By Charlie Denison
On July 29, 1890, just more than 130 years ago, 37-year-old Vincent van Gogh died in his room in the little French village of Auvers-sur-Oise. He’d only sold one painting; however, he believed his art served a purpose. He believed in the beauty he saw and so did his brother, Theo.
They were right to believe. After all, “Portrait of Dr. Gachet” alone would later sell for $82.5 million.
During his lifetime, though, Vincent would have only the money that Theo could lend to him, and it often was just enough for supplies and rent. Vincent also struggled with depression, loneliness, and rage. Despite all the obstacles he faced, he remained productive, completing over 800 paintings in his last eight years. The films featured here focus largely on the inspirational creative outpouring of his last few months. During his 80 days in Auvers-sur-Oise, for example, he completed 75 paintings.
As you’ll see in these films, Vincent somehow (as said in a van Gogh-themed episode of Dr. Who) “transformed the pain of his tormented life into ecstatic beauty,” which is something to both celebrate and implement into our own creative journey.
The life of Vincent van Gogh was not enviable, but it was admirable, and these films capture it well. He was ahead of his time and he knew it, once writing to Theo: “…whether the pictures are a long time in being appreciated or not, they will find a collector someday.”
Some of these films romanticize the struggle, but, then again, so did Vincent. He once wrote: “The more I am spent, ill, a broken pitcher, by so much more am I an artist—a creative artist.”
Loving Vincent (2017)
“Did you know he was a genius?” Marguerite Gachet (Saoirse Ronan) asks Armand (Douglas Booth), the son of Postman Roulin, who has been asked to deliver a letter from Vincent van Gogh to his beloved brother Theo.
Armand may not have known van Gogh was a genius, but the late artist’s brilliance is on display in each frame of director Dorota Kobiela’s breathtaking visual achievement. More than 120 artists hand-painted each frame of this 95-minute masterpiece. It’s a beautiful tribute of van Gogh’s art and his last days in Auvers-sur-Oise, France. It’s the tribute he always deserved and a snapshot into the way he saw the world.
“No detail of life was too small or too humble for him,” Marguerite says. “He appreciated and loved it all.”
Loving Vincent captures “perhaps the most astonishing artistic outpouring in history” with a humanizing, compassionate tone. It focuses on Vincent’s sensitivity. The artist once wrote, “I want them to say ‘he feels deeply, he feels tenderly.’”
That being said, Loving Vincent is a dream realized.
At Eternity’s Gate (2018)
Featuring a masterful Oscar-nominated performance by Willem Dafoe and directed by Julian Schnabel (Basquiat), At Eternity’s Gate is a film that is a piece of art in itself. There are moments when you feel like you’re right there painting with Vincent. You can almost feel his pain, his madness, sympathizing with him throughout the sorrowful journey.
Dafoe (despite being significantly older than Vincent) and Schnabel do a phenomenal job recreating van Gogh’s last days. At Eternity’s Gate also does an excellent job sharing the red-headed Dutchman’s philosophies on art, much of which comes from dialogue with his friend Paul Gauguin (played by a perfectly casted Oscar Isaac—he’s brash, confident, energetic, and everything van Gogh is not).
Perhaps the most torturous element of At Eternity’s Gate is how it portrays how unappreciated the artist was during his lifetime. Despite his lack of success, was that the price he was willing to pay as the pioneer of modern art? Perhaps. Life was hard for Vincent. He was poor, and he was becoming a financial burden on his brother. He hated himself for it. He had a lot of demons, but despite all the torment and anguish, he continued to create phenomenal works of beauty. What he sees is more beautiful than reality. It was a precious gift he had, and At Eternity’s Gate fully realizes this gift by delivering a gorgeous tribute to “a robust and true artist who towers above the rest.”
Lust for Life (1956)
The late Kirk Douglas (Spartacus himself) stars as van Gogh in this epic directed by Vincente Minnelli (Gigi, The Bad and the Beautiful). Lust for Life stays faithful to Vincent’s letters to Theo and features a stunning amount of his paintings. A few scenes are more like slideshows, and there are some gorgeous transitions from art to action. His paintings are everywhere and it’s a pleasure to see them on display. It’s one of the highlights of the film, as is Anthony Quinn’s Oscar-winning performance as Gauguin.
Douglas was also up for an Oscar. His performance is passionate, unhinged, brooding, aggressive, and mad. These are all elements of Vincent, but, according to Gauguin’s journals, Vincent also “possessed the greatest tenderness,” which Douglas lacked in his portrayal.
Instead of highlighting his mental illness, Lust for Life focuses on Vincent’s spiritual battle. It starts with his failed attempt at the ministry and illustrates how he chose to please the Lord through painting, the only thing he felt he could do well.
Throughout the film, there is much foreshadowing, perhaps too much. I’d be surprised if anyone saw this movie and didn’t know what to expect. Minnelli could have trusted his viewer more in that regard. Overall, Lust for Life hasn’t particularly aged well, but it has some winsome minutes and remains a must-see for any van Gogh enthusiast.
Akira Kurosawa’s Dreams (1990)
There are many must-see short films in this collection by the renowned Japanese director, and it’s clear from the start why he is so revered by other directors including Martin Scorsese, who plays Vincent van Gogh in “Crows.”
The short starts with a young Japanese painter admiring van Gogh’s paintings at an art gallery, when he’s suddenly transported into one of them. Giddy, he starts to look for the red-headed legend. He finds him frantically painting in the field.
“Why aren’t you painting?” Vincent asks. “To me this seems beyond belief.”
Scorsese portrays Vincent as a neurotic workaholic.
“I work, I slave, I drive myself like a locomotive,” he says.
The sun, he says, compels him to paint, as does each and every scene he encounters and “devours.”
“When that natural beauty is there… I just lose myself in it,” he says, “And, then, as if it’s in a dream, the scene just paints itself for me.”
Following their visit, the young Japanese painter walks through one van Gogh painting after another, captivated by the radiant colors. He is entranced, and so are the viewers. It’s an incredible cinematic experience.
“Crows” is not the only mind-blowing short that Dreams has to offer. “Field of Flowers, “Mount Fuji in Red,” and “The Weeping Demon” are particularly timely reflections on the relationship between humans and nature. “Crows” fits that theme, too, as Vincent was inspired by how Japanese artists approached their art by “returning to nature.” He always strived to do the same.
There is perhaps no other artist more popular than van Gogh. He’s mainstream and also has a cult following. For example, I know two women with “Starry Night” tattoos, my wife has “Starry Night” socks, and a friend of mine just proudly showed off his “Starry Night” mask on Facebook. Don McLean did his part to celebrate the artist when he released the song “Vincent” in 1972, which was covered by Lianne La Havas as the credits roll in “Loving Vincent.” The chorus captures his struggle beautifully:
And now I understand
what you tried to say to me
How you suffered for your sanity
How you tried to set them free
They would not listen,
they did not know how
perhaps they listen now
One reason Vincent remains such a testament to art and creativity is the relatability of his struggle, especially for those struggling with mental illness themselves, as is shown in the last film I will feature:
Touched With Fire (2016)
Named after Kay Jamison’s book on manic-depressive illness and the artistic temperament, Touched with Fire is the story of Carla (Katie Holmes) and Marco (Luke Kirby), who meet in a psychiatric hospital. van Gogh (who Marco refers to as “the top member of the bipolar club”) comes into play numerous times throughout the film, either in conversation or through “Starry Night.” In an especially thought-provoking scene, Marco (channeling a less aggressive R.P. McMurphy) uses “Starry Night” to challenge how bipolar disorder is treated in society today.
“See this?” he asks.
“Yes, it’s beautiful,” a nurse responds.
“Yeah, that’s right. You know why? Because it’s the painting of the sky [van Gogh] saw from his sanitarium window while he was manic. When you go out tonight, look out at the sky and see how dull it is… think about if you would have medicated van Gogh.”
Touched With Fire is an honest, sympathetic take on bipolar disorder. It’s like Garden State for creative artists. Writer/director/composer Paul Dalio does a nice job of capturing the struggle, which afflicts many poets, musicians, writers, including Jamison, whose book is highlighted throughout the film. The author even makes an appearance, encouraging Marco to take his medication. Marco has a hard time accepting this. He likes to be manic. He chases that high that helped van Gogh create his masterpieces. Marco is not ashamed to be bipolar; instead, he is honored. After all, he knows he’s in good company. Still, he has responsibilities. Carla is pregnant. She wants stability for their child. Can Marco get balanced? And if he takes his medication can he still have that creative fire? The movie depicts this dilemma well. It also asks the viewer if having a mental illness such as bi-polar is a blessing or a curse. For Vincent, Carla, Marco and others, it’s both.
Charlie Denison is a freelance writer, musician, award-winning journalist, and 11-year DVD Netflix member who lives with his wife in Lewistown, Montana.
He's been featured in “Chicken Soup for the Soul,” “Montana Quarterly Magazine,” and other publications. Follow him on Twitter @charliebigsky.