Scour your local library for a (VHS-only) copy of Mid-Century Mania, an entry from A&E’s series, House Beautiful. This 50-minute docu-showcase looks as if it was completed in the late 90’s (was that REALLY 8 years ago!?), and includes a bit of the basic cable non-fiction cheese and a generic blonde hostess, but the footage makes it more than bearable.
Highlights Include:
Profile of Case Study House #22, “Stahl House”:
- Interview of original architect Pierre Koenig
- Interview with then-homeowner, horror film producer Dan Cracchiolo, whom was regrettably killed in a motorcycle accident in 2004
Mid-Century Furniture Primer
- Commentary by Sam Kaufman from Modernica, and Carla Nora from Carla’s Antiques
- Spotlight on:
- Eames Fiberglass Chair and Molded Plywood Chair
- Saarinen Tulip Table and Womb Chair
- Nelson Coconut Chair
- Jacobsen Swan Chair
- Interview with Monty Lawton and Mark Zuckerman, owners of In House Furniture, and designers of the Circle 3 Magazine Table
Profile of Kaufman Desert House, architect: Richard Neutra
- Famously photographed by Julius Shulman
- Explores current owners Beth and Brent Harris’ six year rehab project
Short Bibliography, including:
- Cara Greenberg, Mid-Century Modern: Furniture of the 1950’s
- Lesley Jackson, The New Look: Design of the Fifties
Are their other mid-century or design “documentaries” worth checking out? I thought the Sydney Pollack film about Frank Gehry was remarkable.
