Vincent & Theo
|
List Price: Our Price: $3.44 You Save: $11.54 (77%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $3.40 (click here) Category: DVD See more DVD releases |
|---|
Buy this DVD movie at online store in your country
Canada
Canada
Movie Reviews of Vincent & Theo
Movie Review: Interesting look
Summary: 3 Stars
Although Robert Altman is proficient in re-creating the scenery of Van Gogh's life through the eyes of the painter with striking color and a vaguely bohemian atmosphere, he still fails to present Van Gogh the man or the artist in with any genuine originality. He focuses on Van Gogh, the tormented saint-artist, who forges ahead on the canvas with a drive to present the "suffering" of humanity. However, Altman precludes Van Gogh's obvious manias, his periods of demented elation. It is impossible to believe that the Van Gogh presented here could have produced those vibrant wheat fields in Arles, or the Night Caf?. What remains in this fractured (though never incompetent biopic), is Tim Roth's virtuoso performance; he managed to literally crawl into the skin of Van Gogh, and the result may frighten you. However, his virtuosity always overshadows Paul Rhys' rather tepid presentation of his brother Theo, though there are other admirable performances in the film, such as Wladimir Yordanoff's amiable presentation of Gauguin. Altman seems to be commenting, rather uninterestingly, about the commercial dimension of artistry, and of the impossibility of true recognition of genius. This is a conventional portrait of the unrecognized genius, it is a tale told again and again. However, Altman's imagery is captivating (with the help of Storraro), the photography looks like vibrant haloes emitted by Van Gogh's paintings, though the musical score is dreadful and morbid. Still you much watch this one for Tim Roth's inspired performance if nothing else. Movie Review: Vulgar and disgusting
Summary: 1 Stars
Saw this one on television.
Vincent van Gogh was misfortunate in life and certainly crazy. The artist who portrays him does his job very well.
The scenery is breathtaking.
However the nudity in the film is vulgar. The chaeracters are hard to identify with. Some of the scenes are disgusting.
Not going to see this one again.
Movie Review: Visually stunning, beautifully acted
Summary: 4 Stars
I will admit I am a huge fan of Altman, but I love this film on its own. Visually it is stunning: the photograhy and lighting are a wonder. The film itself is like a canvas for some beautiful art. The perfomances are excellent - watching the love and great conflict between the brothers is riveting. This is one of Altman's unsung gems. Highly recommended.Movie Review: Definition of a 3-star film...
Summary: 3 Stars
The concept for this film is a great one. Vincent had a very deep and unique relationship with his brother, however the execution is less than great. Casting a couple of Brits as Dutchmen does not come off terribly well.
There's also no sense of time passing, or of the growing isolation of Vincent as Theo begins to spend more time away when he has a son. The movie starts slow and gets more interesting as Van Gogh becomes more mad. However, the brothers are shown arguing in every scene, so you never see what they lost in the first place, and Vincent's madness makes no sense, beyond his being an artist. I would have killed to see one decent conversation between them on their chairs, and Vincent painting his brother's pipe as a still life resting on his favourite chair.
You might never know from seeing this that Vincent wanted to be a priest and slept on stone by a fireplace to live a life more Christ-like, and full of suffering. Like Amadeus, this focuses more on someone we don't care about (Theo) than attempting to understand someone we do (Vincent).
The director also doesn't seem to lavish as much attention on the paintings as he does on what prices they fetch. A hugely missed opportunity.
Movie Review: The tormented artist and the tormented dealer
Summary: 4 Stars
Robert Altman directed this interesting film biography of Vincent Van Gigh and his art dealer brother Theo, who felt terribly guilty because he couldn't sell any of his brother's paintings in his Paris art gallery. Altman's theme is about commercialism vs. artistic genius, and how tormented these two brothers are. It's beautifully photographed, but the movie feels long at 138 minutes and for some reason the conversations are whispered throughout the movie and are often inaudible.
Altman doesn't focus his story strongly enough: Theo is as tormented as much as Vincent is, but everytime the movie points up that fact, Altman switches to something else. There are some stunning scenes, however: the whole sunflower painting scene, for example, with Van Gogh going through the agony of trying to paint them to his exacting standards, and then the shot with the failed attempts in his dingy room - one's eyes bulge to take it all in. Worth a watch.