Theo Van Gogh- maverick, sensationalist and brilliant!

Theo Van Gogh- maverick, sensationalist and brilliant!

 

 

The great grandnephew of Vincent van Gogh,Theo Van Gogh ( Director of “ Interview: Original” – showing on Wednesday @ 10 pm on NDTV Lumiere) would probably rank right up there when it comes to the most controversial filmmakers of all time.  Not just controversial, but brilliant, sensationalist and in a lot of aspects, pioneering as well.

 

A strident and vocal critic of religion, he published many inflammatory articles. A writer of polemic prose, his often aggressive tone and personal animosities saw him involved in a number of public lawsuits. As a well-known critic of Islam, particularly after the September 11 attacks, he rejected every form of religion and strongly felt that political Islam is an increasing threat to liberal western societies.  In his book ‘Allah Knows Best’ (2003), van Gogh’s presents his views on Islam in his typically cynical, mocking tone.

 

In November 2004, Mohammed Bouyeri assassinated Theo van Gogh in the street in Amsterdam, leaving a five-page note pinned to his body. The note threatened Western governments and Jews.

 

At the time of his death, Van Gogh was working on a project to direct three version of his films in English. After his death, the producers Bruce Weiss and Gijs van de Westelaken decided to continue the project as an homage to him. Steve Buscemi, Stanley Tucci and Bob Balaban pay tribute to the work of the Dutch director in a trilogy called ‘Triple Theo’. Interview (2008) was directed by Steve Buscemi, starring Sienna Miller and himself. Stanley Tucci directed Blind Date (2008) and Bob Balaban is to make 1-900 Sex Without Hangups (06, 2004).

 

A high-priority for the producers of Triple Theo was replicating Van Gogh’s unorthodox triple camera shooting system. For each scene, Van Gogh would shoot with three digital cameras: one camera focused on the male lead, one camera focused on the female lead, and one master camera which captured both actors and the set.

 

One critic wrote that Van Gogh had invented a new film language. His technique created a dramatically different feeling on set, and ultimately an untraditional final film, as the three digital cameras provided them not only with a very short shooting schedule but also with an abundance of shots. Van Gogh’s system allowed him to stay within budget, keep his actors on their toes and end up with a massive amount of footage for the editing process. “The quantity of footage enabled us to edit the film to feel as tense as in real life,” said Westelaken. “Also, the actor does not have to follow the camera and the light anymore. We do it the other way around, the actors act, and the cameras follow”.

 

Stanley Tucci, who directed the remake of Blind Date, comments, “I loved working with the Van Gogh system and the whole Van Gogh crew. You can shoot a lot of stuff simultaneously, and therefore shoot a full-length film in a very short period of time and it still looks beautiful.” He did find the process exhausting and adds, “Even though our shoot is only seven days, it’s still incredibly intense and you’re shooting 15 pages a day, with a lot of set ups. It takes a lot out of you and I can’t imagine doing more than seven days!”

 

Actress Patricia Clarkson (Blind Date: Remake) had her own take on the shooting process explaining, “I have shot on 35 with two cameras before, but this is really a dream for an actor. You don’t have to keep repeating to get the close-ups, to get everything in one shot, and you really can work very quickly with an enormous amount of freedom. That freedom is rare when you are shooting in 35 in a very structured way. There is no acting required here, we can just play!”

 

 Rohan Jayasekera, the Associate Editor of the magazine ‘Index on Censorship’, concluded Theo Van Gogh’s death as: “A sensational climax to a lifetime’s public performance, stabbed and shot by a bearded fundamentalist, a message from the killer pinned by a dagger to his chest, Theo van Gogh became a martyr to free expression. His passing was marked by a magnificent barrage of noise as Amsterdam hit the streets to celebrate him in the way the man himself would have truly appreciated.”

 

For those looking for something less controversial , head for “ 2 Days in Paris “- starring Adam Goldberg  and Julie Delpy, it releases tomorrow at PVR Cinemas in Mumbai, Delhi and Bangalore.

 

Marion, a French photographer and Jack, an American interior designer are a New York based couple whose relationship seems to have lost its spark. In an attempt to rekindle their romance they plan a holiday in Europe. As their trip goes disastrously wrong, their only hope lies in the two days they will spend in Paris. Nominated for Best First Feature at the 2008 Independent Spirit Awards.

 

Below are the show-timings…

 

Mumbai

 

PVR GOREGAON – 4.10 pm, 11.35 pm

 

PVR JUHU – 7.05 pm

 

Bangalore   

PVR FORUM Mall

3:15 PM & 10:00 PM.

 

Delhi

PVR Selectcity Walk 10:00 pm

 

Also, don’t miss out on the brilliant The Edge of Heaven by Fatih Akin showing at Fame Cinemas from tomorrow in Mumbai and Kolkata.

 

Mumbai-Fame Malad - 7.10pm

Kolkata- Fame South City Mall- 7.20pm

 

NDTV Lumiere – A 24 hour World Cinema Channel is now available on Digital Cable. 

Contact your cable operator to get the digital set-top box and receive NDTV Lumiere.