Egon Schiele: Death and the Maiden
Egon Schiele: Death and the Maiden

Movie spotlight

Egon Schiele: Death and the Maiden

2016
Movie
105 min
German

Vienna, Austria, 1910. The young painter Egon Schiele is a rising artist, provocative and free, whose work, characterized by eroticism, shocks as much as it fascinates art lovers.

Insights

IMDb6.2/10
Rotten Tomatoes61%
Metacritic58/100
Google Users70%
Director: Dieter BernerGenres: Biography, Drama, History

Plot Summary

The film chronicles the tumultuous early life and artistic career of the provocative Austrian painter Egon Schiele. It focuses on his intense relationships with the women in his life, particularly his muse and lover, Wally Neuzil, and his sister Gerti, as he navigates societal constraints and his own burgeoning, controversial genius. Schiele's raw, often explicit art reflects his passionate and self-destructive spirit.

Critical Reception

Egon Schiele: Death and the Maiden received mixed to positive reviews, with many critics praising its visual style and the performances of its lead actors, particularly Valerie Pachner as Wally Neuzil. Some found the film's narrative to be somewhat uneven, while others appreciated its attempt to capture the complexity and turbulence of the artist's life and times.

What Reviewers Say

  • Praised for its striking visual aesthetic and atmospheric portrayal of early 20th-century Vienna.

  • Valerie Pachner's performance as Wally Neuzil was frequently highlighted as a standout element.

  • Some critics noted that the film could have delved deeper into Schiele's artistic process.

Google audience: Audiences generally appreciated the film's dramatic storytelling and visual presentation, finding it an engaging, though at times intense, look into the life of a controversial artist. The performances, especially those of the female leads, were often cited as strengths.

Awards & Accolades

Nominated for Best Film at the Austrian Film Awards.

Fun Fact

The film was shot primarily in Vienna and other locations in Austria, meticulously recreating the historical settings to immerse the audience in Schiele's era.

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