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Squaring the Circle (The Story of Hipgnosis)

Squaring the Circle (The Story of Hipgnosis)

Documentary · Music · 2023

In 1968, art students Storm Thorgerson and Aubrey “Po” Powell made a trippy photo collage for their musician friends Syd, David and Roger. The resulting album and album cover, A Saucerful of Secrets, helped launch two careers: that of Pink Floyd, one of the 70s megabands, and of Hipgnosis, which, over the course of the next 25 years, designed a stream of iconic album covers.

Movie details

Squaring the Circle (The Story of Hipgnosis)

“Experience the story behind the artwork that defined a generation.”

2023 Documentary · Music 1h 40m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

7.4 / 10

Community rating

In 1968, art students Storm Thorgerson and Aubrey “Po” Powell made a trippy photo collage for their musician friends Syd, David and Roger. The resulting album and album cover, A Saucerful of Secrets, helped launch two careers: that of Pink Floyd, one of the 70s megabands, and of Hipgnosis, which, over the course of the next 25 years, designed a stream of iconic album covers.

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over Squaring the Circle (The Story of Hipgnosis)?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Anton Corbijn

Written by

Trish D Chetty

A

Aubrey Powell

Self

Storm Thorgerson

Storm Thorgerson

Self (archive footage)

Noel Gallagher

Noel Gallagher

Self

David Gilmour

David Gilmour

Self

Roger Waters

Roger Waters

Self

Paul McCartney

Paul McCartney

Self

Nick Mason

Nick Mason

Self

Court is in session

Put Squaring the Circle (The Story of Hipgnosis) on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Prestige Tourist

“Ambition earns the room.”

The film reaches for consequence and scale, accepting the risk of seriousness instead of shrinking from it.

The prosecution The Popcorn Loyalist

“Importance has entered the chat.”

The production keeps announcing its significance, as though awards-season posture were proof of insight.