| Klimt | 
 enlarge | Director: Raoul Ruiz
Actors: John Malkovich, Veronica Ferres, Saffron Burrows, Stephen Dillane
Studio: Koch Lorber Films
Category: DVD
List Price: $26.98
Buy New: $13.28
You Save: $13.70 (51%)
New (39) Used (14) from $7.99
Avg. Customer Rating:  11 reviews
Sales Rank: 20979
Format: Color, Dolby, Dvd-video, Widescreen, Ntsc
Languages: English (Original Language), French (Original Language), German (Original Language)
Rating: Unrated
Number Of Items: 1
Running Time: 97
Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1
Dimensions (in): 7.5 x 5.3 x 0.6
MPN: KCHDKLF3151D
UPC: 741952315193
EAN: 0741952315193
ASIN: B000WZAE7W
Theatrical Release Date: 2006
Release Date: January 8, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: BRAND NEW AND FACTORY SEALED
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Product Description
Studio: Koch International Release Date: 01/08/2008 Run time: 97 minutes
Amazon.com
John Malkovich inhabits the role of dissolute artist Gustav Klimt so completely one almost expects to see his wild-eyed features reflected in Klimt's well-known painting The Kiss. The story is a (very) loose biopic about the tortured life of the Austrian artist, whose deathbed ruminations begin the film and the flashbacks that begin to paint the portrait of his incredible, hedonistic life. Even in the relative freeness and sophistication of fin de siecle Europe, Klimt and his fascination with the overtly erotic were bound to become lightning rods for high society, not to mention the self-protective Western art world. Yet Klimt declares (over and over), "I don't give a [bleep] what the critics think," and he begins to build his signature sensual paintings--and a growing grudging respect in his home country as well. Malkovich is well matched by Saffron Burrows, who plays a witchy French dancer as committed to the idea, and expression, of free love as is the maestro. The film is especially noteworthy for its lush cinematography, which does remarkable justice especially to Klimt's famed "gold" paintings (of which The Kiss is still one of the most recognizable). The city of Vienna itself appears to be lit from within by a million golden candles. --A.T. Hurley
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| Customer Reviews: Read 6 more reviews...
 very disappointing July 2, 2008
I love Klimt ! He is one of my favorite painters and I've read much about him. When I saw there was a movie coming out , I got excited. But, I was very disappointed with this one.
The movie is a series of vignettes that lead nowhere - characters introduced but not developed - stories that start but have no end, ideas that are introduced but not followed through. All in all, its very disjointed and not really even interesting. Even John Malcovich doesn't help this movie. He is decent in the role, but has little to work with in terms of script or story.
This is a movie that desperately wants to be an art film, but falls short in every way. It makes me appreciate artist movies like "Frida" even more. Frida seemed to capture the life, the times, and the soul of the artist - this movie does none of these.
 Should've been better May 1, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I know they were trying to go for an unique artful portrayal of Klimt, but if you don't know anything about the artist besides having seen his work, there really isn't much substance in this movie. I love all the actors, especially Malkovich being one of my favorites. But the camera angles were unnecessary and the editing was confusing. Some parts stood out as beautiful, but most left something to be desired.
I think overall the atmosphere of the film does portray qualities of Klimt, the struggles he had, his temper against art critiques, and outright sexuality he possessed in private as well as throughout his work. So in that way, you can take from the movie something that adds to your experience of Klimt the Artist. But otherwise... I hate to put down a film that includes one of my favorite actors and is about one of my favorite artists, but so it is.
 The Decadence of Expressionism? April 28, 2008
31 out of 31 found this review helpful
The motion picture "Klimt" by the vangardist director Raul Ruiz is a nonchalantly descriptive allegory of the art of Klimt more so than a purist's biopic. The resonant lyricism of the cinematography has an appeal of its own, but the movie suffers from a neurosis of sober surrealism rather than the decadent Viennese indomitable foray of which Klimt is a patriarch. We see Egon Schiele as a flaky genius who revered Gustav Klimt while swirled within a psychotic dispondancy outlined by art critics and a clinical practice where Klimt was receiving treatment for Syphilis. The movie is staged well and creatively portrayed but the artistic intentions of the director become entangled in a state of overindulgence where the fictive recreation of Klimt's last and most productive years are saturated by a prosthetic expressionism that overwhelms the designs of the creators. The farrago of jaded models and Jewish paramours stands to make of the eroticism of the painter into a detached grandiloquence he carelessly stands ceremony upon while critics insinuate and frame to their liking and in consonance with a theoretical/moral decrepitude well on its way. John Malkovich overcompensated for the duldrums of an era and the unaffected delirium that he chances to become a spectator of instead of a victim to. The importunity of such a representation are deserving merit but fail to characterize the passion and zeal of a master who changed the art scene. No reference to influences are made and no epiphanies are ever sallied through the movie. The rhythm is decadent and the mood ominous, but of such talents and expertise we were well aware and even used to when it comes to Ruiz. If Klimt was a precursor to surrealism is a topic for art historians and critics which the movie does its best to undress, but to depict a representative time capsule of an artist and his times in such a fashion neither entertains nor proves insightful. "Klimt" is devoid of both the hypnotism and the opulence of the expressive decadence that is a trademark of the painter's style. The promising pronouncements of this piece are debilitated by a bouquet of inadequate metaphors where decay and derangement seem to speak the same language but cannot communicate with adequacy.
Biography about the famous artist March 27, 2008
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
I must admit that what attracted me to this film is the fact that film is about Klimt -- artist whose work is recognised immediately and the fact that he is portrayed by the actor John Malkovich - great character actor. But I was disapointed by both Malkovich's performance and film direction.
Perhaps if I knew about Klimt's life the film would complement that knowledge. As that was not the case, I found film to be too fragmented and confusing. Was Klimt a complicated man, or was he plain crazy? Was he promiscuous, or was it his art that required unlimited supply of women to serve him as models, muses and lovers?
No matter what, the remaining stars for the movie are for wonderful costumes, reproductions of some of Klimt's best known work and beautiful actresses on the set.
 Allegory March 11, 2008
0 out of 3 found this review helpful
Just as Klimt defined his work as allegory so too is the film Klimt. It is a representation of Klimt the man, the artist in allegorical, surrealistic terms. It is intended as anything but a literal biography or any other literal representation of plot, story, much less traditional notions of character development. The film maker has achieved near perfection in his presentation of Klimt, his work, his view of the world as allegory. I would suggest some other reviewers refer to a dictionary. Might help just a tad. This film is intended to be experienced - not understood per se - but if you must put every symbol or personage in the film representing a symbol or quality then have at it. Could keep you busy until your head explodes. Magnificent film making. Symbols and Allegories in Art (Guide to Imagery Series)
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