Art School Confidential
For most people, comic book movies usually involve superheroes, a hangover from their perceptions of the source material. But as any self-respecting reader of comics, or graphic novels as they prefer to be called, will tell you, they cover every genre, with Japanese manga being the most diverse and generally free from costumed super men. In the last year or so we have had A History of Violence and V For Vendetta, both of graphic novel origin. Daniel Clowes story Ghost World was a cult hit, but the latest collaboration between Clowes and Terry Zwigoff, Art School Confidential looks like it could become a more mainstream success.
The story of Jerome, a suburban boy with drawing talent, who dreams of becoming a great artist, like his hero Picasso, with a particular desire to emulate the master's power over women. But Jerome is shy and innocent and has a crush on a girl he saw in a brochure photo for a city art school. He enrolls at the college, which, he discovers, happens to have a problem with a serial killer. However, this is not a teen slasher movie, with the murders being a sub-plot to a witty and intelligent romantic, rites of passage movie. Jerome (Max Minghella) meets the object of his desire, Laura (Sophia Myles) and pursues her through his art, but he is having trouble reconciling his innate talent with the demands of the school system.
Apart from serial-killer and romantic strands of the movie, it is also an acutely observed satire on the art world. It is plainly obvious that the story's creator attended art school (after all, comics are really the last bastion of figurative art). The movie perfectly captures the environment and its characters, which are cleverly narrowed down into stereotypes by Jerome's friend. The movie took me back to my days as an art school student, with the never-really-made-it-as-an-artist tutors, and the pretentious students, more keen on "expressing themselves" rather than learning craft and technique. More importantly, it showed the loss of innocence that afflicts students as they enter the system.
It's interesting to see the three pivotal leads are played by Brits, Max Minghella (son of Anthony), Sophia Myles and Jim Broadbent. Broadbent's portrayal of a washed-up and disillusioned alumni of the art school is stunning and overshadows the performances of the rest of the stellar support cast, including indy favourites John Malkovich (as the tutor) , Angelica Huston (as another tutor), Steve Buscemi (as a gallery owner) and Ethan Suplee (as Jerome's filmmaking friend). Suplee appears in two other films at EIFF; Clerks II and Neo Ned.
Although it is not a particularly complex film, in terms of plot, it does not always lead you by the hand either, and comes with all sorts of surprises that keep you involved.
It's good to see more of the leftfield comics/graphic novels making to the movies, instead of just the superhero stuff. There is a wealth of truly original material out there in comics shops for the movie industry to adapt, and if the mini-majors are willing to take the risks, it can only be good for both industries.
Art School Confidential will be on release later in the year.
The story of Jerome, a suburban boy with drawing talent, who dreams of becoming a great artist, like his hero Picasso, with a particular desire to emulate the master's power over women. But Jerome is shy and innocent and has a crush on a girl he saw in a brochure photo for a city art school. He enrolls at the college, which, he discovers, happens to have a problem with a serial killer. However, this is not a teen slasher movie, with the murders being a sub-plot to a witty and intelligent romantic, rites of passage movie. Jerome (Max Minghella) meets the object of his desire, Laura (Sophia Myles) and pursues her through his art, but he is having trouble reconciling his innate talent with the demands of the school system.
Apart from serial-killer and romantic strands of the movie, it is also an acutely observed satire on the art world. It is plainly obvious that the story's creator attended art school (after all, comics are really the last bastion of figurative art). The movie perfectly captures the environment and its characters, which are cleverly narrowed down into stereotypes by Jerome's friend. The movie took me back to my days as an art school student, with the never-really-made-it-as-an-artist tutors, and the pretentious students, more keen on "expressing themselves" rather than learning craft and technique. More importantly, it showed the loss of innocence that afflicts students as they enter the system.
It's interesting to see the three pivotal leads are played by Brits, Max Minghella (son of Anthony), Sophia Myles and Jim Broadbent. Broadbent's portrayal of a washed-up and disillusioned alumni of the art school is stunning and overshadows the performances of the rest of the stellar support cast, including indy favourites John Malkovich (as the tutor) , Angelica Huston (as another tutor), Steve Buscemi (as a gallery owner) and Ethan Suplee (as Jerome's filmmaking friend). Suplee appears in two other films at EIFF; Clerks II and Neo Ned.
Although it is not a particularly complex film, in terms of plot, it does not always lead you by the hand either, and comes with all sorts of surprises that keep you involved.
It's good to see more of the leftfield comics/graphic novels making to the movies, instead of just the superhero stuff. There is a wealth of truly original material out there in comics shops for the movie industry to adapt, and if the mini-majors are willing to take the risks, it can only be good for both industries.
Art School Confidential will be on release later in the year.
posted by Chris Patmore at 1:57 pm
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