Rancho Mirage, CA – October 25, 2024 – Preservation Mirage announces its first foray into filmmaking with a documentary short, Preservation Mirage Presents Richard Neutra’s Maslon House, which will premiere February 19th, 2025 during the 20th Anniversary of Modernism Week in Palm Springs, California. The film chronicles the life of The Maslon House, Richard Neutra’s residential masterpiece built in 1962.
The Maslon house was commissioned from the renowned modernist architect Richard Neutra by Luella and Sam Maslon, noted art collectors from Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Maslons secured a lot on the 12th fairway at Tamarisk Country Club in Rancho Mirage. Neutra designed a quintessential modern home with a flat roof with long overhangs, floor-to-ceiling glass windows, and long gallery walls to house their significant collection, including pieces from Frank Stella, Franz Kline, Jasper Johns, Robert Rauschenberg, Robert Motherwell, Alberto Giacometti, Andy Warhol, and a veritable who’s who of modern art. It was one of only three Neutra-designed homes in the Coachella Valley.
In 2002, the house was razed, sparking international outrage and profoundly transforming the ethos of Rancho Mirage and the Coachella Valley forever. This new film commemorates a lost masterpiece by one of the leading architects of the modernist period and the culture of architectural preservation left in its wake.
Through archival photographs, home movies, new footage, and firsthand accounts, the film explores the architect, the client, the art collection, and the home allowing the audience to connect to this lost architectural treasure.
Director Scott Goldstein, who serves on the board of Preservation Mirage, took his first steps at his grandparent’s home in Tamarisk Country Club, and the Maslon House was a constant presence throughout his childhood from across the fairway. “The Maslon House was a modern masterwork, filled with important art and set in a magical location,” notes Goldstein. “I’m truly excited to share the story of our community, the legacy of this architectural marvel, and I hope it inspires people to get involved in preservation.”
“The Maslon House was a breakthrough moment for architectural preservation on a global scale,” said Nathan Jacroux, president of Preservation Mirage. “Closer to home, it marked a turning point for positive changes designed to protect the remaining inventory of significant architecture in Rancho Mirage.”
Produced by Streeterville Productions, Preservation Mirage Presents Richard Neutra’s Maslon House is directed by Scott Goldstein. With cinematography by Dave Yakir, Tyler Davis, and Steven Fadellin, the film is edited by Dave Yakir, with Post Sound by Noisefloor, ltd. The board of Preservation Mirage and Melissa Riche serve as executive producers. Riche, the author of ‘Mod Mirage’ and founder of Preservation Mirage, served as a catalyst for the creation of the film when she was given home movie footage by Sam and Luella’s granddaughter, Hilary Maslon.
The film features an array of interview subjects speaking from critical and personal experiences. Author Adele Cygleman, designer and curator Brad Dunning, photographer David Glomb, Neutra scholar Barbara Lamprecht, Rancho Mirage Council Member Lynn Mallotto, family member Hilary Maslon, preservationist Peter Moruzzi, Preservation Mirage President Emeritus, Melissa Riche, and Rancho Mirage Historic Resource Committee member Craig Traupane are all interviewed in the film.
Preservation Mirage Presents Richard Neutra’s Maslon House will premiere during Modernism Week at the Annenberg Theatre in the Palm Springs Art Museum on February 19, 2025, from 5:00 – 6:00 PM. Tickets go on sale November 1st on http://modtix.com.
ABOUT PRESERVATION MIRAGE
Preservation Mirage began as an informal group of homeowners that met to exchange ideas and information about preserving mid-century architecture in Rancho Mirage, California. In late 2017, a board of directors was elected, and the preservation group became a registered 501 (c)(3) nonprofit. Its mission is to celebrate the architectural history of Rancho Mirage by promoting its protection and appreciation. Learn more at: https://preservationmirage.org
