I knew nothing about margaret keane, but recognized her work from reproductions in dime stores of my youth. Shes just been asked to describe what she felt the first time she saw big eyes, the new tim burton film about her life. Margaret keane and amy adams, who plays her in tim burtons big eyes, talk about ms. Walter keane threatened to kill his wife margaret left on more than one occasion. Margaret keane is 87 years old, an impish woman in a blue suit, a turtleneck, and jeans whod been up until 3 oclock in the morning december 15 for premiere of big eyes, the new tim burton film about her click on the picture to read the details. This is the first feature film directed by tim burton to not feature actors with. But very few men would have willingly vanished into the woodwork the way she does. The weinstein companyallstarallstarthe weinstein company. Margaret keane sighs softly and shifts uncomfortably in her seat. Margaret keane inspiration for big eyes movie trailers.
Big eyes casts another side of keane art the new york times. Walter keane claimed to paint the big eyes until his death ruling. Dec 25, 2014 margaret keane s life is a fascinating and near unbelievable one. Margaret revealed to a upi reporter that she was the real artist behind the big eyes in october of 1970 6 years after they had separated. It was his wife, margaret, who was really creating all the big eye paintings and kept walters. The big, dopey eyes are back in burtons latest movie, based on the strangerthanfiction travails of the american artist margaret keane. Did she really have a month to paint a masterwork for the 1964 worlds fair. Margaret keane news big eyes artwork margaret keane. Amy adams shares her encounter with big eyes artist.
Actress amy adams right as margaret keane in the big eyes movie. A conversation with big eyes subject margaret keane. Relative of discredited big eyes artist makes a keane. Walk into margaret keanes modest craftsman home in napa valley, calif. She meets gregarious ladies man and fellow painter walter keane in a park while she was struggling to make an impact with her drawings of children with big eyes. Also known as keane eyes and for the movie big eyes. Margaret keane s collection of fantastic artwork is available via poster greeting cards, magnets and more.
Walter adamantly denied his exwifes claims until his death at 85 on december 27, 2000. Well, big eyes rests on the story of keane and on christoph waltzs immeasurable charm in his performance as walter keane. Keane is an american artist known for her paintings of subjects with big eyes. A drama about the awakening of painter margaret keane, her phenomenal success in. Big eyes is a 2014 american biographical drama film directed by tim burton, written by scott alexander and larry karaszewski and starring amy adams and christoph waltz. Reteaming with the writers of ed wood, burton returns to the biopic genre by telling the story of margaret and walter keane, and their beautiful and melancholy big eyes paintings.
Dec 25, 2014 margaret keane says she told big eyes truth on spur of the moment the artist hadnt planned to publicly reveal the truth about her big eyed paintings in a 1970 interview. In the films pivotal stretch, margaret learns the full extent of her. Kqed arts sat down with the 87yearold to hear firsthand about what. The film is about the life of american artist margaret keane famous for painting and drawing portraits of people with big eyes. Keanes fight for recognition as the artist behind wellknown paintings of waifs. Like in the big eyes movie, margaret became a jehovahs witness in the late 1960s after leaving her husband walter and moving to hawaii to start fresh. Im a huge fan of burtons work, but this just wasnt the. The sad big eyed children made commercially famous by keane are uniquely peculiar. Margaret keane is an internationally famous and acclaimed artist. Big eyes painter margaret keane on how husband walter. Margaret keane stepped out for a screening of big eyes on tuesday night at the ace hotel in downtown l.
Margaret sued walter and the case escalated to court. The story itself is fascinating, though, which helps, and amy adams quiet meticulous performance as margaret keane is a beautiful and emotional piece of work. Dec 18, 2014 it is the story of margaret keane, whose chocolateboxy paintings of sweet little kids with big eyes became a commercial smash in the early 60s, though mocked by snooty critics, rather like jack. Film big eyes en streaming vf gratuit complet hd 2015 en. Dec 22, 2014 they inspired people to go to museums or pick up a paint brush. Tim burton big eyes movie tells the story of art couple margaret and walter keane. But walter keane, it turns out, couldnt even paint. Margaret keanes collection of fantastic artwork is available via poster greeting cards, magnets and more. True story behind the films starring amy adams time. The film, the art, singer matthew sweet, who is a keane aficionado and has. Dec 25, 2014 the film changes the timeline of the keanes court battle. As tim the filmmaker, being able to relate to how critics viewed his work was definitely something very personal to him in relation to big eyes and margaret keane as an artist. Painter margaret keane created a unique, commercially popular artistic aesthetic during the 1960s, though unknown to the public for some. Transcript for amy adams shares her encounter with big eyes artist margaret.
Margaret keane gallery big eyes artwork margaret keane. Amy adam plays margaret keane in tim burtons film big eyes. It all started in 1955 at a san francisco art fair. The work achieved commercial success through inexpensive reproductions on prints, plates, and cups. Our gallery has the largest collection of margaret keanes art. In the 60s, she takes him to court in order to prove once and for all who the true artist is. In the film big eyes amy adams plays margaret keane but it was her husband walter who couldnt paint at all. Shes just been asked to describe what she felt the first time she saw big eyes, the.
Big eyes is a 2014 film directed by tim burton about margaret keane, a housewife whose paintings of waifs with large eyes became famous in the 50s, as her husband, walter christoph waltz took the credit for them. After a string of fanciful and imaginative, but artistically spotty, explorations in film imagery dark shadows anyone. The artist margaret keane, vindicated in tim burtons film the. Dec 25, 2014 entertaining in spots, obvious and irritating in others, with a onenote schticky performance from christopher waltz as walter, big eyes is a strangely conventional entry in tim burtons filmography. Big eyes amy adams plays the painter margaret keane in tim burtons colorful but shallow biopic. A horror movie tucked inside a domestic drama wrapped up in a biopic, tim burtons big eyes tells the story of margaret keane, an artist. Big eyes is the new movie from iconic filmmaker tim burton. Her story has been detailed in the 2014 film big eyes, with actress amy adams portraying margaret. In the film big eyes amy adams plays margaret keane but it was her husband walter who couldnt paint at all taking the credit. Sep 27, 2019 painter margaret keane created a unique, commercially popular artistic aesthetic during the 1960s, though unknown to the public for some time.
Amy adams portrayed the artist and christoph waltz incarnated walter keane. Big eyes, directed by tim burton, stars amy adams as margaret, and christoph waltz as walter. Did walter keane ever admit that margaret painted the bigeyed paintings. Tim burton, the director of movie big eyes, which is based on the true story of margaret keane and her artwork during 1960s, also described her. To call big eyes a tim burton movie is a bit of a bait and switch. Walk into margaret keane s modest craftsman home in napa valley, calif. The story is rather interesting because it centers on this perverse relationship between walter christoph waltz and margaret keane amy adams who lie to everyone about the big eyed paintings they sell.
And much of big eyes success as a film rests comfortably on that very story. True, burton directed the film, whose subject, the painter margaret keane. True, burton directed the film, whose subject, the painter margaret keane, he has long admired. The two quickly become a pair with outgoing walter selling their paintings and quiet margaret holed up at home painting even more children with big eyes. Jan 02, 2015 on new years day we went into southampton for the afternoon showing of the film big eyes based on the life of artist margaret keane. For years, she painted portraits of bigeyed children for which her husband took the credit. She mainly paints women, children, or animals in oil or mixed media. Big eyes however, doesnt feel like one of his films considering it is a conventional biopic about a cult painter in the 50s. Its unfortunate just how awkward and tonally inconsistent big eyes feels, margaret keane and her work deserves a better film than this. Oct 26, 2014 margaret keane at home in napa, california. Adams met keane at the gallery before filming started.
The big eyes paintings how a husband took credit for his. Dec 21, 2014 margaret keane and amy adams, who plays her in tim burtons big eyes, talk about ms. Margaret keane says she told big eyes truth on spur of the. Jan 02, 2015 margaret did not respond to a request for comment on billys statements. Margaret keane, painter behind tim burtons big eyes kqed. Dec 27, 2017 walter keane even wrote a book in 1983, the world of keane, in which he says that, when he first met margaret at an outdoor art fair in san francisco, she told him that he was the greatest and most handsome artist she knew and that she paticularly loved his bigeyed paintings. Fact walter played by christoph waltz in the movie claimed he was inspired by the starving, orphaned children he saw in his. After their divorce in the 1960s, margaret soon claimed credit, which was established after a court paintoff in hawaii. In 2014, tim burton made a movie about margaret s life. The painting, which is depicted in the movie, became known as tomorrow forever.
The artwork was originally attributed to keanes husband, walter keane. Part of her life is depicted in the 2014 film big eyes. Whether or not to take margaret keane seriously is one matter. Keane art the big eyes paintings of margaret keane. About keane eyes gallery we are located at 349 geary st. Big eyes painter margaret keane on how her husband walter who stole her work and scammed america was even nuttier than tim burtons movie portrayal.