Vincent (1987)

This documentary, on the life of artist Vincent Van Gogh, is told through his letters to his brother Theo, from 1872 until his tragic death. We gain first hand insight into the man, his motivations, and his humanity.

Director:

Paul Cox

Writer:

Paul Cox

Stars:

John Hurt, Marika Rivera, Gabriella Trsek

1 nomination.

Cast

Credited cast:
John Hurt	...	(voice)
Marika Rivera
Gabriella Trsek

Storyline

This documentary, on the life of artist Vincent Van Gogh, is told through his letters to his brother Theo, from 1872 until his tragic death. We gain first hand insight into the man, his motivations, and his humanity.

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Plot Keywords:

vincent van gogh | art | bipolar disorder | gothic | psychotic depression | 

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Genres:

Animation | Biography | Drama

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Details

Country:

Australia Belgium

Language:

English

Release Date:

31 July 1988 (USA)

Also Known As:

Vincent: The Life and Death of Vincent Van Gogh

Box Office

Gross USA:

$1,577,480

Company Credits

Production Co:

Daska Films, Kultureel Centrum Vooruit, Illumination Films

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Connections

Referenced in Melancholia (1989)

User Reviews

The Definitive Van Gogh

I can only imagine how pleased Van Gogh would be at seeing his work articulated through Paul Cox's lens. Interspersed with countless images of Van Gogh's original work, are cinematic images of the landscapes, the still-lifes, the town, and the people that Van Gogh knew so well. Cox unassumingly uses real people and costumes in an almost dream-like fashion; they exist along the edges of the film, in a sort of blur; as if we were living directly in Van Gogh's dreams and memories. What's most astounding though, is that I never knew what an incredibly gifted writer Van Gogh was. The entire film is narration of Van Gogh's words, in letters written to his brother. His passion, idealism, and frustration are articulated in ways that are so tangible … it makes all other works about frustrated idealists seem downright silly. It took me a while to warm up to John Hurt's narration because I kept envisioning him instead of Van Gogh, but after a little while I got lost in the words just and concentrated on the feeling that Hurt was evoking. By the end I was in tears. It's the best film about an artist that I've ever seen.