Smash His Camera

Gast’s documentary about celebrated/reviled paparazzi godhead Ron Galella could do with taking a leaf or two from its subject’s sketchy playbook. Sued by Jackie Onassis and punched out by Marlon Brando, Galella gained notoriety as much for his doggedness (which borders on the sociopathic) as for his photography, and ‘Smash His Camera’ would benefit greatly from a little more of this tenacity. A half-hearted discussion of First Amendment rights concerning press freedom is given an airing by a fleet of talking heads, but Gast fails to get close to pinning Galella down, especially regarding his gross and repeated invasions of the privacy of his subjects. That said, it pings along with great energy and the snaps themselves have a life of their own