Review (DVD): Smash His Camara

4 Star, Culture, DVD - Light, Reviews (DVD Only)
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Floyd Abrams (Actor), Gilbert M. ‘Broncho Billy' Anderson (Actor), Leon Gast (Director)

4.0 out of 5 stars Classic View of Greatest American Photo-Stalker

January 27, 2011

Rough patches, but a period cultural piece and for me quite fascinating. Almost a five and not left at four for itself but rather in comparison with other movies as alternative ways of spending time. This is a documentary of one of the greatest American “paraparatzi” of our time, in blends live interviews with re-collective discussions of specific photos that have made history including, most memorably, “windblown Jackie,” and as an American I found it both fascinating and not done deeply or broadly enough. I would have like to see much more. HOWEVER, the movie does whet the appetite for the book No Pictures, and I recommend both.

This movie, and the act of writing the review, brought to my attention other books by this photographer and out of respect I list them:

Disco Years
Photographs of Ron Galella 1960-1990, The
Jacqueline
Warhol by Galella:That's Great!
Man in the Mirror: Michael Jackson (Powerhouse Books)
Ron Galella: Exclusive Diary
Offguard: A Paparazzi Look at the Beautiful People
The Photographs of Ron Galella
Viva l'Italia! (English and Italian Edition)

Side note: those who are not skilled professionals will demean the discipline, dedication, insights, and general “craft” of what this man did. As an intelligence professional, both as a clandestine case officer on the street and as a manager of analysts and programs, I am quite certain this man was extraordinary and the availability of digital tools does not in any way diminish the “craft” and HUMAN intelligence required to be the best in the world at anything.

Had I not already taken away one star in comparison to the other movies I watched on the same trip, I would do so now because the DVD does not do justice to the totality of the man's work.

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