Caffeinated Clint
There’s been a couple of good biopics on Dutch paintmeister Vincent Van Gogh – most famously, there was that Kirk Douglas movie in the ’60s, “Lust for Life”. Good little film that. Douglas nailed the part of the legendary artist. There’s another Van Gogh biopic in the works, from the creators of “Hansel & Gretel in 3D”, and it sounds like it might be a fairly decent chronicle of the man’s life. Who’s your pick for Van Gogh? Can anyone say Fassbender?
NEW YORK, NY (September 27th, 2011) – “Van Gogh” will be the first English language feature film about the life of Dutch painter Vincent Van Gogh since the 1956 Kirk Douglas movie “Lust for Life.” The film will also be the first to portray Vincent’s entire life story. Previous films and TV mini-series about Van Gogh have focused mainly on the second half of his life, after Vincent’s mental illness had fully manifested. Such was the case in the 1990 BBC TV mini-series “Vincent & Theo” starring Tim Roth, and the 1992 French language film directed by Maurice Pialat.
Kalliope Films (“Hansel & Gretel in 3D”) is producing “Van Gogh.” The movie will be shot on location in the various European countries where Vincent lived, such as Belgium, France, the UK and The Netherlands. “Van Gogh” will also be filmed in some of the actual houses and villages where Vincent resided, many of which are still standing and have been restored to their classic condition.
Several of the world’s foremost experts on Van Gogh are consulting with the filmmakers. Dr. Jean Marc Boulon is giving them greater insight into Vincent’s mental illness. Dr. Boulon is the current head of the asylum in St. Remy, France where Van Gogh was institutionalized. Bernadette Murphy, an expert on Vincent’s time spent in Arles, France (where his infamous ear cutting incident took place), is shedding light on that scandalous time period. Lastly, Dominique-Charles Janssens, an expert on Van Gogh’s time spent in Auvers-sur-Oise, France, is being consulted to give insight into Vincent’s last days, which sadly ended in his bizarre suicide.
“My Kalliope Films colleagues and I have spent several years doing extensive research on Van Gogh’s unusual and exciting life. We have traveled to all of the diverse locations where Van Gogh resided and interviewed numerous people while investigating his story. After years of this detective work, we hope that we have finally unraveled some of the mysteries of Vincent’s intriguing tale,” says Emiel Pijnaker, EVP of Production at Kalliope Films.
“Vincent Van Gogh was a brilliant artist and an extraordinary human being. We aim to tell his fascinating life’s story with accuracy and fairness,” says Kira Madallo Sesay, CEO of Kalliope Films. In addition to producing the film, Sesay is also the screenwriter. The company is currently in the process of attaching a director and cast.
The biopic will be the follow up to Kalliope Films’ current feature film project “Hansel & Gretel in 3D,” which they are producing together with the Emmy Award-Winning production company, The Institute. The movie is a live action, visual FX filled version of the beloved Grimm Brothers’ fairy tale in 3D. In addition to the infamous witch in the gingerbread house, the film also showcases the legendary creatures of Germanic mythology. These creatures are being designed by Joseph C. Pepe, the lead creature designer from “Avatar.” The “Hansel & Gretel in 3D” script was written by producer/writer Kira Madallo Sesay.
Additionally, Kalliope Films’ is in post-production on the biographical documentary “Wrestling With Faith.” The film is centered around retired professional wrestler, WWE Hall Of Famer “Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBiase. It chronicles his extraordinary journey from growing up in a wrestling family, to becoming a wrestling superstar and now an ordained Christian minister. “Wrestling With Faith” showcases the highs, the lows and the redemption of Ted’s life and career. The film is directed by Gregory Louis Carter.
“Van Gogh’” Logline:
An intoxicating biopic about the art world’s ‘mad genius’ Vincent Van Gogh.
“Van Gogh” Movie Tagline:
Madness, genius and masterpieces…with a twist of absinthe.
