A Bigger Splash (1973)

Director:

Jack Hazan

Writers:

Jack Hazan (written by) &
David Mingay (written by)

Release Date:

10 April 1975 (Netherlands)

Genre:

Documentary

Plot Keywords:

Painter | Gay Bar | Photographer | Male Frontal Nudity | London England

Awards:

1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

David Hockney	...	Himself
Peter Schlesinger	...	Himself
Celia Birtwell	...	Herself
Henry Geldzahler	...	Himself (Collector)
Mo McDermott	...	Himself (Friend)
Kasmin	...	Himself (Dealer)
Mike Sida	...	Himself
Ossie Clark	...	Himself (Dress Designer)
Susan Brustman	...	Herself
Patrick Procktor	...	Himself
Betty Freeman	...	Herself
Nick Wilder	...	Himself
Joe McDonald	...	Himself
Edward Kalinski	...	Himself (as Eddie Kalinski)
Gregory	...	Himself
Jimmy	...	Himself
Mark	...	Himself
Chris	...	Himself

Directed by
Jack Hazan

Writing credits
Jack Hazan		(written by) &
David Mingay		(written by)

Produced by
Jack Hazan	....	producer
Mike Kaplan	....	producer
Mike Whittaker	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Patrick Gowers

Cinematography by
Jack Hazan

Film Editing by
David Mingay

Sound Department
Robert Alcock	....	sound
Greg Bailey	....	sound recordist
Colin Richards	....	sound
Doug E. Turner	....	dubbing mixer (as Doug Turner)

Camera and Electrical Department
Paul Bond	....	camera operator
Richard Branczik	....	camera operator
Colin Bucksey	....	camera operator
Andy Carchrae	....	camera operator
John Metcalfe	....	camera operator
Dick Pope	....	camera operator

Editorial Department
Robert Hargreaves	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Greg Bailey	....	composer: additional music
Marcus Dods	....	conductor
Batti Mamzelle	....	composer: rock music

Production Companies

• Buzzy Enterprises
• Circle Associates Ltd.

Distributors

• New Line Cinema (1974) (USA) (theatrical)
• Dabara Films (1978) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Buzzy Enterprises (UK)
• Direct Cinema Limited (video)
• Lagoon Films
• Edition Salzgeber (2012) (Germany) (DVD)

Runtime:

USA:106 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

New Zealand:R18

Filming Locations:

California, USA

Company:

Buzzy Enterprises

Movie Connections:

Featured in Who Gets to Call It Art? (2006)

We'll assume these people are actually interesting

This is an odd quasi-documentary ostensibly about Hockney's breakup with his protégé and lover (Peter Schlesinger) and, to some extent, its effect on his painting and on his relationships with his friends and colleagues.

Very unfortunately the result is a mish-mash: some glimpses into what passes for access into the worlds of art and fashion (one particularly long fashion show scene is almost painful to watch); musings on the relative merits of London, France, Italy, New York and California (early-70s New York comes off as truly wretched); contextless vignettes of Hockney's friends and colleagues, who could not possibly be as dull as they are presented here; some actually interesting looks at Hockney's techniques, including "joiner" collages he used to construct elements of his paintings; and all this punctuated with what is supposed to be an examination of the breakup between Hockney and his younger boyfriend. A good bit of gay sex and nudity are thrown in to spice things, and while it was assuredly arresting in 1973, very little of it feels very sensual, and certainly not erotic. Their relationship is left entirely unexamined, so at best one might conclude that Peter is more self-absorbed even than Hockney or that he simply prefers the company of men more his age. Ho-hum.

This might have been a lot more interesting at 45 minutes: you might not notice how inconsequential it all seems.