Tuesday, June 8, 2010

Ron Galella - "Smash His Camera" on HBO

I watched this documentary last night and thought it was absorbing, funny, and surprisingly touching.  Prior to watching this film, all I knew of Ron Galella was that he was the most well-known American "paparazzo" and had been involved in a lawsuit with Jackie Kennedy, who he followed relentlessly. (The title of the film is in fact what Jackie yelled at her Secret Service bodyguard when Galella photographed her in Central Park).

Despite his sometimes obnoxious pursuit of celebrity, Galella comes off as quite a sweet man in this film.  His love for his wife and his passion for his work is undeniable, and some of his photos are great. "Windblown Jackie" is probably the most famous of his shots.

See http://blog.oregonlive.com/madaboutmovies/2010/03/steven_ss_jackie_o.html

Although he is in love with kitsch (his "rabbit" cemetery and fake garden on the grounds of his Soprano-like house in NJ are good examples), many of his photos surpass luck and definitely involve skill, talent, and artistry.  He captured an era that no longer exists.  I don't know who the girl was looking at his shots in a gallery at the end, but she didn't recognize Steve McQueen (thought he was perhaps a "director") and pronounced "Bardot" bar-dot.  Hilarious, and sad.

I highly recommend this movie.

No comments:

Post a Comment