Loving Vincent

I’ve been anxiously waiting to see the movie, "Loving Vincent" ever since I first started to hear about its production a few years ago.  It is the world's first fully-painted feature film.  I had the pleasure of seeing this incredible film today.
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Over 65,000 frames of the movie were painted by over a hundred artists on over 1,000 canvases. The movie was shot on film with professional actors, and was produced by later painting over each frame by frame. I learned that it took over 4 years to develop this technique.  Each frame of the movie is painted in the style of Vincent van Gogh and tell the story of Vincent van Gogh‘s life as an artist and his unfortunate death.

Vincent van Gogh is perhaps one the most famous painters in the world with masterpieces such as Starry Night, his many self-portraits, Sunflowers, Café Terrace at Night, Wheatfield with Crows, and portraits of his friend, the Postman, Joseph Roulin.  Starry Night is one of my favorite paintings to see when in New York City at the Museum of Modern Art.

​From a visual perspective the film is absolutely stunning, spectacular, awe-inspiring, beautiful, and incredible. Almost every adjective that is positive and good could be attributed to this masterpiece of film animation.

We all have heard how Vincent van Gogh cut off his ear, delivered it to a brothel, and later shot himself dying two days later.  This movie explores Vincent van Gogh's life and career as an artist with an incredibly unique approach in this animated historic documentary.

​The famous Postman, Joseph Roulin, played by Chris O’Dowd was Vincent van Gogh's loyal friend. The film's story takes place a year after Vincent van Gogh‘s death and centers around Joseph Roulin's son seeking to deliver an unopened letter from Vincent van Gogh originally sent to his brother Theo that was returned as un-deliverable.  Joseph Roulin's son, Armand Roulin, portrayed by actor Douglas Booth, is sent to deliver the letter by hand to Vincent's brother, Theo, and find out what really happened to Vincent.  

​Through a series of flashbacks, we learn about Vincent‘s life and the mystery surrounding his death. The flashbacks were painted in black and white, and had a different look and feel to them, separate and distinct from the colorful Van Gogh-like paintings which moved as if they have a life of their own.

The artists and director of the film really captured van Gogh's style, bringing it to life on film. The swirls in the sky and starry night opens the film it’s opening credits. Every detail was taken care of regarding the casting of light and shadow as people moved in front of the light and moved away from the light or moved closer to the light. In some scenes where there were lamps, you really could tell by the painters brushstrokes the glow of the fire that emanated from the lamp. And it was that glow that was also masterfully captured in the characters faces, clothing, etc.

The plot-line of the movie is certainly more of a historical documentary, featuring a variety of different flashbacks and characters re-counting their impressions of van Gogh and their interactions with Vincent van Gogh. From from all of these characters' subjective accounts of Vincent van Gogh‘s life and death, we learn, in aggregate, all about Vincent van Gogh.

At the end of the film, we see the closing credits, which featured photographs of the actors in costume in character beside actual photographs or paintings by Vincent van Gogh of those characters and the images that inspired the scenery, etc. For example, the Vincent van Gogh's paintings of Joseph Roulin, the Postman, of which there are several of them, those images were shown beside the actor's portrayal of that character.

It really is hard to believe that Vincent van Gogh only sold one painting in his lifetime. And it’s really hard to even fathom that he painted over 800 paintings in his eight year career as an artist.  I always wonder what wonderful artwork he would have produced for the world to experience and enjoy had he lived a longer life.

Even describing this film does not do it justice. You really do just have to see it for yourself. The film has already won several nominations and awards at various internationally acclaimed film festivals.  Anyone who appreciates Vincent van Gogh's artwork, or even Modern Art in general, needs to see this movie.  

I can’t recommend this movie more highly. The official trailer is posted below.  For more information about the movie, please visit the official website www.lovingvincent.com

Go see it!  And I welcome your comments below.