History & Culture Travels

NPR Film Review: 'At Eternity's Gate': Dafoe Is Van Gogh, And You Should Go! The short, brilliant, tragic life of Vincent Van Gogh has long been a source of inspiration for creatives of all types. Something about the mystique of the artist with severe mental illness, whose greatness was only recognized years after his death, resonates with frustrated souls the world over. But it can be distressingly easy for a story as nuanced and contradictory as Van Gogh's, with all its bright colors and violent strokes, to become flattened into easy answers under the harsh light of the camera, an artist's implement that so rarely matches the delicacy of the paintbrush. What a treat, then, to arrive At Eternity's Gate. The lovely new biopic by Julian Schnabel offers a vision of Van Gogh's final days that is at once bold, blissful and deeply sad. Focusing on the final few years of the painter's life, when he left Paris for the rural southern French town of Arles in order to be near the nature that so inspired him, Schnabel (with co-writers Jean-Claude Carrière and Louise Kugelberg) feeds his subject's thirst for purpose without sugarcoating the immense darkness that plagued him as his mental and physical health deteriorated. This is a very textured film, like one of its subject's paintings, with their great, big globs of color coming off the canvases. Full NPR Review: https://www.npr.org/2018/11/15/666946576/at-eternity-s-gate-dafoe-is-van-gogh-and-you-should-go Official Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T77PDm3e1iE Landmark E Street Cinema: https://www.landmarktheatres.com/washington-d-c/e-street-cinema __________________________________________________ This program is being promoted on behalf of our friends at the Landmark E Street Cinema by the non-profit community organization Washington, DC History & Culture: “bringing people together to experience the history and culture of Washington, DC.” For more fun and educational programs visit us at: https://www.Instagram.com/DCHistoryAndCulture https://www.Facebook.com/DCHistoryAndCulture https://www.Meetup.com/DCHistoryAndCulture https://DCHistoryAndCulture.Eventbrite.com #DCHistoryAndCulture __________________________________________________ EVENT DETAILS Tickets: Advanced purchase recommended ($12.50 for adults) via the Landmark E Street web site: https://www.landmarktheatres.com/washington-d-c/e-street-cinema Meeting Point: The film starts at 7:05 but we recommend arriving early (6:45?). It’s open to the general public and all are welcome to attend. If you would like to watch the film with our “Washington, DC History & Culture” group arrive a few minutes early to purchase food and/or socialize as we’ll be in the lobby starting at 6:20. Look for your host Robert, wearing a pink shirt. Optional Post-Film Discussion/Drinks/Desert: TBD, it’s Thanksgiving Eve so most don’t need to get up early the next day. __________________________________________________ We look forward to seeing you - thanks! Robert Kelleman [masked][masked] (text only) https://www.linkedin.com/in/robertkelleman/