56. SMASH HIS CAMERA

he is scum; a bottom feeder; a stalker.  he's rich, he's married, he has over 3 million photos of the icons of a generation, he's published multiple books.  he was sued by jacqueline onassis, had 5 teeth punched out by marlon brando.  even at 77, the age he was for this documentary, released in 2010, he has passion, fire, energy to sit and wait, to plan, to drive like a maniac to get there first.  HE is ron gallela, noted paparazzi, who began his work in the 60s, when photographers still used film and dark rooms.  parts of the film are debates among contemporaries regarding just WHAT he does.....is it ART?  is it valid?  these questions are based on his exhibit in the metropolitan museum of art--does this exhibit belong there?  is there ART to the photos, or is it just all about capturing the famous person in a normal every day act?  a young viewer of the photographs can barely recognize any of them--bar DOT--who is bar DOT (pronounced how it is spelled). this one is of tayler burton?  (like that's one person's name, not the last names of 2 film legends).  another debate through the film is between attorneys--should the rights of the paparazzi be protected under the 1st amendment?  are the lives of public figures public in their entirety?  all recognize it as a slippery slope.  once freedoms come with restrictions, are they freedoms anymore?  i think that in today's world, we're all very aware of the paparazzi; how invasive they are; how ever-present; how sneaky.  most of us might say it's just not right.  yet.........we look forward to our people magazine every week; we buy that enquirer from the checkout line; the public seems to have an insatiable thirst for photos of the famous doing normal activities.  what is the answer?  not mentioned in this film, of course, is the efforts of some big stars of today to make it illegal for paparazzi to photograph children.  ron gallela did that regularly to caroline and john kennedy jr, one of the issues that enraged their mother.  at least THAT seems to be an issue most can agree is wrong.  the rest of it?........what IS the price of stardom?  the price of earning substantial millions to act in a film?  these are good questions, but there are currently no good answers.  by the way, the title of this film was spoken by jackie kennedy onassis, to the secret service agent protecting her son, as ron gallela hid behind a tree to snap a photo of mom and son riding bikes in central park.  the cameras were not smashed and the photo is among those 3 million housed in the enormous basement files at gallela's home.