Glenn Gould, Louisville Orchestra spotlighted in new documentaries

This article was originally on a blog post platform and may be missing photos, graphics or links. See About archive blog posts.

Now playing in limited release are two new documentaries that should pique the interest of classical-music fans both casual and die-hard.

‘Genius Within: The Inner Life of Glenn Gould’ is the latest in a line of films to chronicle the career of the eccentric Canadian piano prodigy. Directed by Michele Hozer and Peter Raymont, the film uses archival footage and interviews with still-living associates to explore Gould’s life and to dissect his strange public personality.

Times film critic Kenneth Turan wrote that the movie is ‘thoughtful, confident, completely engrossing’ and that the filmmakers ‘succeed in giving us Gould whole.’

In Southern California, the film is playing at Laemmle’s Playhouse 7 in Pasadena, Laemmle’s Royal Theatre in Brentwood and Laemmle’s Town Center 5 in Encino.

Also playing in limited release is the documentary ‘Music Makes a City,’ a look at how the formation of the Louisville Orchestra in Kentucky helped the city recover from the Depression and from a devastating flood in 1937. The orchestra also became renowned for championing new music.

Co-directors Owsley Brown III and Jerome Hiler recently spoke to The Times about making the documentary. Brown previously directed the film ‘Night Waltz: The Music of Paul Bowles.’

A Times reviewer wrote that ‘Music Makes a City’ features a ‘gorgeous soundtrack, historical sweep and wealth of archival material,’ but the movie suffers from ‘sluggish pacing and an overly detailed, increasingly narrow focus.’

‘Music Makes a City’ is playing at the Laemmle’s Sunset 5 in West Hollywood.

-- David Ng