Glass: A Portrait of Philip in Twelve Parts (2007)

84% of critics liked it
(32 reviews)
82% of users liked it
(743 ratings)

Shine director Scott Hicks documents a year in the life of prolific composer Philip Glass in order to explore the work that goes into creating a symphony and offer a detailed overview of his subject's remarkable career. Glass may be a composer whose name is virtually synonymous with the minimalist… More Shine director Scott Hicks documents a year in the life of prolific composer Philip Glass in order to explore the work that goes into creating a symphony and offer a detailed overview of his subject's remarkable career. Glass may be a composer whose name is virtually synonymous with the minimalist music movement, but one shouldn't be so quick to pigeonhole the composer. A musician who is outwardly confident and at times unpredictable, Glass works tirelessly to create a composition entitled Symphony No. 8 for orchestra, as well as an opera entitled Waiting for the Barbarians. Additional conversations with Glass's family and friends highlight how the composer is able to retain his creative spirit while simultaneously remaining a devoted family man. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 1 hr. 55 min.
Directed By: Scott Hicks
Genres: Musical & Performing Arts, Documentary

In Theaters: Apr 18, 2008 Wide
On DVD: Apr 21, 2009
Studio: Koch Lorber Films

Critic Reviews

Jeannette Catsoulis, New York Times
A hair's breadth from hagiography, Scott Hicks's Glass: A Portrait of Philip in Twelve Parts is much like its subject: affable, quotable and emotionally guarded in the extreme.
Vadim Rizov, Village Voice
A stupefyingly dull portrait of a man who doesn't seem to be lying when he says, "I have so few secrets."
Sara Cardace, New York Magazine
As haunting in its own way as one of Glass' own works.
John DeFore, Hollywood Reporter
An entertaining pic that will fascinate admirers but is wide-ranging and unpretentious enough to engage those intimidated by Glass' aesthetic.
Robert Koehler, Variety
Despite efforts to show the composer's domestic life, including his Buddhist-influenced daily exercise routines, there's no thoughtful discussion of what's behind the serialist music style Glass has brought to worldwide attention.
Simon Foster, sbs.com.au
Hicks the fan never gets in the way of Hicks the documentarian - he paints Glass as a musical genius but also as the eccentric, fiery, temperamental artist he can be.
Jeffrey Chen, ReelTalk Movie Reviews
Doesn't necessarily reveal the insight behind the composer's unique brand of music so much as display the working mode of a passionate artist.
Christopher Long, Movie Metropolis
Hicks avoids many of the pitfalls of artist portraits by grounding the musician firmly in every day reality.
Marty Mapes, Movie Habit
Glass fans will like 8-11 of Hicks' 12 parts
Kam Williams, NewsBlaze
An intimate peek into an elite mind, warts and all.
Evan Williams, The Australian
Hicks has made one of the best films I have seen about the mind of a creative artist.
Jason Di Rosso, MovieTime, ABC Radio National
A solid portrait that should engage both fans and newbies alike, shot by Hicks himself, cinema verite style.
Brian Duff, FILMINK (Australia)
Shot on a tight budget and a tighter calendar, the film offers a cinematic style which borders on verite in approach and execution.
Jim Schembri, The Age (Australia)
There is a genuine warmth to the film that is underscored by Glass' modesty, a quality both fans and non-fans will respond to.
David Stratton, At the Movies (Australia)
This is an exhaustive and at times exhausting documentary; it's well made and revealing but it required much more editing...
George Palathingal, Sydney Morning Herald
A fitting tribute to the man and the musician, which will remind fans of his genius and point newcomers to his broad and brilliant oeuvre.
Louise Keller, Urban Cinefile
It's as hypnotic as the music he writes
Stan Hall, Oregonian
Things perk up when Hicks focuses on Glass' music and working methods, especially with the filmmakers (Woody Allen, Errol Morris and Martin Scorsese included) whose works he's scored.
Moira MacDonald, Seattle Times
Hicks structures Glass in 12 vignettes, each highlighting a different aspect of Glass' life, and some are more compelling than others.
Bill White, Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Although rich in family scrapbooks and anecdotes, Scott Hicks' documentary on composer Philip Glass is a portrait of the artist in the present tense.

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Featured Audience Ratings

Walter M

"Glass: A Portrait of Philip in Twelve Parts" is an illuminating documentary, perhaps too much so, of the life and career of the famed composer, whose work I know mostly through his film work, starting with "Koyaanisqatsi" which a college friend watched repeatedly… More
"Glass: A Portrait of Philip in Twelve Parts" is an illuminating documentary, perhaps too much so, of the life and career of the famed composer, whose work I know mostly through his film work, starting with "Koyaanisqatsi" which a college friend watched repeatedly until an intervention had to be staged. So, it should come as no surprise, that my favorite part of this documentary is the segment with Errol Morris, Woody Allen and Martin Scorsese talking about their collaborations with him. There is also ample time given over to Glass' philosophy which informs some of the projects he has worked on over the years.(Why it does seem everybody famous gets photographed with the Dalai Lama?) And what starts off as simply providing background information on his personal life and marriage to a much younger woman(There is a joking reference to a guideline that a man should marry a woman who is one half his age plus seven which I also remember from The Autobiography of Malcolm X) takes on a life of its own as there emerges a sense of his failing to balance his work and personal life adequately in preparing a new opera in Germany. While most men his age in their seventies are more likely starting to retire and relax, Glass' pace is picking up as he pushes himself to write the music that is filling his head while keeping himself in excellent physical shape at the same time. Not only that, but he also starts a new family to whose attention he cannot give his fullest. I do not think that has anything to do with my thinking that men should stop reproducing at the age of 50 and am loath to ever be put into the position I find myself here to comment on somebody else's personal life. Instead, I would have preferred the writing, crafting and performing of the opera to be used as a framing device and given more attention in general.
Andrew P

A film which I think lacked in a story which I would have much rather of seen. Maybe I am not the intended audience for this doc but I found it a miss oppertunity for his film composing work rather than working on his symphonies. What resulted was a boring film which failed to… More
A film which I think lacked in a story which I would have much rather of seen. Maybe I am not the intended audience for this doc but I found it a miss oppertunity for his film composing work rather than working on his symphonies. What resulted was a boring film which failed to interest me rather than be insightful.
Robert F

MIFF '08: To end the festival this year, I saw Glass: A Portrait of Philip in Twelve Parts - and how 'indie doco' do they want to make that title?! They may as well have just called it Glass: Philip in D-Minor or some shit. Anyway, I fell asleep twice - never a good… More
MIFF '08: To end the festival this year, I saw Glass: A Portrait of Philip in Twelve Parts - and how 'indie doco' do they want to make that title?! They may as well have just called it Glass: Philip in D-Minor or some shit. Anyway, I fell asleep twice - never a good sign. The film offered very few insights into his film work, which was what I was interested in. Instead, it looked more at his symphonies and his home life. It seriously seemed like his marriage with Holly was about to collapse. But having to live with someone who clearly never stops working...what else could you expect? The brief appearances of Woody Allen and Martin Scorsese added little to the film, and for at least five of the "Twelve Parts" I was as bored senseless. It sucks to end the festival on such a low, but on the whole, this was a very good year.