The Belly of an Architect

Starring:Brian Dennehy, Chloe Webb, Lambert Wilson, Sergio Fantoni, Stefania Casini, Vanni Corbellini, Alfredo Varelli, Geoffrey Copleston, Francesco Carnelutti, Marino MasÃ©, Marne Maitland, Claudio Spadaro, Rate Furlan, Julian Jenkins, Enrica Maria Scrivano, Ricardo Ussani, Stefano Gragnani, Andrea Prodan, Fabio Sartor
Director: Peter Greenaway
Studio: MGM (Video & DVD)
Product Type: DVD

Average customer rating:

Beautiful and Moving Film
A Masterpiece Of A Film: Dennehy Is Outstanding!
Obsessions, art, death and confessions in the city of meat
A visual feast
Somebody has to die, it's a Greenaway film *YAWN*

The Belly of an Architect
Starring: Brian Dennehy , Chloe Webb , Lambert Wilson , Sergio Fantoni , and Stefania Casini
Director: Peter Greenaway
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0001V6ZIY
Release Date: 2004-06-15

Description

Writer-director Peter Greenaway (The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover) puts "the 'art' back into the art film" (The Hollywood Reporter) with this work of "pure visual poetry" (Boston Herald) that "celebrates Rome and its architecture with elegance and discernment" (The New York Times) and boasts Brian Dennehy's "best performance of his screen career" (LA Weekly)! American architect Stourley Kracklite (Dennehy) can't see the beauty in Rome throughhis pain. Intense stomachaches are crippling him and, worse, he believes his pregnant young wife ishaving an affair with his archrival! As his suspicions turn to paranoia and obsession, and his marriage, health and reputation begin to unravel, this once-respected man becomes consumed by his own self-torture from the inside out!

Customer Reviews:

Beautiful and Moving Film.......2007-01-22

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

A Masterpiece Of A Film: Dennehy Is Outstanding!.......2006-10-24

Many do not see this film by Greenaway as a masterpiece, pointing 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. In this film, Brian Dennehy gives the performance of his life. "The Belly Of An Architect" was shot on location in Rome, and stars (Brian Dennehy) as Stourley Kracklight, an American architect, and his wife Louisa (Chloe Webb). The scenery of Rome is a delight, and the musical score is truly outstanding.

Kracklight is an architect whose main interest is in the life of 18-Century architect Etienne Louis Boulee. Kracklight is in Rome to give an exhibition on the works and influence of Boulee, of which Kracklight has devoted more than ten years of his life to studying, when he begins to have stomach pains. But it is not just the stomach that is bothering him, he is also having a mental breakdown of sorts. Which will only worsen as his own terminal illness and obsession with death begin to consume him. There are many other plots going on as Kracklight deals with his illness.

Moreover, Kracklight's wife Louisa has left him, and he detests the young Italians [to some degree] whom he feels are enroaching on his wife. But the film is more than that. 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 Boulee. This film explores deep into the soul of Kracklight, and his mental break with all those arround him, and how his creative process copes with this terminal illness. This film has always fascinated me, however, it may not appeal to all audiences. The film is slow and methodical. There is no violence, explosions, blood, or car chase scenes. If these are your type of films, look elsewhere. I highly recommend the film. At least rent it if your not sure.

Obsessions, art, death and confessions in the city of meat.......2006-06-24

"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.

A visual feast.......2006-03-15

I saw this movie at the theatre many years ago and it left an imprint on me for it's visual style and Dennehy's great understated performance as the architect Kracklight(sp?). It is not a perfect movie - I thought the sound quality on the DVD was a little muted, the dialogue sometimes juvenile & the actress who plays Kracklight's wife annoying at the very least. With that said, I recommend the movie as of feast for the eyes & ears (Mertens score is perfect!).

Somebody has to die, it's a Greenaway film *YAWN*.......2005-07-13

Pretentiously morbid and opulently crafted. Not for me.

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