- Actors: John Malkovich, Veronica Ferres, Stephen Dillane, Saffron Burrows, Sandra Ceccarelli
- Directors: Raoul Ruiz
- Writers: Raoul Ruiz, Gilbert Adair, Herbert Vesely
- Producers: Andreas Schmid, Arno Ortmair, Dieter Limbek, Dieter Pochlatko
- Format: PAL
- Region: Region 2 (This DVD may not be viewable outside Europe. Read more about DVD formats.)
- Number of discs: 1
- Classification: 15
- Studio: Soda Pictures
- DVD Release Date: 3 Dec 2007
- Run Time: 97 minutes
- Average Customer Review: 2.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
- ASIN: B000WN56EA
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 46,643 in Film & TV (See Top 100 in Film & TV)
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Product details |
Reviews
Product Description
A portrait of the Austrian artist Gustav Klimt whose lavish, sexual paintings came to symbolize the art nouveau style of the late 19th and early 20th century. Director Raul Ruiz transports us back to the year 1918 where Gustav Klimt (John Malkovich) lies on his deathbed. We follow Klimt's feverish visions back to the Austrian pavilion at the 1900 World Exhibition in Paris, where he is awarded the gold medal for his work entitled 'Philosophy'. At the pavilion he encounters the film magician, Méliès, with the mysterious French dancer, Lea de Castro and with the 'Secretary of State', an oppressive fatherly figure who accompanies Klimt through the film like a shadow. Gustav Klimt's paintings have a fascinating expressiveness, passion, sensuality, and like his own life, are dedicated to women. Way ahead of his time, he was celebrated in Paris but condemned in his home town of Vienna for being provocative.
Review
Beautifully designed --The Guardian
Filmed with real elegance --Film Exposed
Filmed with real elegance --Film Exposed
Tags Customers Associate with This Product(What's this?)Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.
|
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
25 of 27 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
The movie is the product of enormous love and dedication on the part of the director, the production team and the actors. It is visually stunning and conjures up the appearance and atmosphere of Vienna at the end of the Nineteenth century with great fidelity. The costume design by Birgit Hutter is wonderful, and Ricardo Aronovich, the Director of Photography, creates a cinematic equivalent of Klimt's swirling, bejewelled paintings.
The acting is convincing but there are discrepancies between the naturalistic style of the British actors like Saffron Burrows and Stephen Dillane, and the more expressionistic theatrical approach of the German, Austrian and other nationalities. John Malkovich's approach is different again, and although he greatly resembles the painter, Gustav Klimt, he does not seem to have effectively integrated himself into the whole. As far as resemblances are concerned, the prize goes to Nikolai Kinski as Egon Schiele, and if the director had decided to go all out for an Expressionist approach like Kinski's, the movie would have been a greater success.
Its main problem, however, is that it lacks dramatic structure. It is dreamlike (and occasionally nightmarish) to a degree, but it remains structurally far too loose for its two-hour length.
However, it is a visual treat and if you like the art of the Vienna Secession, it's well worth viewing.
The acting is convincing but there are discrepancies between the naturalistic style of the British actors like Saffron Burrows and Stephen Dillane, and the more expressionistic theatrical approach of the German, Austrian and other nationalities. John Malkovich's approach is different again, and although he greatly resembles the painter, Gustav Klimt, he does not seem to have effectively integrated himself into the whole. As far as resemblances are concerned, the prize goes to Nikolai Kinski as Egon Schiele, and if the director had decided to go all out for an Expressionist approach like Kinski's, the movie would have been a greater success.
Its main problem, however, is that it lacks dramatic structure. It is dreamlike (and occasionally nightmarish) to a degree, but it remains structurally far too loose for its two-hour length.
However, it is a visual treat and if you like the art of the Vienna Secession, it's well worth viewing.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase
I found this to be a very interesting and entertaining film, it has a lot to do with the artistic temperament and on from that how fame attracts the desirable and undesireable, and those who seduce and want to be seduced. Added with the turn of the century Vienna and the period costumes and attention to detail this film explores what it is to be a successful artist during a time of decadence and indulgence, while pushing the intellectual high art of the day to its limits. Worth watching more than once.
4 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
Some superlative acting makes this very complex film comprehensible. I bought it hoping to use it to illustrate the fallacy of artist's intention in teaching aesthetics - it's much too convoluted for that, but it is a provoking depiction of the life and times of Klimt. Since that's what it sets out to be, it's worth the while.
Would you like to see more reviews about this item?
Were these reviews helpful?
Let us know
Most Recent Customer Reviews
mj
I love Klimt's work and was really looking forward to watching this DVD. What a waste of time and money. Read more
Published on 1 Feb 2010 by em jay
A candidate for the worst film ever made?
A candidate for the worst film ever made? Certainly by far the worst film I have ever subjected myself to; truth be told I only subjected myself to the first 45 minutes before... Read more
Published on 2 Feb 2009 by N. Barker
Lost Time
I bought this DVD after setting aside the reviews listed here as probably overdone, and after all this should be an 'artistic' film. Read more
Published on 29 July 2008 by Dr. R. Brandon
A misplaced artist
For me, this film expressed perfectly that great artists who are misunderstood and unappreciated by many during their lifetime, will remain so also after their demise. Read more
Published on 4 Jan 2008 by Margus Lattik
Klimt is a film to avoid unles you hate yourself.
It is a waste of money, a waste of time and a total waste all together.
The director or what ever sick lunatic dreamed up this nightmare of a film, finds it amusing to film... Read more
The director or what ever sick lunatic dreamed up this nightmare of a film, finds it amusing to film... Read more
Published on 29 Dec 2007 by Isabella Balkert
Go with the Special Edition Digipack instead
This is not the DVD that you want. There is a Special Edition Digipack, which also has features including a Fascinating "Making Of", which shows you the filming of the special... Read more
Published on 24 Nov 2007 by John A. Whitling Jr.
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
Listmania!
Look for similar items by category
- Film & TV > Drama > Historical
Look for similar items by subject
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
