Famous Paintings in Movies
In lieu of any notable tailoring for episode 11, I’m going to embark on a listicle of famous paintings in movies. (I have some time on my hands). Starting of course with the Great Red Dragon Painting, originally painted by William Blake in the early 1800’s. I will reference all my sources at the footer, and link to genuine re-sellers of prints on Amazon should I deem them appropriate.
The Great Red Dragon/ Manhunter & Red Dragon (film) Hannibal (TV series)
Image sourced from Prop Store . Com
There are several depictions of the original done by William Blake. He was commissioned to illustrate images for books of the Bible, this being found in the Book of Revelations. Interestingly Thomas Harris got the title wrong in the book. I’m guessing this is why we have similar titles for the back to back episodes. The Prop Print sold at auction $400. The original is housed in the National Gallery of Art in Washington and prints are available for $30 through their shop. (1)
The Fighting Temeraire /Skyfall
The ‘Bloody Big Ship’, featured in Skyfall is housed in the National Art Gallery in London. The Fighting Temeraire was pained by Joseph Turner and features said ship being tugged to her last berth to be broken up, 1838, 1839. You can find out more about the painting in a post I did when I visited the gallery here. You can buy posters and prints through the gallery shop, starting at 15 GBP for a poster.
Approaching a City/ Batman
Batman (1989)
In the Batman film from 1989, The Joker played by Jack Nicholson is sheathed in Tommy Nutter clothes, cut by Terry Haste whom we interviewed for episode #126, defaces a painting by Edward Hopper called Approaching a city. I enjoyed a quote on the Den Of Geek site where someone says,
It’s pretty funny that what the Joker graffitied on the tunnel wall of the painting made it more realistic if you think about it. When have you ever seen train tracks that clean?” (2)
A print of this painting (original housed in The Phillips Collection, Washington) is available on Replica Prop Store for $64. Although unreviewed, please shop mindfully. The painting that The Joker saves from Bob destroying is Figure with Meat by Francis Bacon and is housed at the Art Institute of Chicago. (3)
The Thomas Crown Affair (1999) Poker Sympathy
When Catherine Banning (played by Rene Russo) discovers a Monet after breaking into the home of Thomas Crown (played by Pierce Brosnan) she later becomes the recipient of a cunning rouse. The Monet is in fact a taunting imitation, painted over a copy of Poker Sympathy from the Dogs Playing Poker series. Poker Sympathy is one of sixteen in the series by Cassius Marcellus Coolidge. (4)
To Come
- Ghostbusters 2
- Good Will Hunting
(1) The Red Dragon resource on WIKI.
(2) 10 Paintings Movie Geeks Wish They Owned – DenOFGeek
(3) Iconoclasm and the homicidal artistry of the Joker in Tim Burton’s Batman (1989) – RMarts
(4) Dogs Playing Poker, by Cassius Marcellus Coolidge. On WIKI.
