|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Portrait of the Artist as a Film Star |
| [Film review] 'Girl with a Pearl Earring' uses light and color like the painting it is based on |
|
Kim Soung Su (onomatos)  |
 Email Article
 Print Article
|
|
|
|
Published 2004-09-16 09:16 (KST) |
|
|
|
 | |  Johannes Vermeer's (1632-1675) "Girl with a Pearl Earring" | | | ©2004 Pathe | | The Dutch painter Johannes Vermeer painted "Girl with a Pearl Earring" in the 17th century. At first glance it looks much like any other portrait that was popular at the time. But after a while the girl's red lips and her profound gaze, which is full of sorrow, soon engrosses the viewer. Who was the girl who posed with a pearl earring? Was there any story behind the painting?
This speculation prompted author Tracey Chevalier to write a 1999 best-selling novel of the same name. In it, Chevalier uses her imagination to construct the relationship between Vermeer and the maid Griet and all the events surrounding the painting. The painting gained a new life in the novel.
Then came Peter Weber making his directorial debut putting "Girl with a Pearl Earring" (2003) on the silver screen. Weber cast A-list actors Colin Firth as Vermeer and Scarlett Johansson as Griet, taking the image of the painting and the story behind it and transforming them using cinema -- that popular art form combining time and space.
As one would expect in a film with a painting as its motif, the scenes in "Girl with a Pearl Earring" are quite distinguished in terms of its colors. Camera techniques such as slow motion or angle variation were rarely used and each scene is delicate enough to remind the audience of the actual painting.
 | | | An example of the harmony of light and color in the film | | | ©2004 Pathe | | Moreover, light and color were used effectively to control the flow and speed of the film. For example, scenes with the maids are mostly shot with cool colors while scenes with the nobles are mostly shot with bright, warm colors. Vermeer's studio is always full of bright colors.
This color scheme and the atmosphere are recurrent in Vermeer's works. The very brightly lighted face of the girl in the black background wearing the pearl earring highlight the blue and yellow scarves that cover her head. Moreover, at the time when Vermeer painted "Girl with a Pearl Earring" paints were very costly and the most expensive of all was blue. This hints at how Vermeer expressed the image of the model in his painting.
Like most other films based on books, "Girl with a Pearl Earring" simplifies many of the details found in Chevalier's novel. And yet this helps audiences to focus on two main themes: art itself and social class.
The film deals with the relationship between the painter and the maid, who come from different social backgrounds. It shows them sharing their views on art and working together. Vermeer and Griet eventually break social norms by falling in love. The film conveys this tension very well to the audience.
Scarlett Johansson, who won best actress at BAFTA (British Academy) for her role in the film "Lost in Translation" (2004), portrays Griet as a strong and yet helpless, smart and yet shy girl. One can even say that the film is a portrait of Johansson just like the painting is a portrait of the girl.
 | | | As Vermeer pierces the maid's ear so she can wear his gift, the scene seems to be a metaphor of the sexual relationship between the two. | | | ©2004 Pathe | | It seems that the film is a typical art film. Nevertheless, there are some entertaining and exciting elements, which intrigue audiences. The film cunningly integrates the thriller and romance genres. In addition, the entire narrative is a kind of gossiping about the painting titled "Girl with a Pearl Earring."
But the most intriguing element of all is a love triangle of Vermeer's wife Catharina (Essie Davis), Vermeer and Griet, although the result ends in tragedy. It reveals their limitations in terms of society and social class. In the end Catharina is consumed by her own jealousy, shouting that the painting "Girl with a Pearl Earring" is merely "a product of obscenity."
As Griet stares at Vermeer's gift lying beside her wedding dress in the film's last sequence, one is struck by this most beautiful and symbolic image. It conveys everything about the key issues of the film -- the spirit of art, social class, masterpiece, memory and love.
[4 stars out of 5 stars]
|
|
 |
|
If you want to know more about the painting, please check http://girl-with-a-pearl-earring.20m.com .
Kim Soung Su is a freelance writer about film and culture who has been studying philosophy and film studies in England. |
|
|
©2004 OhmyNews
|
|
|
|
김성수 기자는 철학과 더불어 신화와 사이버문화, 그리고 영화학을 공부했다. 현재 영국 에식스 대학교 박사과정에서 사회·문화철학을 전공하고 있다. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Comments Note: Kindly refrain from personal attacks and profanity. |
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
 |
How worried are you about the H1N1 influenza virus? |
|
 |
| * Vote to see the result. |
 |
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
RSS
Del.icio.us
Digg 
reddit
Y! MyWeb
.jpg)
