Rome and its magnificent monuments as the backdrop, a strong dramatic situation with several critical issues at stake, including good and evil, characters who elude easy definition at first glance and vary distinctively, and themes that develop and resonate long after you have finished watching. As for the music,
I only wish that Greenaway had recorded a soundtrack. Or if there is one, I haven't found it.

"The Belly of An Architect" is the kind of film about art and life, the individual and society, vision and convention, love and betrayal that works so beautifully because its creator has remained focused, in my opinion, on telling a story, infusing it with a sense of both urgency and mystery, and so conveying an unmistakable emotional power as well.

"The belly of an architect" is as much about archticture and the art of filmmaking as it is about the story of Stourley Kracklite, an American architect who visits Rome with his wife to create an exhibition of his little known hero Etiènne Louis Boullée.
Rome, with its famous buildings and statues are as much a character as a background, its the city of meat and its breathing and throbbing. Director Peter Greenaway's approach (in collaboration with the French cinematographer Sacha Vierny) is that of an architect: flat and straight forward shots with a longing for tight composition and symmetry, big multi-structured panorama's and a keen eye for detail. Furthermore are all natural colors like blue and green filtered and only when the theme of death and decay come into the story, green is visible. All the rest are meat colors, brownish, redish, and the likes.

Just like Greenaway's obsessions for fimmaking and art in general, Stourley Kracklite's life is driven by obsession. And having an obsession means to hurt and to get hurt. Hurt because all other things in life come second, even family and personal health.
Dedicated to create a exhibition which will do justice to the works of the unknown Boullée, Kracklite neglects his wife and his health and slowly descends into paranoia. Is his wife cheating on him or not? Is his stomach really ill, is he being poisoned? Is everybody involved with his quest for recognition Boullée (and in a way: for himself) really just after his money and does no one in fact really care?

Kracklite then turns to the only person he can trust: his long deceased hero Boullée to whom he starts to write postcards. Kracklites introduces himself, talks, asks questions, wonders, ponders and confesses, and finally, in a moment of truth, asks Boullée: "Supose you came here to open the exhibition? That would show them all!"
It's almost impossible to believe but this realtionship between a lonely fan and his long time dead hero, all through one-way-postcard-messages becomes more and more moving.

The film self is, like all Greenaway films ("A zed and two noughts", "The cook, the thief, his wife & her lover"), drenched in juicy black humor and fortunately so, because Greenaway is a kind of snob, boasting at times too much with his intelligence and powerhouse knowledge of art, and without mockery, self mockery or humor to `keep things bearable', the movie would surely drown in a big swamp of selfindulgence.

But the real heart of this movie ticks within the American actor who plays Stourley Kracklite: the heavy set, bearded Brian Dennehy. His performance shines and sparkles, his body, his stomach, and his sneering, sardonic voice, everything fits the bill perfectly. He is funny and tragic at the same time, you feel sorry for him but at the same time you keep up with him, respect him. Like him.
If this would be Dennehy's sole leading role (in Hollywood cinema he is the typical `always suporting actor') then he could still be proud.

There are those certain films that contain both known, and unknown elements which have a way of drawing me to them: This is one of those films. Many times I cannot explain why a film captured my attention and held it, while other times I can. Maybe part of this is the characters in the films, while other times the cinematography and musical score can do it? But ALWAYS, it is the narrative of a film that has that magical touch that hooks me right in. And this film did it for me. I cannot guarantee that you will like this film; I sure did, but I do recommend that you at least rent the film and give it a look. I found the films beautiful and at times haunting musical score captivating, and it was perfectly matched with this film and the breathtaking beauty of Rome. Moreover, it was the acting performance by Brian Dennehy which I found to be incredibly outstanding!

Directed by Peter Greenaway, I believe this film to be his masterpiece. I know of others who point to his other works; however, this is my favorite film of his. And I think this IS his masterpiece. I found myself riveted to the character portrayed by Brian Dennehy, and was amazed at the performance he gave. For me, Brian Dennehy gave the performance of his life. "The Belly Of An Architect" stars Stourley Kracklight (Brian Dennehy) as an American architect who has traveled to Rome with his wife Louisa (Chloe Webb), in order to give an exhibition of his favorite architect. And once again, the scenery of Rome is a delight, and the musical score is truly outstanding.

Stourley Kracklight is the films main protagonist whose journey to Rome will be one of heartache, and bellyache---literally! His primary goal as an architect, and the reason he has traveled to Rome is to elevate the status of an architect he believes has been sorely neglected. This man in question is that of the 18th-Century architect Etienne Louis Boulee. Kracklight is in Rome to give an exhibition on the works and influence of Boulee, which Kracklight has devoted more than ten years of his life studying. However, events in Kracklight's life will take a different turn as he begins to have stomach pains. But it is not just his stomach that is bothering him; Kracklight is also having a mental breakdown. And this will only worsen as his own terminal illness and obsession with death begins to consume him.

Although there are other narratives taking place in the film, it is Stourley Kracklight's life and illness that is of primary focus. Yes, there is friction in his marriage with his wifes infidelities, and his own jealousies of the younger men around him. Some warranted, others not. But this film is about much more than a failing marriage. It is about a man whose obsession with death has consumed him. Dennehy's performance as a man obsessed with life as much as death permeates every scene he is in. He even goes so far as to write postcards to the long ago deceased Boulee. This film explores deep into the soul of Kracklight and his mental break with all those around him, and the saddening toll this takes on his life as he attempts to cope with his terminal illness, while also showing how his illness is effecting his creative process too. This film has always fascinated me, however, it may not appeal to all audiences. But I highly recommend the film. It's a terrific drama, and deserves at least a rent if your not sure of purchasing the film.[Stars: 4.5]

Greenaway's "Belly of An Architect" is visually stunning and philosophically entertaining. It is about an idealistic American architect whose life swiftly declines at the precise moment he attains his life's ambition. It is about idealism and the worship of forms in contrast to the flux and chaos of life and death. It is about the eternal slipping through the fingers of mortal man. It is about reaching for the heights and developing stomach cancer.

Greenaway made a real jewel movie with this methaporical and painful story of an architect who goes to Italy with his wife attending a professional request . But in the middle of the immortal treasures of the italñian culture , he will live the most terrible hell since his wife commits adultery and the awful fact , he is dying of cancer .
The anguish of being cheated and the personal pain produced by the disease will turn his life in a tragical context .
The climax sequence is simply anthological ; life and death , but told in such level of merciless dramatism that it will be hard for you to forget it for a long , long time.
Extraordinary acting of Brian Denehy and incredible photography and camera work

Dreamlike, beautifully shot by great Sasha Vernie and equally disturbing (as all Greenaway's movies are), "The Belly of an Architect" (1987) tells the story of an American architect, Stourley Kracklite (Brian Dennehy) who came to Rome to work on the exhibition dedicated to the French architect of the 18th century, Etienne-Louis Boullee (1728 - 1799). Stourley brings with him his much younger wife Louisa with whom is passionately in love. Everything looks good for him - he's got a project of his dreams to work on, his wife is with him, and his Italian colleagues seem to be supportive and exited about the exhibit as much as he is. Soon, though, the things begin to change and look rather grim - Stourley's pregnant wife enters the affair with a younger man, the work does not move as quickly as it was planned and on the top of all, Stourley gets sick and perhaps more seriously than he thinks.

When I watch Peter Greenaway's films, I know they will be a feast for brain, eyes, and ears - his films consist of frames so perfectly composed that you want to capture every moment of them and exclaim like Goethe's Faust did, "Stay a while! You are so lovely!". The music in his films matches the visual beauty perfectly, and his outlook at the familiar world is always original and arresting even if it lacks warmth and sentimentality. "The Belly of an Architect" is all that: it is filled with symbolism and references to history, Art, and anatomy. It is also a social satire on difference between cultures but it is a compelling and moving story of one man's descending to chaos, hopelessness, despair, and eventually death. This is the first Greenaway's movie since "The Cook, The Thief, His Wife, and Her Lover" that made me feel compassion for its protagonist. I believe it is due to the incredible performance by Brian Dennehy - quite unusual name for a Greenaway's film but was he great as the architect of the title. Dennehy creates a character that is not likable as the film begins but heartbreaking and tragic by the end.

8/10