Films are not a substitute for history but they can be an excellent window on a period in history, as well as providing a visual feast of art from a time gone by. While historians and history buffs will lament the lack of historical accuracy in many films, great effort and expense is often spent trying get the right atmosphere or feeling, or give the most powerful overall impression of a place or time.
Awards and Film Festivals: Oscars, Cannes or Toronto International Film Festival
Certainly the best indicators of such artistic quality are those films which have won awards. More specific to art are those that have won awards or were nominated for costume or set design, art direction or cinematography.
The Oscars are the global cinema benchmark in excellence but other awarding bodies are rich areas to explore for titles, most famous being the annual film festivals such as Cannes Film Festival, Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) and the Sundance Film Festival.
Great attention to detail is what wins these accolades. The artistic directors and costume designers often use museums and historic locations as their inspiration and starting point when developing the props, set design and costumes. Often actors will comment that the costume or setting allowed them insight into the character.
Once a film has passed from cinema screens and is available on DVD, viewers have the added bonus of additional film features included in the package. Many now include additional sections or DVDs for the Making Of, Photo Galleries, Director's Commentary and Actor Interviews. These can also be very interesting and valuable resources for those interested in how the film came together and, in particular, what sources were used.
Films with Added Art Appeal
- Elizabeth (1998), starring Cate Blanchett, is one of the finest recent films that provide a wealth of detail regarding Elizabethan England. The interiors and on location scenes are full of period details.
- Girl with a Pearl Earring (2003), a story about a painting, based on the book of the same title by author Tracey Chevalier. Set in the 17th century, in the home of Dutch artist Johannes Vermeer, it is the imagined story behind the creation of his painting. Great effort was made to ensure historical accuracy in the setting, but the references to the painter's process and the scenes showing tools and techniques of painting are equally wonderful.
- Gosford Park (2001), a murder mystery with an all-star English cast including Dame Helen Mirren and Dame Maggie Smith. It takes place over a weekend at an Edwardian country estate. The director even had a qualified butler and specialist in Victorian cookery on staff to ensure the accuracy involving etiquette for the hunting party and for the servants parts. The film also gives a glimpse into the English class system at the time.
- My Fair Lady (1964) the world famous adaptation of G B Shaw's book, Pygmalion has a strong Art Nouveau style influence in the costumes and interior designs.
- The Thomas Crown Affair (1999), starring Pierce Brosnan, is set in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. This sexy and fast paced film is about art theft.The interior shots were actually recreated in a warehouse and the famous art works on display were reproductions - a case of art imitating art for the sake of art.
- The Wings of the Dove (1997), starring Helena Bonham Carter, is based on the novel of the same title by Henry James. Set in the early years of the 1900s, there are exquisite examples of fashion and decorative art from the Art Nouveau period.
These are just a small sample of the films that offer a lesson in art as well as being entertainment. Unlike museums or galleries, where objects often stand on their own, films are an excellent starting point to understand art in context.
Wendy Foster-DeGroot - Wendy has a BA(Hons) in Art History. She works in academic research administration in Canada. While living in Newfoundland in the 1980s, ...
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