America's Castles: Homes of Frank Lloyd Wright [VHS]

Documentary, approx. 50 mins.

From floor to ceiling and room by room, this intimate guided tour charts the evolution of Wright's singular style that created "structures not on the land, but of the land" and "built not to be looked at, but lived in."

Exploring Wright's Home and Studio, for example, reveals "a treasure house of experimentation" that "is central to understanding his development." The original Taliesin is called "an autobiography in wood, brick, and stone."

The Homes of Frank Lloyd Wright takes its cue from Wright, who in his designs endeavored to eliminate the insignificant (attics, he believed, were wasted space). Wright scholars place these homes in historical and biographical context. Not glossed over are some of the more scandalous and tragic events that marked Wright's life, from an adulterous affair that made headlines to the ax murder of his mistress at Taliesin.

This video is a must-own for architectural buffs, but even if you're just getting in on the ground floor and don't know your vestibule from your veranda, this program will make you feel right at home. --Donald Liebenson