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Squaring the Circle: the Story of Hipgnosis

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Squaring the Circle: the Story of Hipgnosis

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Summary

Music art design studio Hipgnosis was responsible for some of the most defining album covers of the 1970s. This feature documentary charts the evolution of the brand during a decade of excess using previously unseen footage and new interviews with contributions from the likes of Sir Paul McCartney and Peter Gabriel

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IMDB

Review

A star rating of 3 out of 5.

Calum Baker

This slickly entertaining documentary details the remarkable rise and sudden collapse of one of rock music's more uniquely influential pairings: Aubrey "Po" Powell and Storm Thorgerson, founders of graphic design agency Hipgnosis. An impressive slate of talking heads, from former Hipgnosis employees to their superstar collaborators, helps narrate how the two Cambridge natives went from hanging out with a pre-fame Pink Floyd to creating some of pop's most iconic images through the 1970s. The inevitable stories of visionary excess abound - not least in a fantastic sequence about the inflatable pig built for Floyd's Animals LP cover - but the film is unwavering in its generous celebration of the team's creativity. The stories behind sleeve designs for the Nice, Led Zeppelin, 10cc and Peter Gabriel are told in riveting detail, while accounts of the company's earliest years and the complexities of Powell and Thorgerson's friendship provide both comedy and pathos. Photographer, film-maker and music video veteran Anton Corbijn handles his first documentary well, although by limiting his focus to the company he leaves some frustrating questions about the protagonists' post-Hipgnosis lives. But overall, the film certainly succeeds as a portrait of two under-sung but significant late twentieth century artists.

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7.7/10

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Credits

Cast

rolenameAubrey "Po" PowellAubrey "Po" PowellStorm ThorgersonStorm ThorgersonDavid GilmourDavid GilmourRoger WatersRoger WatersNick MasonNick MasonPaul McCartneyPaul McCartneyRobert PlantRobert PlantJimmy PageJimmy PagePeter GabrielPeter GabrielGraham GouldmanGraham Gouldman

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Crew

rolenameDirectorAnton Corbijn

Details

Theatrical distributor

Dogwoof

Languages

English

Guidance

Swearing.

Formats

Colour

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