Scrap

How much can a single man really do?
Art never stands alone; it's always created, and we always experience it in context. What then of art that is so big, the only possible context is the entire life (and family) of the artist?

While "Scrap" may nominally be a documentary exploring two such monumental works of art, and two uncompromising artists who have been driven to commit their entire lives to the projects, it actually strikes me as a piece mainly (and more interestingly) stepping back to explore that context in a way which might be difficult if not impossible in any other medium. "Scrap" explores these men and their worlds as much as it explores their art - their uncompromising vision and approach to life which gives them and their work focus, both for better and for worse.

Jim Bishop started working on his Castle in 1969, and has been at it ever since. With his own hands he has built his dream stone by stone, eschewing heavy equipment for sweat and ingenuity (as he describes it: "engineering...

Interesting Subject Matter Boringly Handled
Would love to see better filmmakers handle something like this. The film chronicles strange and wondrous man-made structures but never really gets to the heart of what drives such unique and painstaking creativity. The makers of Scrap could have certainly taken a lesson there. I once saw a 22 minute episode on tv about the maker of a hotdog stand shaped like a hotdog that was more entertaining. Advisable only for background watching. Pity.

Jim Bishop ... A tribute to hard work
For many years I have followed the building of BISHOPS CASTLE. Jim Bishop is a man with a mission and a great inspiration for anyone taking on a project the requires iron will and long standing stamina, Jim certainly has both. This video shows some of his inner thinking and a peek into his personal life through his wife and sons eyes. Jim sometimes gets a bad rap from U tube but after seeing this video you get a real respect for the man and his family. A very informative video and one place I intend to go is to see Jims Castle in the very near future.

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