Francis Bacon

Starring:Francis Bacon, Melvyn Bragg
Director: David Hinton
Studio: Image Entertainment
Product Type: DVD

Customer Reviews:

Brilliantly Acted But Highly Unflattering Portarit of An Important Artist .......2007-04-09

This black portrait of the artist Francis Bacon and his rough-trade boyfriend, George Dyer, amounts to nothing more than a bleak look at an excessively immature relationship. The film never dips below the shallow surface of their tortured lives, its focus almost always shocking and never tender.

Not knowing much about the life or art of Francis Bacon, before viewing the film I read as much about him as I could, having been forewarned that many people find the film as difficult to understand as the twisted relationship between the two people it portrays. From what I discovered of Bacon's life, the film is possibly quite accurate, at least as far as his relationship with Dyer is concerned. The problem is that real life is often not very pretty, and if a film of such unseemly lives is to succeed, it would help to offer some deeper understanding of the characters it presents, or at least proffer some hint of the artistic output of a man who, if the critics and biographers are correct, was one of the most important artists of the 20th century. Instead, Love is the Devil never reaches beyond a stark presentation of the cruel, selfish indifference of the lead character (Bacon) and the hopeless frustration of the tragic life of George Dyer. Bacon as an important artist is never explored at all, which could have served to at least balance the harshness of his more unflattering reality.

For the life of me, I can't figure out why, if their film portrayals are to be believed, so many well-known artists seem to drench themselves in squalor and dysfunction. In some respects, the story of Bacon and Dyer (as presented in this film) reminded me of the twisted love affair between Joe Orton and Kenneth Halliwell in the drama, Prick Up Your Ears, which starred Gary Oldman and Alfred Molina. Orton was a hugely successful playwright and Bacon a highly successful artist, and according to their respective cinematic renderings, both lived tortured lives of romantic dysfunction, paired with partners who were far beneath their intellect and talent. But aside from the further coincidence of both stories being set in England in the 1960's, there the similarity ends. Orton and Halliwell were writers, one supremely talented and the other inept, but at least they were intellectually compatible, if not professional equals. Bacon and Dyer had nothing in common beyond a self-destructive love of alcohol and a penchant for inflicting pain on each other and others around them, which appears to be the sole point of Love is the Devil.

From the very start, Dyer is clearly in over his head. His love for Bacon is fed by his awe of a talent that his mind is unable to grasp, and the frustration of having nothing to offer beyond his physical beauty. Bacon can provide only cruelty and bitchiness. The relationship is doomed from the beginning, and Bacon is portrayed as an enigmatic combination of physical masochist and intellectual sadist, with nary a hint of his awesome artistic ability. Although expertly etched by the acting of Derek Jacobi and Daniel Craig, and both actors do provide their share of brilliance, the film suffers from a limited depiction that emphasizes Bacon's cruelty and Dyer's despair. If this is an accurate portrayal of their rather sordid love lives, it would have been better for Bacon's reputation and Dyer's memory to have simply left them alone. No matter how much Bacon can be defended as a tortured genius, it is Dyer who emerges as the sole sympathetic figure in the piece, drowning his ineffectual stabs at romantic fulfillment in an ever-downward spiral of booze, drugs and rent boys.

Part of the message of this film seems to be, "Avoid falling in love with genius". If a film is to provide such a hopelessly depressing narrative of immaturity, selfishness and alcoholism, it would behoove the film's creators to at least balance these images with some of its subject's accomplishments. What emerges is not a very flattering picture of artistic genius or gay romance, and in the end, I decided if a film can only portray the seedy aspects of a great artist's private life, maybe it shouldn't present it at all. I give it five stars for the well nuanced acting, and minus one for the story and direction.

Francis Bacon.......2007-03-13

We are talking about the Sixties artist here not the Sir Guy. Really
didn't see too much in this gay film that features Daniel Craig. I see
this as an improtant addition to any Daniel Craig collections, though.

Excellent Bio.......2007-01-09

A captivating look a the tortured soul of an artist. Jacobi as usual was wonderful. Daniel Craig is poised to become one of the more important actors in cinema today. His range is astounding.

"Portraiture of Pain".......2005-10-29

One character in this film describes Francis Bacon's art as "portraitures of pain," also an apt description of this movie about the artist and his relationship with a burglar George Dyer, played by Daniel Craig, who falls into Bacon's flat from a skylight in a bungled attempt at a robbery. Completely unfazed, Bacon (Derek Jacob) informs George that if he will take off his clothes and come to bed, that he can have anything in the apartment he desires.

I know precious little about the life of Bacon; but if this movie is accurate, he was not a particularly likeable man who treats Dyer, who comes to care a great deal for him--"I love you, Francis"-- very badly. At times George is his "sorbet between courses." At other times, he banishes him from his sight.

Both actors are excellent in their roles. Jacobi actually looks like Bacon; and Craig, soon to be the new James Bond, gives a fine performance as a "tragedy waiting to happen."

John Maybury, the director, obviously wants the viewer to be reminded of Bacon's paintings since there are many distorted and fragmented shots. Additionally, many of the artist's friends from the bar have very unsymetrical faces. Bacon makes himself up in front of three mirrors. There are several shots where the characters are so close to the camera so as to give a fish-eye effect. There is also a scene where victims of an auto accident are lying in positions similar to those of figures from Bacon's art. For the most part these "portraits of pain" work.

This film is certainly worth watching.

Fascinating And Repellant; A Very Good Movie.......2005-05-03

A thief (Daniel Craig) breaks through a skylight and lands in the middle of an artist's studio. His flashlight shows paints and brushes and canvas, and scattered thick on the floor pictures and newspaper photographs of carnage, accidents, executions. Peering at him from a slightly open door is the artist (Derek Jacobi). "Not much of a burglar, are you?" the artist says. "Take your clothes off. Come to bed. Then you can have whatever you want."

The artist is Francis Bacon, one of the great painters of the Twentieth Century. The burglar is a working class, not-too-bright man 30 years younger than Bacon named George Dyer. Love Is the Devil tells of Bacon's relationship with Dyer from 1964 until Dyer commits suicide in 1971.

People probably react to this movie much the same way they react to Bacon's paintings and his life. Fascinated or repelled. Or both. Bacon's view of life is certainly there for all to see. He was an aggressive masochist where pleasure is pain and degradation is arousal. On the way to a boxing match with George, he says that "boxing is such an aperitif for sex. Like bull fighting, it unlocks the bowels of feeling." Bacon's circle of friends are brittle, obnoxious, clever queens, whether or not they are gay. They may accept George as Francis' plaything but not as a serious lover. Bacon is aroused and energized by the perversity of life. "We all have nightmares," he says to George unsympathetically one night. "They can't be as horrific as real life." His paintings are usually grotesque manipulations of the human body, where the body can look like an opened side of beef and a face can look like its been turned inside out. One critic called him the morbid poet of the world of evil. That seems to me to be superficial and ignorant. A person may not like Bacon's work, but his stuff is powerful and fascinating.

Both actors do superb jobs. Jacobi in particular just lays it all out. He gives a performance of self loathing, commitment and precise personality.

The DVD looks great. Unfortunately, there are no examples of Bacon's paintings; his estate wouldn't give permission. If you know Bacon and are familiar with his work, I think you'll find this movie imperfect but engrossing.

Average customer rating:

The first Hammer film I saw
Christopher Lee could replace his predecessor Bela Lugosi as Count
Christopher Lee...as Count Dracula
I Liked This One
BEST IN THE HAMMER DRACULA SERIES

Dracula Has Risen from the Grave
Starring: Christopher Lee , Rupert Davies , Veronica Carlson , Barbara Ewing , and Barry Andrews
Director: Freddie Francis
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Similar Items:

Horror of Dracula
Dracula A.D. 1972
Dracula Prince of Darkness/The Satanic Rites of Dracula
Dracula - Prince of Darkness
Hammer Horror Series (Brides of Dracula / Curse of the Werewolf / Phantom of the Opera (1962) / Paranoiac / Kiss of the Vampire / Nightmare / Night Creatures / Evil of Frankenstein)

ASIN: B0001FVE68
Release Date: 2004-04-27

Amazon.com

Dracula Has Risen from the Grave is the third Christopher Lee Dracula film from Hammer Studios. While trying to rid the former Dracula's Castle of evil after the mysterious death of a local girl, the Monsignor inadvertently raises the dark prince from his deathly slumber. Once awaken from the grave, the parched prince only has one thing on his mind, the yummy taste of blood which he fiendishly extracts from the local maidens. Though a little weak in plot, Dracula Has Risen from the Grave still comes off as a strong vampire film, delivering the goods on the gothic visuals, eerie sets, and Lee's performance. --Rob Bracco

Description

When the niece of a prominent clergyman becomes Dracula's victim, the monsignor vows to put a stop to Dracula's deadly ways.

Customer Reviews:

The first Hammer film I saw.......2006-11-01

I was like 10/11 and it was on one of the old cable "superstations." I had always loved old monster movies, but this was like Dracula on speed for me as a kid. As I've grown, I have amassed a large Hammer film library and was delighted to see this out on DVD. It's easily one of my favorites. For the newcomer to Hammer films, they all move fairly 'liesurely' (read, 'slow') and are driven by lots of exposition. But, to me, that plus the settings, cinematography and high-class acting really gives the Hammer films a special class that other horror films severely lack. I recommend this one highly.

Christopher Lee could replace his predecessor Bela Lugosi as Count.......2006-09-26

Christopher Lee could balance and continue his charismatic predecessor Bela Lugosi(1882 - 1956) in the 60's Hammer british Dracula series.

This film is a great example for Lee as Count.

The differences are:
- Lugosi was more a theatrical Dracula from Broadway. Lugosi acted very elegant, exclusive & gentleman as a Dracula star. His charming style becomes a legend.
- Lee is more a mainstream Dracula star. He is not a theatre star like Lugosi did in 1931. He'd prefer a type of cold elegant beast. His style is less charming because he has to accustom himself into various directions in eight Dracula series.

Lugosi played as Dracula three times:
1. Dracula 1931
2. Return of the Vampire 1944
3. Mark of the Vampire 1935

Lee played as Dracula 8 times (see Filmography Imdb)

Frankly Bela Lugosi was a bit more charismatic than Christopher Lee, but Christopher Lee could balance the great charisma of his great predecessor.

Christopher Lee...as Count Dracula.......2006-07-28

I have watched this film several times in my adult life and find it impossible to put down. I still get a kick out of it when I watch it again...I am used to watching Christopher Lee acting as Count Dracula and have a good collection of films with him as the main actor. In the late 1950s to early 1960's the Hammer Film Production (Pine Studios) of England did a splendid job both in cinematograph and conveying the Gothic mood in their films of Dracula. Its choice of Christopher Lee was splendid because he just fitted in the role appropriately. Other scenes included the frightened villagers gathered in a tavern to drink beer and discussed in whispers about the terrifying powers of the Count; the sound of horses galloping down the deserted village road on a driverless carriage; the final dissolution of the Count's body into dust only to be resurrected again with a few drops of human blood by his bat companion; the Count himself engaging the lonely traveller in a prolong dialogue in the candle-lit hall of the castle; and he telling the traveller that he had earlier "eaten", then the distant crowing of a village rooster which was hint for the Count to rise up and go back to his stone coffin before struck by the sunlight were naturalistic atmosphere that only Hammer Film Productions had successfully interpretted in all its classic films on Dracula.

It would be a good idea to buy this film as a starter and then gradually collect the entire series. [...]

I Liked This One .......2006-02-16

The Only reason this one surpasses "Dracula - Prince of Darkness"
is that Dracula Actually Talks in this one also Veronica Carlson is so Beautiful I don't know why but i liked this better than
"Horror of Dracula" I hate that when these Dracula Movies end and go on to a new one the story from the last one is forgotten and Dracula sees new people and sees another girl and he dies again i dont look at these as Sequels i look at them as assorted
storys sort of like "The Adventures of Dracula" but anyway even though after "Horror" Christopher Lee hated Doing Dracula and Peter Cushing was'nt in most of them this is My Favorite One along with "Horror" and Dracula A.D. 1972

BEST IN THE HAMMER DRACULA SERIES.......2006-01-30

This film, the fourth of the Hammer Dracula Series (third with Christopher Lee), is in my opinion, the best. As a few other reviewers have noted, HORROR OF DRACULA seems to have maintained it's status as "Best vampire film" based on years of people believing it because some film critic once said so. Is it a bad film? No, it's quite good, but this one is better.

Why? Because the film has such a dark, gothic look and sound to it. Because the story is interesting in that it is the holy men of the church who set Dracula loose (one of them even becoming his henchman), while the unbelieving atheist sets out to save the day (or least save his girlfriend). Further, this film clearly demonstrated the fact that for all their faith, knowledge and effort the protagonists can't always do it alone. They need for the antagonist (Dracula) to make a fatal error or series of errors to bring about his own destruction. This time around, Dracula does just that, setting-up his own demise on the cross.

This DVD version comes with language selection, scene selection, and has good picture and sound. A must have addition for any fan of Hammer.

Average customer rating:

Not one of Amicus best productions
So why exactly must the Gods hate Kansas?
"Have You Ever Known Meteors To Land In Formation?"
Reasonably Good Science Fiction Movie
"The Brains of These Primitives Are Suitable for Our Purposes"

They Came from Beyond Space
Starring: Robert Hutton , Jennifer Jayne , Zia Mohyeddin , Bernard Kay , and Michael Gough
Director: Freddie Francis
Manufacturer: St Clair Vision
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0001GH7NG
Release Date: 2004-03-02

Customer Reviews:

Not one of Amicus best productions.......2006-07-15

They Came From Beyond Space,is not one of the best Amicus movie released in the 60s & 70s. But is still worth watching,and adding to your British Horror/Sci-Fi collection.The transfer to disc isn't great,but watchable.
The storyline runs along ok and the acting is passable.
Don't expect too much from Michael Gough,he only appears in the last 10 minutes of the movie.
Apart from all that,give it a try.

So why exactly must the Gods hate Kansas?.......2006-07-11

Don't understand the signifigance of the title of the book this film was based on, as it takes place in England. Nonetheless, it was surprisingly decent find on the Mill Creek Sci-Fi Classics package. Formless aliens trapped on the moon hitch a ride to Earth aboard some meteors (very Zontar, guys ;), and begin to possess the bodies of scientists investigating the crash. One of the scientists has a silver plate implanted in his skull from a car wreck that makes him immune to alien control, and he sets about to find out exactly what the creatures are doing and stop them...but should he? Definitely has a late sixties feel with the colorful sets and groovy music. The same chap who portrays the alien leader co-starred as Alfred in the Keaton/Kilmer/Clooney Batman films. Nothing to go out of your way to see, but good enough to waste an hour on.

"Have You Ever Known Meteors To Land In Formation?".......2006-05-18

This little known gem was made in England in 1967, and is a surprisingly effective and captivating sci-fi film. The movie opens with a very mod lava lamp credit sequence and the whole movie features period music that makes it clear what decade it was made in.

The hero, Dr. Curtis Temple (Robert Hutton) is a brilliant scientist involved with space exploration. Early on there is a formation of nine meteors that crash in a nearby farm field. Upon examination the meteors emit a powerful beam of some sort, which allows aliens to take possession of the humans in the vicinity. The good news is that Temple is immune because of a metal plate in his head. Eventually he notes the farm being transformed into an industrial facility and is quite interested when rockets begin taking off from below the surface of a lake. Much drama ensues before the good Doctor and friends end up on a rocket to the moon where they meet the "Master of the Moon," who has more than a passing resemblance to a Vulcan. It turns out that all these moon people want is for the humans to help repair their ship so they can go to their home planet to die in dignity. In a moment of composure Temple persuades them to eschew violence so they can work together. It all sounds quite hokey, but it actually works quite well.

The acting is generally good (far better than most 1960s-era sci-fi films), the futuristic sets are excellent (although I don't understand the presence in an elaborate paisley upholstered sofa in the rocket launching area), and the pacing is great. The film does have a few quirks. I noted that the film had a feel reminiscent of the great television show "The Prisoner" down to the same style music and the fixation on wacky automobiles. It also struck me that in many ways this film is a very sophisticated update of "Zontar, the Thing From Venus," albeit with considerably more finesse. A couple of the special effects were laughable by today's standards, but the "Crimson Plague" pox and palsy effects were excellent and actually somewhat frightening.

This is a great sci-fi film. It is understated and refined, yet powerful, well paced, and action packed. I recommend "They Came From Beyond Outer Space" to any audience.

Reasonably Good Science Fiction Movie.......2006-03-12

Here is a low-budget science fiction movie that has an interesting story and manages to keep the pace moving along. Mysterious objects have landed in an English farm field. Top scientists investigate the object only to disappear. Soon the area around the farm is cut off from the rest of England, and strange events abound.

One of the first kidnapped scientists is Lee Mason (Jennifer Jayne), whose intimate friend Dr. Curtis Temple (Robert Hutton) becomes concerned and then suspicious about the happenings at the farm. Dr. Temple learns that aliens have taken over the minds of the people at the farm, including that of his beloved. Dr. Temple is immune to their machinations because of the silver plate in his head, received after an auto accident.

Dr. Temple is puzzled about the happenings at the farm. He perseveres and eventually enters the underground facilities built by the aliens, and rescues Lee, only she is quite reluctant to be rescued as the alien within her is uninterested in Temple. Fortunately, Temple and a close friend learn to detect and remove the aliens from their hosts, and they do so for Lee. The trio is off to single-handedly halt the alien invasion! Will they survive to the end of the movie? Why are the aliens launching people to the moon? How can the mysterious plague be stop? These and many more answers await those who watch this movie.

This movie is reasonably good. There were a few technical glitches, but the glitches were sufficiently minor to keep those types of distractions to a minimum. The acting was also reasonably good, always a surprise in a movie of this type. The underground sets were nicely done and generally looked good. One interesting and bizarre aspect of this movie was the vision devices developed to detect the presence of the aliens. These devices were used once when trying to expel the alien from the body of Lee, and then we never see them again. When Dr. Temple and his friend walked into the room where Lee was tied up, they were not looking at Lee and were walking very strangely, which makes me suspect these devices, looking much like military night vision goggles, were impossible to see through.

Fans of the Batman movie may recognize Michael Gough, who plays the Master of the Moon. Gough was in the first four Batman movies as Alfred, beginning with the 1989 film "Batman." Gough has been in numerous other films, such as "Top Secret!" and "Sleepy Hollow."

The ending was an interesting surprise to me, and a little out of character for this type of movie. Scott Whear said he thought the ending seemed a bit contrived. I think the movie went out with more of a whisper than a bang, which made the ending seem a little lame, but at least the director tried something different from the endings of other, similar movies. I recommend this movie to those who would like to watch a decent low-budget science fiction movie about aliens invading the earth.

"The Brains of These Primitives Are Suitable for Our Purposes".......2006-02-06

Some sentient meteorites (actually a bunch of rocks dropped from beyond camera range by one of the crew members) crash into the English country side and take over whatever humans happen upon them. Except for our hero, of course, who has a metal plate in his head and is therefore immune to their...brain rays? His metal plate is the clue to our salvation; it leads to one guy wearing a metal spaghetti strainer on his head, and a woman wearing what appears to be a motorcycle helmet. The entire film is a bit boring, and not particularly worth watching, except for the nifty English touring cars and some engaging countryside. Keep your eyes open for the Petulia Clark look-a-like who works at the local gas (I guess I mean "petrol") station who puts the make on our hero, racily offering him some tea with "some sugar" in it.

Average customer rating:

As good a window into Bacon as you may get on video
Terrific Inteview
an old fashioned gesture
Francis Bacon
Francis Bacon hides nothing fools noone

Francis Bacon
Starring: Francis Bacon , and Melvyn Bragg
Director: David Hinton
Manufacturer: Image Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Biography | Documentary | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Documentary | Genres | DVD | Video

Art & Artists | Special Interests | Genres | DVD | Video

( F ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

Chuck Close - A Portrait in Progress
Max Ernst - A Film by Peter Schamoni
Alberto Giacometti
Art: 21 - Art in the 21st Century (Seasons One & Two)
Art: 21: Art in the Twenty-First Century

ASIN: B000059H8G
Release Date: 2001-03-06

Amazon.com

This South Bank Show interview of the artist famous for depicting a screaming Pope and bloody bodies begins with him walking the streets of London, visiting the fruit market and such, while interviewer Melvyn Bragg gives a brief overview of Bacon's childhood and early career. Then Bragg enters the picture, questioning the leather-clad, slightly paunchy Bacon in a series of his pet haunts: the Tate Gallery storeroom looking at slides of his work and others that inspired him, his messy studio, his favorite restaurant, a drinking club, and a gambling casino. Despite his fondness for painting slabs of meat, syringe-stuck bodies, and the like, Bacon describes himself as an optimist and, indeed, his manner is quite cheerful as he denounces the work of Pollack and Rothko, criticizes some of his own paintings, and muses on the inevitability of death and nothingness. Of his filthy studio he explains "I work much better in chaos," and, while happy to talk about the things that inspire him, he refuses to tell the story of any particular painting: "It is itself and it's nothing else." Filmed in 1985, seven years before his death, this 55-minute documentary is revelatory, amusing, and--like its subject-- ultimately quite charming. --Kimberly Heinrichs

Description

Francis Bacon was widely regarded as the greatest British painter of this century. His pictures of screaming popes and portraits of faces contorted with pain and violently distorted bodies shocked the art world. More than anyone since Picasso, Bacon's works tapped into our fears, giving his paintings a terrible beauty that has placed them among the most memorable images in the history of art. Winner of 1985 International Emmy Award.

Customer Reviews:

As good a window into Bacon as you may get on video.......2006-11-10

Francis Bacon was a titanic figure in 20th Century Art. We've all read reviews, manifestoes, literature, criticism, and let's raise our hands here, lots and lots of jargon in the service of 20th Century Art. This video has none of that. It is very straightforward and simple, and shows Bacon as a clear, direct thinker, despite his fearsome reputation. He is unapologetic about his disturbing imagery, and makes no excuses or elevated claims for his art. His artistic modesty is impressive. While not reluctant to cut down some of painting's other giants (poor Rothko especially), he is convinced that his art is nothing more than what it is, and he speaks of it in plain English. His paintings employ some of the hottest, most loaded images in modern art, but he never opens up about any personal demons, though George Dyer's suicide, which he does discuss, was one of a litany of woes those familiar with his biography will recognize. Painting for him seems a response to the world, not a search for answers. Therefore, he finds no answers and offers none to his audience. What you see is "realism".

Terrific Inteview.......2005-01-21

This DVD is described very well by the Editorial Reviews supplied by Amazon above. Bacon is charming and very self-revelatory about both his personal life and his work. Though not a big fan of his work still, this helped me to understand him better, and hearing an artist describing his work is the very best way to help in this. The only reason I give it 4 stars is he's not one of my favorite artists, but I was sorry to see this end.

an old fashioned gesture.......2003-03-22

this 50 minute piece produced by BBC follows the great painter Francis Bacon around from the streets of london, to the Tate Gallery, to a drunken lunch, to the painters studio at 7 Reece Mews, to the reknown Colony Room - a drinking club Bacon frequented for 40 years, and finally to a late night casino. very interesting portrayal and the comments from Bacon are in great form. A perfect introduction to the painter and for those quite familar with Bacon you will most likely recognize many of his statements - he often says the same things over and over (more or less) but its still very interesting to see him in action. in addition the paintings and close-ups they show during the video are so much more fulfilling the reproductions. i saw some paintings in a completely new light.

Francis Bacon.......2002-01-10

Words cannot express how great this interview was to see. It was so exciting to see the great oil painter revealing his technique and views on life in this documentary. If your that interested in Bacon to read this review you should get it.

Francis Bacon hides nothing fools noone.......1999-07-08

This video is recommended viewing for all die- hard Francis Bacon fans. You will get to see his infamous hang outs, his friends and foes. He is also quite frank about his likes and dislikes in the art world (i.e. He hated Rothko!). Also, he talks at length about his theories and sources of his art.

Artists of the 20th Century - Francis Bacon

Average customer rating:

A boring disappointment
Very Disappointing
Mixed presentation of a great artist!

Artists of the 20th Century - Francis Bacon
Starring: Artists of the 20th Century
Manufacturer: Kultur Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Biography | Documentary | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Documentary | Genres | DVD | Video

Art & Artists | Special Interests | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $14.99 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

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Artists of the 20th Century - Marc Chagall
Artists of the 20th Century: Salvador Dali
Artists of the 20th Century - Joan Miro
Artists of the 20th Century: Henri Matisse
Artists of the 20th Century: Marcel Duchamp

ASIN: B00019G8E2
Release Date: 2004-03-16

Description

The definitive biography of artist Francis Bacon accompanied by spectacular images of his greatest work.

Customer Reviews:

A boring disappointment.......2005-08-10

First of all, buyer beware! This is not a documentary about the great British painter Francis Bacon as you might think, but merely images of paintings with voiceover commentary, like a rather boring slide lecture. The image quality is not good (these were clearly made from photographs rather than from the original paintings themselves) and the paintings are sometimes rather oddly cropped; it's definitely not worth buying the DVD just for the images. The commentary I found dull, sometimes inaccurate and needlessly euphemistic about, e.g., Bacon's homosexuality and his relationship with George Dyer, which have significance in understanding some of the paintings. From the point at which the paintings seem to cut off and the quality and style of the video, I'm guessing this film was originally done in the late 1970s and not updated. Francis Bacon was one of the most important painters of the 20th century, but you'd never understand why from what you see on this DVD. If you're interested in a good documentary about Francis Bacon, skip this one and watch the wonderful 1985 documentary "Francis Bacon", done by David Hinton for the BBC's "South Bank Show," with its entertaining interviews with the artist.

Very Disappointing.......2004-07-10

I'm a great admirer of Bacon's work. That being said, this DVD sucked! There is no actual video footage, rather they show a poorly produced slide show that was probably done using PowerPoint. The fact that there is no video is made even more unbearable by the poor quality of the images shown. The two redeeming qualities of this video are the detailed commentary and the sheer number of images. Don't waste your time or money...if you have to, rent it.

Mixed presentation of a great artist!.......2004-04-10

I had really looked forward to Kultur's new "Artists of the 20th Century" series, and particularly the Francis Bacon DVD. Bacon has been my favorite artist for many years, and I have several books on his work.

The good news is that this 52-minute DVD presents a rich panorama of Bacon's work from the beginning of his career to the end. I had never seen several of these paintings before. The commentary is quite good (though the commentator is oddly unidentified) and provides considerable insight into the work--reason enough to own this DVD. I liked that the commentary indicated the metaphysical aspect of Bacon's work, which is often overlooked. The nature of human reality, and of material reality itself, is really Bacon's subject: the ephemeral nature of things.

Nonetheless, there are major disappointments in this disc:

First, it strikes me as a serious omission that the nature of Bacon's relationship with George Dyer is neither discussed nor indicated. The commentary leads one to believe that Dyer was merely one of Bacon's friends. In fact, Bacon had an intense sadomasochistic, love/hate relationship with Dyer, who eventually committed suicide. While it is not necessary to dwell on biographical elements to appreciate Bacon's art, Dyer is the overt subject of much of the artwork; and certainly their relationship was an important contribution to the psychological aspects of Bacon's paintings generally.

Second, the quality of the images in this DVD is quite disappointing, certainly unacceptable on a disc dealing with visual art! There is considerable loss of clarity on several of the paintings, and close-ups of details are generally quite fuzzy. In places, the image is clearly out-of-focus. (Were these photographs of slides projected on a screen?) Also, these photographic images invariably fail to capture Bacon's use of paint, his technical expertise. For instance, while the commentator notes Bacon's use of globs of white paint apparently thrown at the canvas, the effectiveness and precision of such apparently random or haphazard use of paint is lost.

Customer Reviews:

Not one of Amicus best productions.......2006-07-15

So why exactly must the Gods hate Kansas?.......2006-07-11

"Have You Ever Known Meteors To Land In Formation?".......2006-05-18

Reasonably Good Science Fiction Movie.......2006-03-12

"The Brains of These Primitives Are Suitable for Our Purposes".......2006-02-06

Pre-Code Hollywood - The Risque Years (Of Human Bondage / Millie / Kept Husbands)

Average customer rating:

Only one of the three films herein, objectively, could be characterized as well-done, pre-code, and worthy of watching.
Cool movies, but "Of Human Bondage" isn't pre-code
Dazzling Trip Into our Pre-Code Past!
For the Fans of Pre-Code Hollywood
An alright video

Pre-Code Hollywood - The Risque Years (Of Human Bondage / Millie / Kept Husbands)
Starring: Leslie Howard , Bette Davis , Frances Dee , Kay Johnson , and Reginald Denny
Director: John Cromwell , Lloyd Bacon , and John Francis Dillon
Manufacturer: ROAN
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Classics | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Documentary | Genres | DVD | Video

( P ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
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ASIN: 6305436339
Release Date: 1999-10-26

Amazon.com

In the years before Hollywood submitted to the self-imposed censorship of the Production Code, filmmakers were free to use adultery, prohibition drinking, and sexual double standards to explore the moral complexity of the modern age. Of Human Bondage, John Cromwell's adaptation of W. Somerset Maugham's novel, is the best-known but perhaps least interesting example in this triple-feature set. Leslie Howard stars as the sensitive would-be artist turned medical student who falls in love with a slutty waitress (Bette Davis, who steals the film with her cold-hearted manipulations and shrill cockney accent), allowing his desire for this vicious little tart to control and almost destroy his life. At a brief 80 minutes, the picture leaves little nourishment between the narrative peaks but is always well-acted and handsomely staged.

Stalwart Joel McCrea is the working-class engineer who marries a spoiled society girl in Kept Husbands. "Dad, I want him more than anything in the world. Can't I have him?" pleads kittenish Dorothy Mackaill, but the tug of war between his work and her play soon tears them apart. Though the plot is sometimes slow, sparkling society wit and humorous working-class platitudes (croaked out by an always entertaining Ned Sparks) add dimension to the familiar story.

Millie, the jewel of the collection, represents everything great about the pre-code era. Sweetly sexy Helen Twelvetrees is Millie, a small-town girl turned big-city woman disillusioned with love, but while she lets the good times roll she never sacrifices her ideals: "I pay my own way," she insists. When a former beau plots to seduce her 16-year-old daughter, however, the worn, sad woman becomes an avenging angel, ready to sacrifice all for the girl. Though highly melodramatic, with adultery and sex to spare, the film drives ahead with wild abandon, with the dynamic Millie centering the drama. --Sean Axmaker

Customer Reviews:

Only one of the three films herein, objectively, could be characterized as well-done, pre-code, and worthy of watching. .......2007-05-12

"Thank God for simple pleasures; a good appetite, roast beef, and beer." that's the moral of "Of Human Bondage." Too bad one has to whether 100+ minutes of one woman playing one man for a fool before the lesson is acknowledged. The Mildred character couldn't be more manipulative herein. Kudos to Bette Davis for the portrayal and Somerset Maugham for writing the book upon which this film is based. It's almost a truism that no film can best its novelistic heritage. One shouldn't be surprised by this. To squeze 300-400 pages of character development into 80-100 minutes of film is almost a task beyond the possible ("The Remains of the Day" comes to mind as both an exceptional book and film; and "Frankenstein" was a fabulous film, but only because it left out half the book).

Somerset Maugham's book "Of Human Bondage" is a ultimately positive parable of how a lack of self-worth sets one up for putting up with too much nonsense. "You're free," one tells Phillip. "Yes," he responds, "but suddenly, suddenly there is nowhere to go. I had to be free to realize that. I had to be free to understand that all those years that I dreamed of escape was because I was limping through life." But even then the character played ably by Leslie Howard betrays the notion that at the end he's not for embracing life's simple pleasures---that which makes life really enjoyable, but for settling for peace and tranquility---not one and the same thing. "I'll see the film because I'll never read the book" may seem logical, but is one that oughtn't be indulged in, I'd posit. If such is your predilection I'd say ignore the book as well as the film. Or see the film if such is your inclination, but certainly don't go out of your way to see it; and if you buy this 3 film set keep in mind that you won't wind up watching "Of Human Bondage" more than once.

Of the collection "Millie" works best as a film. Its story is told from the opposite viewpoint from"Of Human Bondage," by which I mean from the viewpoint of the woman who is endlessly courted by men. Where we see things through the eyes of the sap as played by Leslie Howard in "Of Human Bondage" as Bette Davis manipulates his feelings for her, in "Millie" we have a woman who plays independence in a different manner; not taking anything for anyone...until she winds up losing almost everything. "Millie" is a film that can be re-viewed, but that's not to say it is great cinema.

Then finally we have "Kept Husbands;" the plodding simple story of a rich man's daughter who decides she is going to lasso Joel McCrea's character within a month of meeting him. Soon he becomes a vice-president of 'daddy's' company and a "yes, dear" man to his pampered wife...until he declares that he just can't take it anymore and walks out. Then the wife tries to track him down at his mother's house. "Can you blame him? Who'd stand for being called a---" the spoiled wife bemoans to her mother-in-law . To which the mother-in-law responds: "All husbands are kept. Some of them are kept with money, but most of them with love, devotion, and sacrifice. Why, it's every woman's mission in life, keeping her husband." And having tried keeping him with money ultimately decides it's worth another attempt trying with love. Cheers

Cool movies, but "Of Human Bondage" isn't pre-code.......2006-08-13

The Production Code was official on July 1st, 1934. Of Human Bondage came out later that month.

Dazzling Trip Into our Pre-Code Past!.......2005-05-03

"Millie" and "Kept Husbands," both made in the very early 30s, are both a delight--a journey into America's past when movies were amazingly frank and frisky. "Millie" is the dramatic show-stopper with the legendary Helen Twelvetrees delivering a powerhouse performance. She's Millie, a weepy, naive young woman who marries a jerk and then she falls for another, bigger jerk. She has a baby who grows up to be a beautiful young woman. You watch Millie being used and dumped by more heels and she becomes increasingly bitter and gradually becomes an alcoholic. By this time, Millie has become a bitter, haggard woman who murders the sleazy heel who tries to seduce her daughter. In the courtroom scenes, Twelvetrees looks amazinly like Susan Hayward in her later years and the movie ends rather abruptly. But the scenes of Twelvetrees defending her daughter will stay in your mind, long after the movie has ended. "Kept Husbands,' is a risque, sophisticated drama, beautifully scripted and acted by Joel McCrae and Dorothy Mackail. Both are delightful as the beautiful young couple who marry for all the wrong reasons. Dorothy wants to "keep" her handsome architect all to herself and arranges a In-Name-Only high priced job with her father's construction empire. Joel is finally repulsed of being a kept husband and flees. The two stars are totally delightful. This is the first time I've seen Mackail and in some scenes, she looks exactly like Marion Davies, a close friend. You can't go wrong visiting the past in these two gems of a by-gone era where women were always beautifully gowned and everyone sat around having cocktails, flirting madly with each other and then slinking off into the boudoir.

For the Fans of Pre-Code Hollywood.......2000-10-09

It's refreshing to see some of the pre-code movies make it on to DVD. Granted, if you're looking for high quality sound and resolution, you may be sorely disappointed. "Of Human Bondage" (1934) is taken from W. Somerset Maugham's novel and is directed by John Cromwell. If you have never seen this movie, you have a treat in store for you. Watch as Bette Davis rockets into the spotlight with her immortal line to Leslie Howard "I'd like to kiss ya, but I just washed my hair." "Millie" (1931) is a the story of a romance that leads to murder. Starring Helen Twelvetrees and a very young Joan Blondell."Kept Husbands" (1931) had the ads that blazed "Every Inch a Man-Bought Body and Soul by His Wife!" Dorothy Mackaill and Joel McCrea star.They don't call these "The Risque Years" without good reason.

An alright video.......2000-07-11

This video is an "alright" compilation of three pre code films, the video quality is nothing to brag about, though understandable due to the age of the films and the wear on the source material. The sound is acceptable once again with relation to the age of the film. If you are a fan of these films this will probably be the best presentation of them available. If your not a particular fan and just looking for good movies to watch from the thirties I would probably recomend against this one.

Average customer rating:

Not one of Amicus best productions
So why exactly must the Gods hate Kansas?
"Have You Ever Known Meteors To Land In Formation?"
Reasonably Good Science Fiction Movie
"The Brains of These Primitives Are Suitable for Our Purposes"

They Came from Beyond Space
Starring: Robert Hutton , Jennifer Jayne , Zia Mohyeddin , Bernard Kay , and Michael Gough
Director: Freddie Francis
Manufacturer: Diamond Ent. Corp.
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Genres | DVD | Video

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Alien Invasion | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Genres | DVD | Video

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4-for-3 All DVDs | 4-for-3 DVD | Stores | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $7.49 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

All Deals | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

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ASIN: B00004WGCA
Release Date: 2000-10-03

Customer Reviews:

Not one of Amicus best productions.......2006-07-15

So why exactly must the Gods hate Kansas?.......2006-07-11

"Have You Ever Known Meteors To Land In Formation?".......2006-05-18

Reasonably Good Science Fiction Movie.......2006-03-12

"The Brains of These Primitives Are Suitable for Our Purposes".......2006-02-06