Big Eyes – Movie Review by Anne Brodie
December 28, 2014current affairs, What She Said
Big Eyes
Directed by Tim Burton
Starring Amy Adams, Christoph Waltz
Genre: Biographical drama
Website for gallery http://www.margaretkeane.com/gallery.htmIn theatres now
Rating: 4/5
Anyone who came up in the 60’s knows Margaret Keane’s work only too well. Her sad eyed waifs and pets led a kitschy trend that overwhelmed the era. Her work is at once maudlin, sentimental and creepy and yet somehow fascinating. The manipulative scenarios in which her little wounded beauties dwell are fields of flowers, exotic jungles, in bodies of water with rainbows slashing through them. They are strangely childish yet world weary. The art cognoscenti dismissed her work but ultimately were forced to admit it was popular.
Keane’s story is pretty strange too as we discover in Tim Burton’s Big Eyes. Keane (Adams) was a single mother and struggling artist in San Francisco who fell for and married Walter another artist – slash – ladies’ man (Christoph Waltz) in 1955. Her work caught on while Walter’s went nowhere, but it turns out he had a genius for marketing and soon he had her pictures flying off the shelves. Margaret allowed him to claim the paintings as his own, leaving her to work in secret – even from her daughter – while he got all the huzzahs.
Margaret and Walter’s marital and professional lives, and ultimate breakdown are perfectly “Burton”ized. The story plays out in his sweet spot ...
Read more at What She Said on Sirius XM Radio
Directed by Tim Burton
Starring Amy Adams, Christoph Waltz
Genre: Biographical drama
Website for gallery http://www.margaretkeane.com/gallery.htmIn theatres now
Rating: 4/5
Anyone who came up in the 60’s knows Margaret Keane’s work only too well. Her sad eyed waifs and pets led a kitschy trend that overwhelmed the era. Her work is at once maudlin, sentimental and creepy and yet somehow fascinating. The manipulative scenarios in which her little wounded beauties dwell are fields of flowers, exotic jungles, in bodies of water with rainbows slashing through them. They are strangely childish yet world weary. The art cognoscenti dismissed her work but ultimately were forced to admit it was popular.
Keane’s story is pretty strange too as we discover in Tim Burton’s Big Eyes. Keane (Adams) was a single mother and struggling artist in San Francisco who fell for and married Walter another artist – slash – ladies’ man (Christoph Waltz) in 1955. Her work caught on while Walter’s went nowhere, but it turns out he had a genius for marketing and soon he had her pictures flying off the shelves. Margaret allowed him to claim the paintings as his own, leaving her to work in secret – even from her daughter – while he got all the huzzahs.
Margaret and Walter’s marital and professional lives, and ultimate breakdown are perfectly “Burton”ized. The story plays out in his sweet spot ...
Read more at What She Said on Sirius XM Radio
Seems like Burton is starting to get that magic back. This was just an excellent film. Adams was just amazing.
ReplyDeleteI agree, Thomas. I'm sorry it didn't figure during awards season.
ReplyDelete