An increasing number of biopics, especially about the exceptionally artistic, are being made whether through feature films or television series. Watching these biopics sparks our curiosity that isn’t quite comparable to watching fiction genre. Knowing that such events have happened in real life makes it more enticing to watch and lets us empathize more and be inspired by stories of real people. Renowned artists like Vincent Van Gogh, Margaret Keane, and Frida Kahlo have life stories of struggle and growth which have influenced their artistic inspirations during their time. If you admire the work of great artists and you’re interested in diving into their world and their journey as artists, here are five of our movie recommendations for biopics featuring the life stories of well-renowned artists.
Frida
Frida is a 2002 American biographical drama film directed by Julie Taymor which depicts the life of the surrealist Mexican artist Frida Kahlo known for her self-portraits and works characterized by vibrant colors. The film stars Salma Hayek in the lead role alongside Alfred Molina as Frida’s husband, Diego Rivera. The film was adapted from the 1983 book Frida: A Biography of Frida Kahlo by Hayden Herrera. Frida received generally positive reviews and won two Academy Awards for Best Makeup and Best Original Score among six nominations including Salma Hayek’s nomination for Best Actress in a Leading Role. New York Times published a review of the film and praised certain aspects of the film saying, “But when the movie manages to break free — in bursts of color, imagination, music, sex and over-the-top theatricality — it honors the artist’s brave, anarchic spirit.”
Maudie
The 2016 biographical drama film Maudie directed by Aisling Walsh depicts the story of Canadian folk artist Maudie Lewis from Nova Scotia. The film stars Sally Hawkins in the titular role and Ethan Hawke as her husband. The film follows the struggles of Maud and how her artistic skills and love story blossoms as she works as a housekeeper for a fisherman. The film received critical acclaim and won several awards. Hawkins’ performance as Maudie won critics societies’ awards and the film also won seven Canadian Screen Awards, including Best Motion Picture, and three Irish Film & Television Awards, including Best Director and Best International Actor for Ethan Hawke. In a review by The Guardian, they praised Hawkin’s performance in the film. “Tonal issues notwithstanding, Hawkins’s performance is impressive. It’s a physical transformation on a par with Marion Cotillard’s Edith Piaf in La Vie en Rose. Hawkins seems to shrink and twist into the role as Maud ages and arthritis ravages her joints.”
Loving Vincent
Several biopics have featured the story of painter Vincent Van Gogh but the 2017 experimental animated biographical drama film presents the painter’s life using his artistic style in oil painting canvas created by a team of artists around the world. Loving Vincent tells the life story of the painter Vincent van Gogh, focusing on the circumstances of his death. It is the first fully painted animated feature film written and directed by Dorota Kobiela and Hugh Welchman. The film won Best Animated Feature Film Award at the 30th European Film Awards in Berlin and was nominated for Best Animated Feature at the 90th Academy Awards. Variety wrote a review of the feature film and compared it to previous Van Gogh biopics saying “By contrast, this one embraces his complexity, withholding a clear view of Vincent (played by Robert Gulaczyk) until the very end — a tactic that reinforces the notion that we can only truly understand him through the work he left behind.”
Big Eyes
The 2014 American biographical drama film Big Eyes, directed by Tim Burton, written by Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski, stars Amy Adams and Christoph Waltz. It tells the story of American artist Margaret Keane known for her paintings of subjects with big eyes. The film centers on the relationship between Margaret and her second husband, Walter Keane, who took credit for Keane’s paintings in the 1950s and 1960s. The film received praises for the performances of Adams and Waltz with Adams winning the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Comedy or Musical and a nomination for the BAFTA for Best Actress in a Leading Role. Waltz was also nominated for a Golden Globe for his performance, and singer Lana Del Rey also received a Golden Globe nomination for the film’s title song, “Big Eyes.” In a review published by The Guardian, they praised the feminist themes of the film saying “Certainly, there is a feminist dynamic to Margaret’s story; for all its outlandishness, this is ultimately an everyday tale of a woman finding her own voice in a chauvinistic environment, escaping the shackles of an abusive marriage to step into the spotlight alone.”
Camille Claudel
Camille Claudel is a 1988 French biographical drama film about the life of sculptor Camille Claudel, known for her sculptures in bronze and marble such as “The Waltz” and “The Mature Age.” The film was based on the book by Reine-Marie Paris, granddaughter of Camille’s brother, Paul Claudel, the French poet, dramatist and diplomat. The film was directed by Bruno Nuytten starring Isabelle Adjani and Gérard Depardieu. The film centers on the relationship of Claudel with 19th-century sculptor, Auguste Rodin, creator of “The Thinker,” who was twice her age at the time they met. The film also depicts how Claudel struggled towards the end of her career as a sculptor when she suffered from mental health issues and is sent to an asylum where she hopes to be saved by his younger brother, Paul Claudel. For her performance in the lead role, Adjani was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress, which was a second in her acting career. This biopic is quite a tragic tale and in a review published by Los Angeles Times, they described the film as “a rich, darkly gorgeous film”. They also praised the performances of Adjani and Depardieu saying it is “surely two of their best performances.” They added, “Yet “Camille Claudel” is more than a Bohemian “Wuthering Heights,” because it is told from a contemporary perspective of controlled feminist rage.”
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