[Review] Phil Grabsky’s documentary “I, Claude Monet” takes the viewer on a journey through the life of famed Impressionist Claude Monet. However, the captivating motion picture is more than an ordinary documentary; it lets the audience emotionally merge with the artist and cheer right alongside him.
“I am not a painter. I only know that I do what I can to convey what I experience before nature.” These are not the remarks of a failed or rejected painter but the words of one of the world’s most prominent artists of all times, Claude Monet. The 87-minute biographical documentary “I, Claude Monet,” told from the Impressionist’s point of view, takes the viewer on a trip through Monet’s life — through his lowest lows and highest highs.
“I, Claude Monet,” produced by award-winning director Phil Grabsky, premiered on February 14, 2017. It belongs to the “Exhibition on Screen” series, in the course of which documentaries about Leonardo da Vinci, Vincent van Gogh, and Pablo Picasso have appeared. “Monet” himself (voice: Henry Goodman) reads out excerpts from very personal letters and diary entries, garnished with video recordings and pieces of art depicting the painter’s various work locations. Soulful tones of British composer Stephen Baysted provide the musical framing of the documentary.
Claude Monet, the “star” of Impressionism whose painting “Impression, Sunrise” gave its name to an utterly new art movement at the end of the nineteenth century, is the focus of this biographical documentary narrated from a first-person perspective. The viewer experiences Monet throughout his childhood in Le Havre, during his student days in Paris, and over the course of the second half of his life in Giverny. Noticeable detail: the element of water plays a fundamental role in the documentary, reflecting on Monet’s artwork and his love for water sceneries in general; boats, harbors, waves, the sound of the sea, the reflections of the sun in the ocean — these can all be described as major components of the artist’s work and are essential features of the documentary as well.
There is a great deal of passion in Goodman’s voice; you almost get the feeling that Monet is speaking to you in person. You feel excited when he enthusiastically reports about his portrait of Camille (his first wife) being accepted by the Salon de Paris; you empathize with him when he feels desperate and hopeless because of his lack of means, and it also gives you goose bumps when he mourns the death of his beloved Camille. The dissatisfaction with his own painting ability, which he occasionally experienced, is also portrayed. The older Monet gets, the clumsier and more tired the speaker’s voice becomes — another factor contributing to the documentary’s realistic characterization. In the end, the viewer experiences Monet’s deep self-doubt and desperation firsthand, and the fact that he is slowly dying makes one sad and sorrowful.
“I, Claude Monet” can be described as a touching and highly emotional documentary with a significant amount of depth and thoughtfulness. It is a must for dedicated Monet fans.
“I, Claude Monet” (2017)
Producer/Director: Phil Grabsky
Production Company: Seventh Art Productions
Official Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Dwhe4Mejbk
