‘Loving Vincent’ is not another biographical Van Gogh film a la ‘At Eternity’s Gate,’ where Willem Dafoe acted as Van Gogh. ‘Loving Vincent,’ produced by Dorota Kobiela and Hugh Welchman, offers a tremendous opportunity for viewers to be a part of Van Gogh’s life and observe it through his colors and paintings. More than 65,000 images in this movie were painted in oils by over a hundred artists, each trying to imitate Van Gogh’s unique style.
This means that all brush strokes, all colors, and all movements in the film correspond to how Van Gogh viewed the world. This experience allows us to relive the life of his paintings, making it something that we have never experienced before.
Van Gogh’s Life Through Multiple Perspectives and Living Art
This novel is based on the life of Armand Roulin, a young man who is asked by Van Gogh to deliver a letter to his brother, Theo. In the process, the reader is introduced to people who knew Van Gogh, and they give their accounts, which provide us with various perspectives on the life that Van Gogh led and the manner of his death.
However, it appears that he took his own life though the movie also hints that this might not be the case. There are scenes in the movie that suggest some locals might have been involved in the shooting. This also leaves the issue of his death in question. This is a lot to discuss and think about, however, since it varies from the story we have all along of Van Gogh.
The movie reveals Van Gogh not only as the troubled artist but also as a real person, with feelings, challenges, and relationships in life. Here is an artist who was very concerned about not only his work but also about other people, even when things were tough for him. The stories presented about Van Gogh illustrate how he was a complex individual, making it easier for the viewer to relate to him, as opposed to the traditional image of him as the “tormented artist.”
Visually, it uses paintings of Van Gogh to bring us into his world. His landscapes, his interiors, his people seem like they belong inside his paintings, giving us an idea of what it might be like to live inside that world. There is no rushing, just his feelings expressed in colors and textures. It brings us closer to his world in such a way that it might be difficult for us to express in words. It relates his life to his paintings, making it very unique.
Questions, Memories, and the Lasting Mystery of Loving Vincent
People have been discussing the film not only for the painting technique used in the film but also for the manner in which it presents the life of Van Gogh. By not bringing clarity on how he died, the film allows us to ponder on Van Gogh. By encouraging us to ponder on him, the film brings Van Gogh and his death into our minds even after the film is over. Ultimately, Loving Vincent is a movie that presents us with a necessary piece to decipher Van Gogh himself. We experience Van Gogh himself and the world around him. We experience the struggle and the genius and the tragedy that occurred with the passing of Van Gogh. The film does not show us the whole story, no. The film has given us the part where we have to piece things together for ourselves. Finally, this is what makes Van Gogh’s story so compelling. We keep being given all this knowledge with a feeling that there is always much to learn.
