Penn Gillette narrates and Teller directs this offbeat gem. Tim Jenison is a techno-nerd with a house full of money and a secret obsession to paint a Vermeer...ya, THE Johannes Vermeer...Dutch-Flemish master genius painter, considered one of the greatest representational painters of all time ("Girl With the Pearl Earring"). Tim believes Vermeer used lenses and mirrors to get the detail and lighting effects in his paintings. He was inspired by David Hockney's book that claimed the Baroque masters used technological advancements in optics to aid them in their craft. That was the jumping off point, from there Tim went, well, bananas and built a to scale duplicate of Vermeer's studio where he painted most of his masterworks. When I say duplicate I mean he built every piece of furniture the windows he tore out walls built facades outside to duplicate the Delft Cathedral which cast a shadow at certain times...ba-na-nas. Great little movie.
