Tuesday, August 9, 2022
flickfeast
  • News
  • Reviews
  • Festivals
  • FrightFeast
  • Spotlight
  • Contribute
  • Submissions
    • Advertise on Flickfeast
    • Submit a Film
No Result
View All Result
flickfeast
  • News
  • Reviews
  • Festivals
  • FrightFeast
  • Spotlight
  • Contribute
  • Submissions
    • Advertise on Flickfeast
    • Submit a Film
No Result
View All Result
FLICKFEAST
No Result
View All Result
Home Reviews Film Review

BFI LFF 2017 – Loving Vincent (2017)

Katie Smith-Wong by Katie Smith-Wong
October 10, 2017
in Film Review
BFI LFF 2017 – Loving Vincent (2017)
15
SHARES
1.5k
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

It took filmmakers Dorota Kobiela and Hugh Welchman more than seven years to create this feature. Comprising over 65,000 individual oil paintings created by a team of 115 artists, the result is truly unique – the world’s first fully painted animated film.

Taking place a year after Van Gogh’s suicide, Loving Vincent follows Armand Roulin (Douglas Booth), a young man who is entrusted to deliver a letter from the late artist to his brother Theo. After learning that Theo has also passed away, Armand decides to travel to the small village of Arles to learn more about Van Gogh and begins to question the truth behind his death.

You might also like

Nope (2022) – Film Review

Bullet Train (2022) – Film Review

Where The Crawdads Sing – Film Review

There is a line in Loving Vincent that nicely surmises its premise: ‘You want to know so much about his death, but what do you know of his life?’ In one line, it highlights a blatant issue about the plot. While Roulin struggles to uncover the truth, the film provides very little insight behind the painter and the ending comes across as an anti-climax, leaving a lot of questions unanswered, due to the supporting characters, ranging from the religious Louise Chevalier (Helen McCrory) to the gossiping Adeline Ravoux (Eleanor Tomlinson), planting seeds of doubt regarding Van Gogh’s sanity.

However, this is practically overlooked due to Loving Vincent‘s simply staggering animation. Innovatively incorporating certain Van Gogh’s works as part of the narrative, the audience essentially becomes part of his brightly coloured world. The actors’ performances are beautifully captured as each facial expression is creatively painted, highlighting a twist on motion capture using a traditional form of art.

The numerous paint strokes dominating the screen reflect the film’s somewhat rustic production, yet the amount of detail in each frame is staggering. The directors also cleverly highlight the intricacy of the black-and-white flashbacks before Van Gogh’s death, possibly symbolising the bleak time of his life, while the vivid technicolour scenes of the present posthumously reaffirm Van Gogh’s creativity.

Overall, Loving Vincent comes across as a homage to the artist, and complemented by Clint Mansell’s score, it is truly beguiling.

Director: Dorota Kobiela, Hugh Welchman
Stars: Douglas Booth, Chris O’Dowd, Jerome Flynn, Saoirse Ronan, Eleanor Tomlinson, Helen McCrory
Runtime: 91 minutes
Country: UK

Film Rating: ★★★★☆

Tags: chris o'dowdDorota KobielaDouglas BoothEleanor TomlinsonHelen McCroryHugh WelchmanJerome FlynnLFF 2017Loving VincentSaoirse Ronan
Katie Smith-Wong

Katie Smith-Wong

Related Posts

Nope (2022) – Film Review
Film Review

Nope (2022) – Film Review

by Katie Smith-Wong
August 9, 2022
Bullet Train (2022) – Film Review
Film Review

Bullet Train (2022) – Film Review

by Katie Smith-Wong
August 3, 2022
Where The Crawdads Sing – Film Review
Film Review

Where The Crawdads Sing – Film Review

by Dallas King
July 22, 2022
Thor: Love and Thunder (2022) – Film Review
Film Review

Thor: Love and Thunder (2022) – Film Review

by Katie Smith-Wong
July 16, 2022
Minions: The Rise of Gru (2022) – Film Review
Film Review

Minions: The Rise of Gru (2022) – Film Review

by Katie Smith-Wong
June 29, 2022

Recommended

Skyfall (2012)

November 10, 2012

Le Quattro Volte (2010)

December 8, 2021

Don't miss it

Nope (2022) – Film Review
Film Review

Nope (2022) – Film Review

August 9, 2022
Alone Together (2022) – Film Review
Reviews

Alone Together (2022) – Film Review

August 4, 2022
Bullet Train (2022) – Film Review
Film Review

Bullet Train (2022) – Film Review

August 3, 2022
Anything’s Possible (2022) – Film Review
Reviews

Anything’s Possible (2022) – Film Review

July 31, 2022
Sofa Surfer (2022)
Reviews

Sofa Surfer (2021) – Short Film Review

August 5, 2022
Where The Crawdads Sing – Film Review
Film Review

Where The Crawdads Sing – Film Review

July 22, 2022
flickfeast

Whetting your appetite for cinema with the best film reviews and features since 2009

© Copyright - flickfeast. All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Reviews
  • Festivals
  • FrightFeast
  • Spotlight
  • Contribute

© Copyright - flickfeast. All Rights Reserved.

Posting....