Love Is The Devil
Study For A Portrait Of Francis Bacon
"Love Is The Devil, John Maybury's searing portrait of the English painter Francis Bacon (Derek Jacobi) at the height of his fame in the 1960's is one of the nastiest and most truthful portraits of the artist-as-monster ever filmed. Its story of the colossally self-absorbed painter and his self-destructive younger lover, George Dyer (Daniel Craig), begins when Bacon awakens in his studio one night to discover a burglar on the premises. Sizing up the thief as an appetizing piece of rough trade, Bacon makes a proposition: if the robber sheds his clothes and comes to bed with him, he promises he can have anything he wants...in presuming to take you inside mind and heart of a major artist, confronting the demonic aspect of the human condition, Love Is The Devil, goes as far and as deep as any movie has dared." - excerpted from Stephen Holden, The New York Times
Member Reviews
Electrifying...Brilliant...A Masterpiece - QueerNorth63
It was like having bolts of electricity shot through. Haunting in its beautiful portrayal of what was, at its core, an ugly relationship. Great artists are not always kind lovers, and Francis Bacon's cruel to be kind demeanour in this film is mesmerizing. Derek Jacobi brings to life probably one of the most complex characters of the 20th century art scene. Daniel Craig is absolutely brilliant as the needy/swaggering/neurotic George. Sexy and pathetic in the same scene. The whole film bristles with the frisson of sex + art + social-misfits, all colliding in swinging 60's London. It's a dark and grittier version and there isn't a lot to cheer you up, but that's not the point. Bacon's life was dark and severe, and is reflected in his paintings. You couldn't have painted like he did and be a gentle sould with your pipe and slippers. If Jackson Pollock was a brute and a psycho, then Francis Bacon's personae oozes through this film in the same way that Ed Harris brought Pollock to life. The whole feel of this film reminds me of Dance With A Stranger. Same vibe, different topic. (Loved that film too, by the way.)engrossing - 2commit
This is a fascinating take on one of the 20th century’s most interesting artists. Bacon really is indeed viewed unsympathetically—he’s by turns sadistic (socially), masochistic (sexually), dismissive of pretty much everybody’s opinions or ideas, arrogant to the extreme—a thoroughly unattractive man, both physically and psychically. His only saving grace, one shared with so many repugnant “stars,” is an indisputable talent for art and the art of making money.Too "artsy" - Screening_Blue
3 stars because I didn't go past the first scene, therefore I don't have the right to rate the movie as a whole. But for the record, what I really wanted to give it was 0 stars because that frst scene was so predictably "artsy" that it made me turn the DVD player off right there and then. Everything about it stank of snobby and artsy -- sorry--- everything in the first five minutes stank of snobby and artsy and just plain boring.
Movies are like books for me. Start off with a bad chapter and the good chapters are unlikely to be discovered. As an avid reader, I could never force myself to plow through a book that didn't grab me from the first chapter. Turns out I'm the same with movies...who knew...
Member Reviews
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Electrifying...Brilliant...A Masterpiece - QueerNorth63
It was like having bolts of electricity shot through. Haunting in its beautiful portrayal of what was, at its core, an ugly relationship. Great artists are not always kind lovers, and Francis Bacon's cruel to be kind demeanour in this film is mesmerizing. ...engrossing - 2commit
This is a fascinating take on one of the 20th century’s most interesting artists. Bacon really is indeed viewed unsympathetically—he’s by turns sadistic (socially), masochistic (sexually), dismissive of pretty much everybody’s opinions or ideas, arrogant to ...Too "artsy" - Screening_Blue
3 stars because I didn't go past the first scene, therefore I don't have the right to rate the movie as a whole. But for the record, what I really wanted to give it was 0 stars because that frst scene was so predictably "artsy" that it made me turn the DVD ...