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It was so bizarre I couldn't take it
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Art on the BBC

It was so bizarreI couldn't take it. He even asked me,"Are you going to leave?" When I...

It was so bizarre
I couldn't take it. He even asked me,
"Are you going to leave?" When I heard behind me a familiar
step - short, quick, irregular - I turned around in that instant,
as Vincent rushed towards me, an open razor in hand. Of course, there's one episode
that's become more famous than any other in van Gogh's life. A few days before Christmas, he took
his razor and he sliced off his ear. This has come to overshadow
the rest of his life story, and sometimes even his paintings. And to a large extent, the blame for
this lies with the 1956 Hollywood classic Lust For Life, with Kirk Douglas
in the throes of impassioned rage. DRAMATIC MUSIC

Full Transcript

00:00:01.000 --> 00:00:03.076
It was so bizarre I couldn't take it.
00:00:03.076 --> 00:00:06.004
He even asked me, "Are you going to leave?"
00:00:08.008 --> 00:00:14.092
When I heard behind me a familiar step - short, quick, irregular -
00:00:14.092 --> 00:00:19.999
I turned around in that instant, as Vincent rushed towards me,
00:00:19.999 --> 00:00:20.092
an open razor in hand.
00:00:22.036 --> 00:00:25.998
Of course, there's one episode that's become more famous
00:00:25.998 --> 00:00:27.000
than any other in van Gogh's life.
00:00:27.000 --> 00:00:31.999
A few days before Christmas, he took his razor and he sliced off his ear.
00:00:31.999 --> 00:00:34.999
This has come to overshadow the rest of his life story,
00:00:34.999 --> 00:00:36.028
and sometimes even his paintings.
00:00:38.044 --> 00:00:42.072
And to a large extent, the blame for this lies with the 1956 Hollywood
00:00:42.072 --> 00:00:44.092
classic Lust For Life,
00:00:44.092 --> 00:00:49.000
with Kirk Douglas in the throes of impassioned rage.
00:00:49.000 --> 00:00:51.002
DRAMATIC MUSIC
Duration
51 seconds
Views
26
Timestamp in Movie
00:32:44
Uploaded
Jun 07, 2025
Season
2
Episode
2
Genres
documentary

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Movie Summary

Four young British art historians delve into six decades of the BBC archives to discover the powerful way in which television influences our understanding of the world's greatest artists.
S02 • E04 I think Simon Schama is absolutely right in his film when, you know, - Art on the BBC 00:42
I think Simon Schama is absolutely right in his film when, y...
S02 • E02 Well, Lust For Life, with all its terrific music, - Art on the BBC 00:18
Well, Lust For Life, with all its terrific music,
S02 • E04 Simon Schama makes a strong case - Art on the BBC 00:49
Simon Schama makes a strong case
S02 • E02 But while some programmes had a field day with the self-mutilation, - Art on the BBC 00:38
But while some programmes had a field day with the self-muti...
S02 • E01 The Americans fell in love with his paintings and, of course, - Art on the BBC 00:23
The Americans fell in love with his paintings and, of course...
S02 • E01 The portraits depict the elite of American society - Art on the BBC 00:53
The portraits depict the elite of American society
S02 • E04 This is his picture of a factory in the West Midlands. - Art on the BBC 00:51
This is his picture of a factory in the West Midlands.
S02 • E01 They seem to be at a gambling house, - Art on the BBC 00:46
They seem to be at a gambling house,
S02 • E03 But intriguingly, back in 1999, the year of mass Monet mania, - Art on the BBC 00:55
But intriguingly, back in 1999, the year of mass Monet mania...
S02 • E01 Actually, I wanted the dream sequences - Art on the BBC 00:28
Actually, I wanted the dream sequences
S02 • E03 Monet was not a religious man and Andrew conveys - Art on the BBC 00:50
Monet was not a religious man and Andrew conveys
S02 • E02 Van Gogh's mind fascinates us. For decades, we've considered him - Art on the BBC 00:21
Van Gogh's mind fascinates us. For decades, we've ...
S02 • E03 In an act of painterly transubstantiation, Monet turns - Art on the BBC 00:17
In an act of painterly transubstantiation, Monet turns
S02 • E03 I think Simon's making a really interesting point here, which speaks - Art on the BBC 00:58
I think Simon's making a really interesting point here,...
S02 • E04 Just imagine what this would've been like for Turner. - Art on the BBC 00:21
Just imagine what this would've been like for Turner.
S02 • E04 Rain, Steam and Speed, - Art on the BBC 00:18
Rain, Steam and Speed,
S02 • E03 In the last quarter of his life, Monet focused his attention - Art on the BBC 00:22
In the last quarter of his life, Monet focused his attention
S02 • E02 Six years later, Sir David Piper strengthened that link - Art on the BBC 00:55
Six years later, Sir David Piper strengthened that link
S02 • E03 These vast, near-abstract water landscapes were punctuated - Art on the BBC 00:10
These vast, near-abstract water landscapes were punctuated
S02 • E02 Years ago, when I was first considering the self-portraits as a - Art on the BBC 00:55
Years ago, when I was first considering the self-portraits a...