Abstract
This study aims to analyze the film, The Belly of an Architect, which was
presented to the audience in 1987 by director Peter Greenaway, from an architectural
point of view. British cinema director Greenaway has an interest in different branches
of art such as stage design, painting, and exhibition curation. The Cook, the Thief, His
Wife, and Her Lover; The Pillow Book, and The Baby of Macon are among the most
popular films of the director.
It is followed in the drama, written by the director, that the American architect Stourley
Kracklite's process of questioning his wife, career, and life in Rome after being invited
to organize an exhibition on behalf of the French neoclassical architect Étienne-Louis
Boullée. Boullée lived between 1728-1799 and is famous for his circular forms and
buildings where he uses geometry in its pure form. In the film, Rome plays a key role
in the formation of the story, not only formally but also narratively. The historical
buildings of the city, especially the Pantheon appear as important roles. The “belly”,
dome, and circular forms, which are used intensely as the focal point and axis of
symmetry, also constitute other roles.
Cinematographic readings were made in order to be able to see the flow that the
director created in his film, to obtain information, and to analyze the film. It is seen that
most of the elements and principles used in art production are common, such as light,
color, and composition. From this point of view, the analysis of the film was made on
the basis of design elements and principles in general. While the movie is watched,
line, form, size, color, light, harmony, contrast, dominance, hierarchy, and most
dominantly, symmetry and balance can be observed. These architectural elements can
be read both on the architecture, on the axis of vital images, and in the scenario,
through the semantic fiction in the film. The film ranks high among the recommended
films on social platforms with architectural content. When the instructiveness of
reading design elements and principles in different branches of art are evaluated, it is
being watched within the scope of undergraduate and graduate level courses in
architecture faculty.