Thirty Two Short Films About Glenn Gould Criterion Collection Blu-ray Review: Extremely Interesting and Enlightening

Being a dedicated lover of cinema, it’s always amazing to come across films that don’t fit the normalcy of filmmaking. You can’t put these types of films in a particular box; they require lots of interpretations. And that’s how I feel about Thirty Two Short Films About Glenn Gould (1993), a highly fascinating hybrid documentary by French-Canadian filmmaker Francois Girard about renowned 20th century pianist Glenn Gould.

With a brilliant central performance by actor Colm Feore as Gould, the film unfolds as a series of vignettes exploring Gould’s life from young music prodigy to world-acclaimed pianist. It also paints a picture (and includes interviews with real people who knew him best) where his ideas challenged the very notion of musical theory while becoming obsessed with exploring technology, as he abandoned public performance and became addicted to prescription drugs, which led to his untimely death at age 50 from a stroke.

Many films take massive liberties while depicting the lives (and obvious demons) of historical figures and ordinary people, but not this one. You actually get the sense and genius that Gould really was. It expertly reveals the artist and the approach to his work with a refreshing sense of originality while really involving the beauty and emotional range of classical music. It also contains a quirky sensibility that helps to elevate the already impressive material that Girard is making here.

So, basically, I was hypnotized by the film. I found it extremely interesting and enlightening, especially being a lover of classical music. Yes, it’s not for everyone, but not every film has to be. The typically reliable folks at Criterion have an incredible ability to bring to light particular and remarkable films that we don’t always get exposed to. Glenn Gould is definitely one of those films.

Their release contains an amazing new 4K restoration and a very informative audio commentary featuring Girard and co-writer/actor Don McKellar. The supplements include a fascinating new conversation between Girard and acclaimed filmmaker Atom Egoyan; two companion documentaries from 1959: Glenn Gould: Off the Record and Glenn Gould: On the Record; archival interviews with Feore and producer Niv Fichman; and a trailer. There’s also a great new essay author and film critic Michael Koresky.