Mapplethorpe (film)

Mapplethorpe
Film poster
Directed byOndi Timoner
Screenplay byMikko Alanne
Ondi Timoner
Produced byEliza Dushku
Ondi Timoner
Nate Dushku
Richard J. Bosner
StarringMatt Smith
CinematographyNancy Schreiber
Edited byLee Percy
John David Allen
Music byMarcelo Zarvos
Production
companies
Distributed bySamuel Goldwyn Films
Release dates
  • April 22, 2018 (2018-04-22) (Tribeca)
  • March 1, 2019 (2019-03-01) (United States)
  • April 2, 2021 (2021-04-02) (Director's Cut)
Running time
102 min
114 min (Director's Cut)
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Mapplethorpe is a 2018 American biographical drama film written and directed by Ondi Timoner about the life of photographer Robert Mapplethorpe.[1] Shooting began on July 11, 2017 in New York and lasted only 19 days.[1] It premiered at the 2018 Tribeca Film Festival.[2]

Premise

The film depicts the life of Robert Mapplethorpe, a photographer who transformed taboo subjects like gay sex, Satanism, and bondage into beautiful black-and-white images.

Cast

Reception

Variety said that the film fails to capture the controversial nature of Mapplethorpe's work and portrays him as a role model who found his way into the elitist art world. Although the film is not as provocative as Mapplethorpe's photographs, it contains several hardcore scenes, and Matt Smith plays the artist's role until his death in 1989.[4]

RogerEbert.com has a 3-star rating and stated that while the biopic follows a standard format of recounting the life of Robert Mapplethorpe, it stands out in the portrayal of the relationships between artists and their creative processes. The article also praises Matt Smith's performance for its realism and unglamorous portrayal of Mapplethorpe.[5]

Mapplethorpe has received six Audience Awards at Tribeca Film Festival, Sidewalk Film Festival, All Genders Lifestyles and Identities Film Festival, Key West Film Festival, Long Beach Q Film Festival, Oslo/Fusion International Film Festival, Out on Film Atlanta Film Festival, and Best LGBTQ Film at Key West Int'l Film Festival, Best Director at Long Beach Int'l Film Festival, Best Feature Film and Best Director at the Queen Palm International Film Festival and Best Feature Film and Best Director at the Hollywood Women's Film Festival. [citation needed]

Releases

A director's cut was released in April 2021 with "restored scenes depicting Mapplethorpe’s childhood love of photography, his embattled relationship with his father, and his lingering, ambivalent connection to the Catholic faith".[6][7][8][5][9]

References

  1. ^ a b Winfrey, Graham (3 July 2017). "Mapplethorpe has found its Patti Smith, but it doesn't have her support". www.indiewire.com. Retrieved 18 April 2022.
  2. ^ Raup, Jordan (March 7, 2018). "Tribeca 2018 lineup includes Disobedience, The Miseducation of Cameron Post, The Seagull, and more". The Film Stage. Retrieved 18 April 2022.
  3. ^ Gremore, Graham (8 March 2019). "Disabled actor Anthony Michael Lopez talks new film Mapplethorpe and being an out gay leading man". Queerty. Retrieved 18 April 2022.
  4. ^ Debruge, Peter (2018-04-23). "Film Review: 'Mapplethorpe'". Variety. Retrieved 2023-03-23.
  5. ^ a b Seitz, Matt Zoller (2 April 2021). "Mapplethorpe: The Director's Cut". RogerEbert.com. Retrieved 18 April 2022.
  6. ^ Biggerstaff, Gerald (1 April 2021). "Review: Mapplethorpe: The Director's Cut". instinct magazine. Retrieved 18 April 2022.
  7. ^ Needle, Chael (2 April 2021). "Mapplethorpe: The Director's Cut: Review". a&u mag. Retrieved 18 April 2022.
  8. ^ Reynolds, Daniel (3 March 2021). "Matt Smith Gets Explicit in Mapplethorpe Director's Cut Trailer". The Advocate. Retrieved 18 April 2022.
  9. ^ Nahmod, David-Elijah (21 April 2021). "Mapplethorpe: The Director's Cut Cinema Review". Outfront Magazine. Retrieved 18 April 2022.


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