search for something...

search for something you might like...

Top Ten Movie Architects A countdown of the greatest films that use and abuse the idea of the architect.

Top Ten Movie Architects

A countdown of the greatest films that use and abuse the idea of the architect.

by Henderson Downing,
first published: October, 2005

approximate reading time: minutes

Remember Newton Davis? Stourley Kracklite? Doug Roberts?

Movies usually portray architects in two ways: either as a portrait of the artist as a megalomaniac or in a context where the occupation is incidental to the plot. Here's my top ten countdown of the greatest films that use and abuse the idea of the 'architect' - with apologies to all those Tom Selleck fans who hoped that there might be a space in the list for his performance in 'Three Men and a Baby'.

10. DEATH WISH (1974)
Commodity: Charles Bronson as the Vitruvius of vigilantes.
Firmness: Preparing the foundation for those sequels that illustrate how architects as well as film-makers like to unimaginatively plunder the formula that made them famous.
Delight: Michael Winner slumped in the Director's chair sleazily caressing his cigar to the saccharine evil of Herbie Hancock's jazz-funk score.

9. INDECENT PROPOSAL(1993)
Commodity: Woody Harrelson as a bankrupt architect.
Firmness: Demi Moore as his bankrupt realtor wife.
Delight: Las Vegas and Robert Redford's million-dollar proposition that Moore should turn whore (if only Woody had been able to write to OutsideLeft's Dear Girl for advice this movie would be higher in the list).

8. HOUSESITTER (1992)
Commodity: Steve Martin giving an uncanny impersonation of Peter Eisenman.
Firmness: Kookie con-artist Goldie Hawn as 'the Ernest Hemingway of bullshit'.
Delight: It's a personal issue relating to a certain blue door in West London but I was gratified to discover that the red-ribbon wrapped set built for this movie had people trekking all over New England asking locals for directions to the dreamhouse.

7. PETER IBBETSON (1935)
Commodity: Gary Cooper is the eponymous architect hired by the Duke of Towers.
Firmness: The Duchess of Towers turns out to be Ibbetson's long-lost childhood sweetheart. Enter death, incarceration, and a heavy dose of Oneirine.
Delight: There was enough l'amour fou in this tragic romance for both Andre Breton and Luis Bunel to claim this as a surrealist classic.

6. THE FOUNTAINHEAD (1949)
Commodity: Gary Cooper as the uncompromising Howard Roark.
Firmness: For over fifty years the laughable image of Roark has embodied the popular view of architects. Until this film is deservedly forgotten how can the poor things prove otherwise?
Delight: Guessing which elements of Roark were inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright.

5. DON"T LOOK NOW (1973)
Commodity: Grief-ridden Donald Sutherland restoring an old Venetian church.
Firmness: Sometimes a non-linear narrative more difficult to follow than a dwarf in a red-coat becomes disturbingly satisfying.
Delight: Julie Christie and DS intercut into movie fucklore.

4. THE BELLY OF AN ARCHITECT (1987)
Commodity: Brian Dennehy attempting to curate an exhibition in honour of his visionary 18th century predecessor Boulle
Firmness: Rome's domes, Dennehy's expanding cancerous gut, his pregnant wife, get the connections?
Delight: To add insult to adultery, Greenaway names the cuckolded architect 'Stourley Kracklite'.

3. DEAD OF NIGHT (1945)
Commodity: Mervyn Johns as the workaday architect visiting a country house and assorted guests all of which he recognizes from a recurring nightmare.
Firmness: One of the greatest British films of all time. Seriously.
Delight: Michael Redgrave as the schizoid ventriloquist (inspiring Hitchcock's 'Psycho').

2. THE BLACK CAT (1934)
Commodity: Boris Karloff as Hjalmar Poelzig, one of those psychopathic Satan-worshipping modernist architects who hangs the preserved corpses of his sacrificed lovers in glass-coffins along the corridors of his pseudo-Bauhaus mansion erected on top of a dynamite-filled former military fortress. You know the type.
Firmness: The first film to feature Karloff and Bela Lugosi together.
Delight: Karloff's haircut and outfit, Lugosi's slow realization that he might be playing the hero.

1. The TOWERING INFERNO (1974)
Commodity: Paul Newman as Doug Roberts. Could there be a cooler architect?
Firmness: Steve McQueen rejecting the Roberts role to play Fire Chief O'Hallorhan (and insisting that he has the exact same number of lines as Newman).
Delight: Too many to list. But how about the following laconic exchange between two great cinematic icons:
McQueen: Architects.
Newman: Yeah, it's all our fault.

And, er, talking of great cinematic icons, please remember that with both Keanu Reeves and Jude Law playing architects in forthcoming films all positions are subject to change.

Henderson Downing

Henderson Downing has written for various literary journals and small press magazines, he lives in London
about Henderson Downing »»

upcoming interviews begin with Fliss Kitson, Mick Mercer and Moose McKillop

RECENT STORIES

RANDOM READS

All About and Contributors

HELP OUTSIDELEFT

Outsideleft exists on a precarious no budget budget. We are interested in hearing from deep and deeper pocket types willing to underwrite our cultural vulture activity. We're not so interested in plastering your product all over our stories, but something more subtle and dignified for all parties concerned. Contact us and let's talk. [HELP OUTSIDELEFT]

WRITE FOR OUTSIDELEFT

If Outsideleft had arms they would always be wide open and welcoming to new writers and new ideas. If you've got something to say, something a small dank corner of the world needs to know about, a poem to publish, a book review, a short story, if you love music or the arts or anything else, write something about it and send it along. Of course we don't have anything as conformist as a budget here. But we'd love to see what you can do. Write for Outsideleft, do. [SUBMISSIONS FORM HERE]

WRITERS thru' the Years

A.I. House-Painter, Agata Makiela, Alan Devey, Alan Rider, Alex V. Cook, Ancient Champion, Andy Allison, Annemiek, Archibald Stanton, Becca Kelly, Belle Plankton, Bruce Bailey, Caiomhin Millar, Cassie Thomas, Chantal, Cheiron Coelho, Chris Connolly, Christian Present, Damon Hayhurst, Dan Breen, Danny Rose, David Hackney, David O'Byrne, Denni Boyd, Dirty Lillie, DJ Fuzzyfelt, Dr. Rich, Dr. Richard Bennett, Duncan Jones, Emily Moore, Erin, Erin Pipes, Erin Scott, Gracey Babs, Graham Baker, Guilaine Arts, H.xx, Hamilton High, Henderson Downing, Holly Martins, J. Charreaux, J.Lee, Jay Lewis, Jaycentee, Jennifer Lynn, Jenny McCann, Jeremy Gluck, Jez Collins, Joe Ambrose, John Robinson, Jonathan Thornton, Julie O, Karl Morgan, Katherine Pargeter, Kelsey Osgood, Kevin McHugh, Kiah Cranston, Kleo Kay, Lake, Lauren Frison, Lee Paul, Lilly Pemberton, Luke Skinner, Malcolm, Marek Pytel, Mark Piggott, Martin Devenney, Meave Haughey, Melanie Surfleet, Michelle Williams, Mickey, Mike Fox, mindy strouse, Neil Campbell, Neil Scott, Ogglypoogly, OL House Writer, Pam, Paul Burns, Paul Hawkins, Paul Mortimer, Paul Quigley, Peter Williams, Pixie McMowat, Pixievic, Rene Williams, Richard John Walker, Rick Casson, Rikki Stein, Ronan Crinion, Rowena Murphy, Ruby Lake, Ryan 'RJO' Stewart, Samantha Charles, Seth Sherwood, Shane O'Reilly, Sheridan Coyle, Sofia Ribeiro Willcox, Sophia Satchell-Baeza, Spanish Pantalones, Speedie John, Spencer Kansa, Steve McCarthy, The Conversation, Tim London, Tim Sparks, Tony Fletcher, Toon Traveller, Trevi, Urs Lerch, Wayne Dean-Richards, and founders, Alarcon & Lamontpaul

OUTSIDELEFT UNIVERSE

Outsideleft Night Out with The Swaps
OUTSIDELEFT Night Out
weekend

outsideleft content is not for everyone