SQUARING THE CIRCLE (THE STORY OF HIPGNOSIS)

UK | 2022 | 97 min

Music album covers as a form of art. There was a time when to wait for the new record of Pink Floyd or Led Zeppelin was not only about the content but also the package, with the curiosity of discovering the next invention of the geniuses of the design firm Hipgnosis. We get to know the spontaneous birth of an avantgarde stunt pulled by art students Storm Thorgerson and Aubrey Powell that turned into a phenomenon that would mark the 1970’s. With commentaries by Roger Waters, Robert Plant, Paul McCartney, and other giants of rock music, Anthony Corbijn – in the humble role of classic documentary filmmaker, with just the use of black and white to denote his renowned touch – describes the spirit of adventure underlying unforgettable album covers found in shelves all over the world, from The Dark Side of the Moon to Houses of the Holy. Bold analogue concepts that required to go on actual and expensive missions to be watched with untamed astonishment. (e.s.)