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Kraken crouches in the bushes and ambushes paparazzo doc SMASH HIS CAMERA at Sundance 2010!
Walking into the screening of SMASH HIS CAMERA I didn’t know what to expect out of this documentary about Ron Galella, known as the godfather of modern day paparazzi photographers. I knew the man had been famously punched in the mouth by Marlon Brando; so that was a story that was going to at least be entertaining to see unfold. Beyond that though, I don’t really care for the kind of intrusive tactics paparazzi use to get their shots, so I wasn’t sure if I wanted to spend that much time examining the life of one of their kings.
Walking in with that prejudice against paparazzi made the documentary that much more interesting because it really does try to chip away at that feeling most of the general public have about what they do. Most of the film is a debate about what art is and what privacy is, and whether or not the celebrities involved really hate the attention of the paparazzi cameras, or in some way secretly desire or need them. It’s an interesting argument from both sides and throughout the film when you see some of the iconic shots from Galella’s portfolio, you can’t help but call them stunning pieces of art; even if you know damn well how he got them. Does thirty plus years take a nuisance form of opportunistic livelihood and turn it into a cultural time capsule that makes the means worth the end? I’m not sure. There is a lot of beautiful photographic work out there that didn’t have people feeling like their privacy was being squashed. But, there is something about what Galella was able to capture in nature that is different from your typical photograph that even lead Andy Warhol to compliment the man and praise his photographs as being some of the best art photos in the world.
When you see the gigantic warehouse full of Galella’s prints, that span decades of pop culture entertainment, you can’t help but feel a sense of awe at the icons he was able to capture in their native environments. You see the beauty of his predominately B&W photography, the lucky (or skilled?) compositions he was able to snatch out of the air of people like Mick Jagger, John Lennon, Elizabeth Taylor, Steve McQueen, Andy Kaufman, Jacqueline Kennedy, just to name a few.
The documentary didn’t do much to change my attitudes towards the parasitic nature of the paparazzi, but the fact remains, if you can at all separate the man that takes the photos and the way he acquired them from the art itself, you’d be hard pressed not to say in some form that these photos captured these people in a way that no posed photo or pre-arranged photo shoot ever could. I really enjoyed seeing the debate that is presented in this doc, and I’ve heard a lot of people call Galella slime that know him. The doc presents the side of Galella that one could definitely judge as grotesque, even with all of his pet bunnies. It also attempts to show a very human side to Galella and the fact that he’s almost a man-child and truly doesn’t understand what he is doing is wrong. It does go into a very strange and dark place when talking about his obsession with Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. At first it seems like your typical paparazzi vs. mega personality, cat and mouse relationship. But, it eventually turns into something more obsessive on Galella’s part; beyond work, into a darker attraction or relationship fantasy. By the way, the Marlon Brando bit I’d heard about was worth the wait. They build that incident up perfectly and then the “punch-line” is quite amazing. The photographs of Galella’s mouth after the incident with Brando will either horrify you, or leave you with a sense of deep satisfaction.
Overall SMASH HIS CAMERA feels as balanced in its presentation of Galella and his work, as the sentiments towards him are split in the arts world. I walked away disgusted by his methods and what his job represents, but really wanting to buy some of his prints.
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Jan 27, 2010 11:02:29 AM CST
"Disgusted", but then you "want to buy some of his prints"?
by soylentmean
Wow, that's slightly hypocritical.
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You know, shit people might actually be interested in seeing.
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I HATE Paparazzi and everything they do and stand for. Period.
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in Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest!
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People work their asses off to become famous and then run from the cameras. The really smart celebrities manipulate the paparazzi to their own ends. The really stupid ones walk around scowling. Are you listening Ben Affleck?
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the paparazzi in the same ambush, gung-ho style, a dueling of the flashbulbs if you will? Then the aforementioned celebrity could turn around and sell the photos of these ravenous beasts to interested parties.
Also, how hard is it to file harassment suits against these paparazzos that get too intrusive and include their employers in said suit?
I kinda agree that some "stars" do crave the attention but the shit that really pisses me off is when there are kids involved. If I was a celebrity and someone took unwanted pictures of my kids, it would get litigious real fuckin' fast. -
Hypocrisy is exactly the point.
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I'm telling my age here but Life magazine use to have classy layouts of celebs, all above board. This crap paps shoot now, with photoshop and set up ambushes isn't worth the data bytes it's uploaded on.
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That's something the doc looks at too. What paparazzi meant back then vs. what it means now. There was almost a game with set rules to it back in the 70s (still intrusive and wrong) but the current incarnation of paparazzi are just vicious in comparison and like crazed mobs that don't have any thought to what kind of quality of shot they're getting. I think one of my favorite lines from the doc was "Ron is the price tag for the 1st amendment". It's a horrible trade, but what is the solution?
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Now if only a celebrity would stab one of these pap motherfuckers. Right in the throat.
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Commissioned art vs. sneak attack photos, one of the two is a hell of a lot less creepy...
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Interview photos are always authorized. I don't even do red carpet stuff.
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Not every paparazzi is a "Galella". I am not familiar with his work, but I did read a little on him after your review
Not every guy/gal can pull off a pap art photo. Not many of them look at is art in anyway (from what I can tell) A lot of them are just whored out guns with an SLR and a zoom. And there are many. They have no ethics, no rules, no respect. They'd hide in a bedroom if they could If each ad company had a few paps in the field it would be a different conversation. But now its no longer "is this art? is this ok?", its a shit show. -
and then people who buy their photos pinned all the blame on her driver. Meanwhile members of the french police trade pictures of her mangled body.
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social contract. Once you're famous and get paid 7 to 8 figs a project, and get tons of free shit, it's only fair that you have all your life put out there for everyone to see. You chose and pursued that lifestyle, so don't whine about what you got. At the end of the day, it's only a minor annoyance compared to the problems everyday people have to deal with, like paying the mortgage, and raising a kid by yourself. Homer Simpson said it best, something to the effect of, "You're a celebrity, so we own you." Where the papparazzi do cross the line is obsessing about the children of celebrities. They're the innocent ones in this equation. They didn't ask to be part of that lifestyle, so they're not at fault. And it's just icky that people are so curious to see pics of a little baby that just looks like every other baby.
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If she had chosen not to marry Prince Charles, then maybe she'd be alive today, albeit in obscurity. Secondly, she made her driver get away by driving like a maniac, instead of driving like a normal person. People need to stop blaming others, and accept personal responsibility.
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Jan 27, 2010 1:26:46 PM CST
I think the 'art' of it has to do with the subject's stature...
by sk229
Of course, you can take black and white photos of people like Brando, Faye Dunaway(in her prime), Sinatra, etc., in their heyday and it'll look like art... they could be blowing their nose and it's iconic. Not so much when it's Lyndsay Lohan, Ashton Kutcher, and the Real Housewives. Also, nobody is selling full color, flat looking digital photos as art.
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They don't care who they plow through or injure, as long as they get "the shot". People need to quit buying the shit rags that publish those photos and hurt these parasites the only legal way they can.The only other option is to do what Tom Brady's security did at his wedding, and start shooting as the scumballs were fleeing.
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And let them go to town on these bastards. Capture that shit on video, and youtube it up! Make movies called "Paparazzi Panic!", I'd definitely watch. Paparazzi aren't people, no one will care if they get fucked up, much like Klan members. Hell, make the next SAW movie about paparazzi getting fucked up! Rejuvenate the franchise!
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well said. its one of the unwritten costs that celebrities pay when they buy into this lifestyle. and, I'd argue, that cost includes their children. the kids didn't volunteer, but the duty to protect children falls first and heaviest on their parents. the parents always have the option of protecting their children from this kind of intrusion by not playing the game. its a matter of priorities.
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Be a hero.
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Paparazzi's face loses
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see if they can run now!
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paparazzi lose
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...almost ashamed to say. At times its facinating. You do see some celebrities that are friendly to the paps, they will acknowledge them as they hurry to where they're going. At times I empathize with these guys as they're just trying to make a living. And a lot of celebs seem to like Harvey and follow TMZ. But what I hate is they will disrespect some celebs, maybe they think they're not big enough(though you never know when that starlet of today could wind up an oscar winner of tomorrow) and even if the person is friendly with them, they will get really snarky with them. Then at other times, a celeb will not acknowledge them at all and they feel slighted. Now I know that the celebs do have kind of an unwritten contract that says this is part of the game. But if you get enough of these guys insulting you or intruding on you, I can't blame them for being rude to them. Also, the few times I've spoted a celeb out, I haven't felt like they needed to stop and have a conversation with me, any more then the average Joe walking down the street should stop and talk to me. Yet these guys seem to feel that if they have a camera, it somehow entitles them to have a personal relationship. Also, I hate the paps for helping to coronate a lot of these jerks who are just some reality participants into actual celebs. At least the paps of the 70's were snapping pictures of actual stars. Having said that, I would absolutely watch a show that featured people paintballing paps and watching them run. I don't know why some celebs don't get together and hire a private investigator to do some background on a lot of these vultures fron the Enquirer and threaten to air their dirty laundry. We've all got skeletons in our closet and I'm sure these guys have some things they would hate to get out. And by putting their byline out there, they've sort of become puplic figurs themselves, so kid gloves come off.
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all of them
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Utter dregs of society.
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Jan 27, 2010 10:30:30 PM CST
Fat Brando would have laughed it off, then eat Galella.
by onin solstice
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Everytime I hear about a papsmear being assulted by a celeb (Mike Tyson was the most recent I remember), the pap then gets their slimeball attorney to sue so they can get even richer off of the celebraties they stalk. Luckly however, cases like Tyson have been dismissed.Of course, had Tyson really put some effort into punching the papsmear out, the photog wouldn't have known what hit him until he awoke from his coma days later.
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and these guys taking his picture were swarming the sidewalk. Pitt turns into the restaurant, the paparazzi keep shooting, and one of them is stepping back to take
more pics and trips over this guy eating at one of the outside tables. The diner and the pap were both kind of shaken up. It wAs messed up. -
And it's this radical idea that the ONLY thing stars owe me is a good performance in a good movie and that's it. This unsaid contract talk is bullshit. If you go in for a surgical procedure and are really impressed with the doctors' work; it doesn't mean you get to follow him around everywhere and snap pictures. People would say your creepy. But it's okay if there image is projected on a movie screen? People who use that excuse are just celebrity rubber neckers who can't let a good performance by a charismatic actor go after they leave the ciniplex. I could give two shits which famous rich person is fucking which other famous rich person. Once the house lights come up, my interest in the people on the screen drops off to zero.
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It is the shame of the station. People are literally ashamed to promote it(as they should be). I am required to monitor it and ensure that it airs. I don't.
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