Jack hazans a bigger splash 1974 dispenses with drab talkinghead portraiture to create an intimate and innovative film about englishborn, londonschooled, californiabased artist david hockney and his work that honors its subject through creative risk rather than slavish hagiography. A true oddity that cannot escape its dated origins, a bigger splash is a fictional film in which all the actors play themselves. David hockney is a gay painter unable to work when he breaks up. As a biopic on david hockney, it feels equally honest and fantastical. Jack hazans improvisational documentary looking at the life of celebrated artist david hockney. Portrait of david hockney as a young artist in the. I was too young to get into a cinema to see it when released in the mid 70s, but i read everything about it i could and remember standing agape at a huge poster advertising a bigger splash in a london tube station. Hockney is in it, but the meandering, narrativefree style tells you little about anything. The audience for hockneys paintings expands into cinemas with the release of jack hazans a bigger splasha film portrait of a painter, in the words of times critic david robinsonmade over three years spent observing hockney at work, with friends, and at difficult emotional moments in his relationship with peter schlesinger. While vacationing on a sicilian island with her boyfriend matthias schoenaerts, a rock star tilda swinton receives an unexpected visit from an old flame ralph fiennes and his seductive daughter dakota johnson. This film meant a good deal to me long before i even saw it. A bigger splash has some of the best film editing i think ive seen in a film not because its kinetic or necessarily creative, but because it meshes its contents to such a degree that it no longer even feels verite. The 1974 documentary anticipated david hockneys success and the rise of reality tv. David hockney is well on his way to art world superstardom.
A bigger splash is the title of a david hockney painting from 1967an ejaculatory shot of white on the surface of a calm california pool. This quasidocumentary follows the artist, as well as his circle of friends, and captures the agonized end of the lingering affair between him and his muse, an american named peter schlesinger. To keep the plot line taut there are only four actors who play out in two pairs and the chemistry is anything but harmonious. With david hockney, peter schlesinger, celia birtwell, henry geldzahler. Shuttling backandforth chronologically through the years 197173, a bigger splash shows the nowestablished thirtysomething hockney.
Shuttling backandforth chronologically through the years 197173, a bigger splash shows the nowestablished thirtysomething hockney hounded by dealer john kasmin to produce more paintings, lured towards america by the new york curator henry geldzahler, and encouraged by friends like painter patrick procktor and the power couple ossie clark. Released 1973, a bigger splash stars david hockney, peter schlesinger, ossie clark, celia birtwell the movie has a runtime of about 1 hr 41 min, and received a score of out of 100 on. Is a bigger splash a documentary about david hockney. About and starring hockney and his swinging friends, this immersive, formally daring work was shot over the course of three years when the artist was creating his most recognizable paintings, including portrait of an. Enter your location to see which movie theaters are playing a bigger splash 1974 near you. A bigger splash is a large pop art painting by british artist david hockney. A bigger splash 1973 stream and watch online moviefone.
But a photograph can only show the viewer what the camera sees. David hockney film a bigger splash redeemed 45 years after. A bigger splash 1974 director jack hazan and writer david mingay had access to david hockney and his circle from 1971 to 1973, a critical period following his breakup of his relationship with. David hockney film captures 1970s hedonistic gay life.
When considered alongside its sister painting, tates a bigger splash, hockneys composition of a sundrenched swimming pool disturbed by a torrent of cascading water is a definitive image, not only within the artists career and the pop art movement at large, but also within the greater canon of art history itself. A bigger splash 1974 rotten tomatoes movie trailers. A bigger splash is a 1974 biopic about david hockney s lingering breakup with his then partner peter schlesinger, during the period 1970 to 1973. Jack hazans film offers an insightful portrait of david hockney and friends in the 1970s, writes philip french. Watch a bigger splash movie trailers, exclusive videos, interviews from the cast, movie clips and more at. The passion and process of david hockney, seen in a restored. A bigger splash is a 1973 sometimes cited as 1974 british biographical documentary film about david hockney s lingering breakup with his then partner peter schlesinger, from 1970 to 1973. Jun 19, 2019 a bigger splash drew comparisons to andy warhols films when it was first released, likely because hockney was initially associated with pop art and because, like warhol, he carefully. David hockney paints his male muse in landmark queer. The 1960s are often seen as a time when britain emerged from the greyness of the postwar years into a period of optimism, youthfulness and colour. With its title taken from the david hockney painting of same name, a bigger splash represents the famed artists process and all that it conveys. David hockney full channel 4 news interview duration. Watch a bigger splash starring ralph fiennes in this drama on directv. The movie, even by todays standards, does not shy away from male nudity either.
A fictionalised biopic on painter david hockneys life between 1970 and 1973. A new 4k restoration screens at the metrograph this. One of the strangest, most original and visually provocative films, a bigger splash is a captivating, shimmeringly beautiful film l. Matthias schoenaerts as paul and tilda swinton as marianne in a bigger splash. A bigger splash, a semifictionalized documentary about david hockney opens with a ringing phone. When david hockneys beautiful lover, peter schlesinger, breaks up with him, it leaves david a complete emotional wreck. After a difficult breakup, hockney is left unable to paint, much to the concern of his friends. Our movie poster columnist unveils his favorite designs of the year. Jan, 2020 when considered alongside its sister painting, tates a bigger splash, hockneys composition of a sundrenched swimming pool disturbed by a torrent of cascading water is a definitive image, not only within the artists career and the pop art movement at large, but also within the greater canon of art history itself. I cant imagine a drearier, more selfindulgent movie. Too bad, because his pool paintings are light and wonderfully enigmatic. Youd have to proceed to append so many qualifiers as to effectively bury the designation.
Few works show this better than hockneys depictions of californian swimming pools. The painter david hockney is thrown into a personal crisis during a protracted breakup with peter schlesinger, his longtime lover and an american ten years his junior. The passion and process of david hockney, seen in a. The restored 1974 narrative nonfiction movie a bigger splash that follows hockney, his art, and friend circle over the course of three years is being rereleased. A bigger splash is a sensuous portrait of desire, jealousy and rock and roll, under the mediterranean sun. A bigger splash 2016 rotten tomatoes movie trailers. Its theme is encapsulated by something hockney says early on. Hockney was initially horrified by the movie s intimacy, but was soon persuaded by his friends of. May 04, 2016 a bigger splash, the title borrowed from a 1967 david hockney painting, is a spellbinding erotic dance set on the gorgeous mediterranean island of pantelleria. Schoenaerts pecs, johnsons torso, fiennes smile and even swintons feet are all monuments to be worshipped as much as the cool, blue mediterranean sea or the imposing volcanic boulders that surround it.
A bigger splash, the title borrowed from a 1967 david hockney painting, is a spellbinding erotic dance set on the gorgeous mediterranean island of. May 11, 2016 with its title taken from the david hockney painting of same name, a bigger splash represents the famed artists process and all that it conveys. Watch a bigger splash online stream full movie directv. Though many are familiar with its namesake work, david hockneys famous 1967 painting of a splash rising up from a placid california swimming pool. Jun 10, 2019 shot over three years in the early 1970s, the official synopsis calls a bigger splash an improvisatory narrativenonfiction hybrid featuring hockney, a wary participant, as well his. Jun 20, 2019 hockney in jack hazans a bigger splash 1974 image courtesy cinetic media. An artist, he suddenly finds himself unable to create anything, and is. Titled after hockneys popart painting a bigger splash. Parents need to know that a bigger splash is a very mature drama based on an old french film. Semifictionalized documentary biopic of british artist david hockney. A bigger splash jack hazan, 1973, bfi, 15 philip french. A bigger splash drew comparisons to andy warhols films when it was first released, likely because hockney was initially associated with pop art and because, like warhol, he carefully. Oct 27, 2009 david hockney full channel 4 news interview duration. A bigger splash trailer 1 2016 dakota johnson, tilda swinton movie hd duration.
A bigger splash is a 1973 sometimes cited as 1974 british biographical documentary film about david hockneys lingering breakup with his then partner peter. The vacation of a famous rock star and a filmmaker is disrupted by the unexpected visit of an old friend and his daughter. A clearer picture of a bigger splash the new york times. David hockney is a gay painter unable to work when he. And, like a photograph, a bigger splash captures a moment in time. A slideshow of photos flashes across the screen, and the shrill ringing goes on. An early entry into the documentarynarrative hybrid genre, the film a bigger splash honors hockney and his mesmerizing work with a portrait of the artist worthy of his creative genius. Lots of mumbling, poor lighting, and whats the point. Its available to watch on tv, online, tablets, phone. Thats useful to bear in mind while watching a bigger splash, a 1973 film directed by jack hazan focusing on several years in the life of the british painter david hockney. Jun 21, 2019 david hockney film a bigger splash finds redemption, 45 years after being booed jack hazan was appalled when his hybrid film was panned by u. In a bigger splash, rock legend marianne lane tilda swinton is recuperating on the. Directed by jack hazan, and edited by david mingay, it has music by patrick gowers.
Movie info a true oddity that cannot escape its dated origins, a bigger splash is a fictional film in which all the actors play themselves. The title of a bigger splash, though inspired by a 1967 david hockney painting, might just as well describe guadagninos desire to oneup his source material. A bigger splash is one of those sunsoaked independent dramas from a foreign director working with wellknown hollywood actors who wish to explore their creative desires outside the realm of the. After the pouty schlesinger leaves hockney, the painter, whose platinum blonde hair and oversize blackrimmed spectacles made him an iconic pop art figure even as his painting split the difference between warhol the pop feel, matisse the color and francis bacon the anxiety, more. A bigger splash 1974 director jack hazan and writer david mingay had access to david hockney and his circle from 1971 to 1973, a critical. It has extremely strong sexual content, with both male and female fullfrontal nudity, plus graphic sex scenes, oral sex, and hints at unorthodox sex. Much of a bigger splash was shot in and around hockney s notting hill studio, where he is observed working day and night to complete portrait of an artist. Watch a bigger splash online vimeo on demand on vimeo. Hockney has said that, when creating this painting, he loved the idea of taking two weeks to produce an image of an event that lasts only two seconds. These evoke a glamorous and exotic life of sun and leisure. Watching jack hazans 1974 film a bigger splash, about britishborn, californiaidentified artist david hockney, the more you try to peg what it is snapshot biography. But a bigger splash doesnt have much water or sun, except in paintings or staged dream sequences.
Jun 21, 2019 but a bigger splash doesnt have much water or sun, except in paintings or staged dream sequences. Jack hazans fictionalised 1974 biopic, a bigger splash, concentrating on the breakup of hockney s relationship with peter schlesinger, was named after the painting. A bigger splash 2016 does this using a beautiful sicilian hillside villa with a prominent pool for baring bodies and souls. Artwork page for a bigger splash, david hockney, 1967 on display at tate britain. A new 4k restoration of jack hazans 1974 documentary a bigger splash brings us a look at the pop artists work, erotic imagination, and.