Stained Glass in the Movies
Unless you are an avid stained glass lover like me, you may miss it. But next time you watch a movie, watch closely. More likely than not, you will see a stained glass window somewhere in the movie. It has become a game in our family to be the first to spot the stained glass in a movie.
Today, my husband and I went to see Public Enemies. It was a violent movie, but well acted, and the cinematography was excellent. My husband was the winner today spotting the first piece of stained glass in the movie. I will admit that I may have been distracted by Johnny. There were at least two sightings in Public Enemies. One looked particularly beautiful. But, of course, it was gone in an instant.
Often the stained glass is in a church or public building scene. Sometime it is in a home. Sometimes it is in the form of a tiffany lamp. Usually you see the piece in the background for just a brief moment. Any time the camera focuses on a stained glass window for too long, you can be sure someone will be falling through it. Action movies, in particular, love to use stained glass for their fight scenes. Think James Bond or Bourne Identity. The main character falls spectacularly through a stained glass skylight. Glass shards scatter everywhere in a million pieces, and yet, somehow, no one ever manages to get a single cut. It hurts me every time I see a smashed stained glass window, even though I know those are usually sugar creations.
Just a few of the movies we have spotted stained glass in include Marley, The Soloist, Knowing, Ghost Rider and Don’t Mess with Zohan. (Disclaimer: Don’t Mess with Zohan was my husband’s pick. And believe me when I tell you that seeing the stained glass was the highlight of the movie!) Movies aren’t the only place you’ll find stained glass. I’ve also spotted stained glass on television shows including Numbers, House, and Army Wives.
It doesn’t matter what time period the movie is made in. Stained glass is timeless and always beautiful. So next time you are at the movies, see if you can spot the stained glass.