The Belly of an Architect

The Belly of an Architect

(Peter Greenaway, 1987)

Rating: 4/5

Reviewed by Dave Lancaster

Summary: Brian Dennehy gives his greatest performance in Peter Greenaway's cold examination of 'The Belly of an Architect'.

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After reeling off a list of the usual problems like too much food, too little exercise and stress, a colourful Roman doctor ends his professional opinion that American architect Stourley Kracklite (Brian Dennehy) "too much egotism!"

Peter Greenaway's 1987 drama is interesting in the way that it breaks down a man in a variety of ways. Can ego kill a man? Or is he being poisoned by his wife? Can a culture shock stop a heart? Can burning out at work extinguish the man himself? These are the questions Stourley Kracklite must be asking himself in the months that he becomes obsessed with his belly which is giving him horrible pain.

'The Belly of an Architect' benefits, as you would expect given the lead character's all-important occupation, from location photography in Italy.

Brian Dennehy is incredible at playing a vulgar, towering man amid gorgeous ruins. Infatuated with the traces left behind by his favourite architect whom he's responsible in supervising a costly exhibition of, Kracklite himself is ruining as he strives to create gleaming new structures that will definitely outlive him.

The musical score is dated and stuck in the 80s, suddenly blasting into action devoid of subtlety but it succeeds in jolting you as does the pitch black dialogue. The whole film plays like a hit to the gut. You catch your breath when the credits roll.

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