Shine director Scott Hicks revisits the intricacies of the life of a complex musical genius in Glass: A Portrait Of Philip In Twelve Parts, his intimate documentary portrayal of composer Philip Glass.
Unlike Shine, in which Hicks captures a damaged man’s life that is enhanced by his musical prowess, Glass explores the mind of a man that is captive to his talent. Through interviews with such awestruck collaborators as Woody Allen, Martin Scorsese, Errol Morris (who first worked with Glass on the landmark documentary The Thin Blue Line) and Koyaanisqatsi director Godfrey Reggio, Hicks provides insight into the collaborative nature of the filmmaking process and the effortless friendship, based on immense respect, that these major talents have for this ex-New York cabbie.
Most profoundly, the film inhabits the personal world of Philip Glass at a time when he is composing a major new symphony, to premiere in Berlin during the production of the movie and to coincide with his 70th birthday. His supremely tolerant and understanding wife (from whom Glass recently separated) gives deeply of herself in recounting how the death of Glass’ first wife is still a predominant factor in defining Philip’s life and creativity; artist/sculptor and friend Chuck Close opens up about the formative years when they were both discovering their potential.
The passion that Scott Hicks has for Philip Glass is evident and provides the documentary with a warmth and intimacy that is engaging. But Hicks the fan never gets in the way of Hicks the documentarian – he paints Glass as a musical genius but also as the eccentric, fiery, temperamental artist he can be. Glass, shot over two years by and under the sure hand of one of Australia’s finest filmmakers, defines the man Philip Glass has become then explores his artistry. In that regard, I guess the film is the product of a fan’s love, but one that respects rather than idolises his subject.
