Glass (1958)

Ostensibly a documentary about the art of Dutch glassblowing, and engagingly illustrative at that - with a gently jazz soundtrack - it gradually evolves into something altogether more thought-provoking. Back to the actual blowing, though, and that's quite fascinating to watch - the creative and delicate artistry at work. Perfect geometrical shapes all from a ball or string of molten sand - they look like balloons sometimes. In and out of the white hot ovens. What it slowly gives way to, though, is almost as interesting as the process becomes more mechanised. Not so much with the intricate designs, but the rudimentary bottle making - until, that is, the conveyor goes wrong and it's briefly quite comedic then. Moral? I suppose mechanisation is unstoppable now, but though the handmade might be slower and more expensive, the top only comes off when it's supposed to!