| | | A film by Henri-Georges Clouzot
Features: DVD, French, English, Subtitled, Dolby, Digital Audio, Mono Audio, Aspect Ratio 2.35:1
Like a matador confronting a bull, the artist approaches his easel. As he wields his brush, the painting dances into being before our eyes. Pablo Picasso, the most influential artist of the 20th century, is making art, and famous French director Henri-Georges Clouzot (Diabolique, The Wages Of Fear) is making a movie. This entirely new kind of art documentary captures the moment and the mystery of creativity; for the film, the master created 20 artworks, ranging from playful black-and-white sketches to widescreen color paintings. Using inks that bled through the paper, Picasso rapidly created fanciful drawings that Clouzot was able to film from the reverse side, capturing their creation in real time. When the artist decided to paint in oils, the filmmaker switched to color film and employed the magic of stop-motion animation. By contract, almost all of these paintings were destroyed when the film was completed. Unavailable for more than a decade, The Mystery of Picasso is exhilarating, mesmerizing, and unforgettable; it is simply one of the greatest documentaries on art ever made. The French government agrees; in 1984 it declared the film a national treasure. Portions of the documentary are presented in a 4:3 aspect ratio and in black-and-white.
"Marvelous! Experience what it's like to sit in a room with a master." Washington Post
"A fascinating document of Picasso's creative process... A vital piece of cinema." The New York Times
"One of the most exciting and joyful movies ever made." Pauline Kael
"A revelation!" Time Out
Editor's Note
The friendship between French director Henri-Georges Clouzot (THE WAGES OF FEAR, DIABOLIQUE) and Pablo Picasso allowed Clouzot to film the legendary artist as he created 20 original works (ranging from black-and-white sketches to full color paintings). The result is THE MYSTERY OF PICASSO, an in valuable look at the most influential artist of the 20th century at work. Picasso destroyed nearly all the canvases after filming was completed. Generally considered to be one of the greatest documentaries on art ever made, the film was declared a national treasure of France in 1984.
| Features | Theatrical Trailer | | Interactive Menus | | Scene Access | | Audio Commentary By Peggy Parsons, The National Gallery Of Art | | Audio Commentary By Archie Rand, Muralist And Senior Professor Of Visual Arts, Columbia University | | Short Film: Alain Resnais' "Guernica" (1950, 13 Min.) | | Widescreen Version | | Audio: French Dolby Digital Mono | | Subtitles: English |
| Technical Info
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Release Information
| | Studio: Image |
| Release Date: 1/14/2003 |
| Running Time: 75 minutes |
| Original Release Date: 1956 | | Catalog ID: 0577MLSDVD | | UPC: 00014381057720 | | Number of Discs: 1 |
Audio & Video
| | Original Language: French | | Available Audio Tracks: French | | Available Subtitles: English | | Video: Color |
Aspect Ratio | | 2.35:1 |
| Cast & Crew | Henri-Georges Clouzot - Director | | Claude Renoir - Director of Photography | | Henri Colpi - Editor | | Pablo Picasso - Featuring | | Henri-Georges Clouzot - Producer | | Georges Auric - Writer |
| Awards |
Cannes Film Festival (1956) |  | Henri-Georges Clouzot, Winner, Jury Special Prize |
| Memorable Quotes| "This is very bad."----Pablo Picasso, examining one of the paintings he created for the film |
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| | Professional Reviews | Los Angeles Times
"...Clouzot not only takes you into Picasso's den, he strips away all obstructions -- including the artist..." 02/19/1986 p.C1 |
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