Goya’s Ghosts

Tuesday, July 14, 2009

By Bianca Gubalke

Goya’s Ghosts – Personal Film Review

Painting Light and Shadow

Life is a constant display of light and shadow in many nuances – and so is Art… especially when it portraits a certain epoque, its values and people.

The skillful handling of colours by great artists to express light, shadow and depth in all their meaningfulness always fascinated me… and when it comes to cinematography there’s no movie masterpiece without accomplished lighting.

Francisco Goya Image

Francisco Goya – “Father of Modern Art”

During my studies of the Fine Arts in Paris, I had the opportunity to spend some time in Spain – especially in Madrid with its Prado Museum – , where I studied, amongst others, the Spanish painter and printmaker Francisco Goya.

While Goya is an impressive chronicler of the Spanish history and its insane nightmare in form of the Spanish Inquisition, what interested me was his bold handling of paint… an element that influenced later generations of painters, eg. Picasso and Manet – and made him to be considered as the “Father of Modern Art”.

“Goya’s Ghosts” – the movie by Miloš Forman (2006)

When I was invited to watch “Goya’s Ghosts” during one of those recent cold, rainy winter nights down here in South Africa, I was very interested to see how the famous Czech-American screenwriter and director of cult movies like “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” and “Amadeus” would integrate Goya’s unique artistic view and eclairage… while a theme like the Spanish Inquisition normally makes me run…

However, bearing in mind that Forman lost both his parents during an equally destructive epoche of human disgrace called the Holocaust, it’s not surprising he had to make this movie (… and now “Ghosts of Munich”, 2009… ). That’s how artists are…

I wasn’t disappointed…

Goya and his Art are omnipresent from beginning to end.

Forman and his Team painted – through Goya’s eyes and portraying part of his life as the court painter to the Spanish Crown… who then turns deaf and steers towards his “Black Paintings” of war disasters – a terrific, dramatic and totally evil time picture with outstanding actors – especially with Natalie Portman playing Inés/Alicia… and Javier Bardem in the role of Napoleon’s chief prosecutor alias “Brother Lorenzo”.

Although the story itself is fiction, the movie is a time picture that needs some strong nerves but that is absolutely worth watching.

At the end you may ask yourself: is there more light today… or more shadow?

Most probably… and if you are like me… you will be glad to be living today… NOW !

. . .

Author: Bianca Gubalke, Art, Media, Publishing.

Co-Founder of YORGOO, YCADEMY and Semiomantics.

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