Wain wedded Emily Richardson, his sisters tutor, at the age of 23 (which was regarded indecent at the time), and relocated to Hampstead in north London with her. The film was written and directed by Will Sharpe (Defending the Guilty, Flowers) alongside writer Simon Stephenson (Eleventh Hour, Paddington 2). For more information about Kents Filming History please visit our Movie Map. Benedict Cumberbatch, who also produced the film, plays Wain, a late 19th and early 20th century illustrator whose fanciful pictures of cats were so popular they helped inspire the . In his new home at London's Bethlem Hospital, the artist decorated the building for Christmas in his own unique style. Will Sharpe. Days before Richardson's death, A Kitten's Christmas Party - a drawing featuring 150 cats that took 11 days to create - appeared in the newspaper. But the real highlight of the film is the score and visuals, which both have such a delicate and unique beauty to them, to the point where Im already planning, cats, art & benedict, 3 of my favourite things <33, do you like it here, mr wain?there are no cats.. Location. He has some success in NYC, but returns to England in 1914 at Caroline's request. The Electrical Life of Louis Wain Trailer. With its array of exuberant artworks, the show offers a nuanced portrait of an artist who, in the years after his death, has often been misunderstood and overlooked. Some films can firmly claim to be one-of-a-kind, such as; 'The Life of Pi', then there's this one, about a painter I had not heard of from the late eighteen hundreds. His paintings and sketches got more abstract as well. OFlynn finds more exploration and use of color in Wains later work, not a decline. Meetings with Remarkable Men (film) 1979. Prime Minister Ramsay MacDonald was among those who backed the campaign - he would even go on to arrange for Wain's sisters to receive a small Civil List pension to recognise their brother's services to art. Synopsis: The extraordinary true story of eccentric British artist Louis Wain (Benedict Cumberbatch), whose playful, sometimes even psychedelic pictures helped to transform the public's perception of cats forever. Now, a new movie, "The Electrical Life of Louis Wain," starring Benedict Cumberbatch, in select theaters now and streaming on Amazon Prime Video Friday, tells his story. Wain also sends some of his drawings abroad. In the business of publishing, he was humble, inexperienced, easily manipulated, and ill-equipped for negotiation. Days after arriving, he receives news that his mother has died of influenza. Due to the fact that there were pictures of Peter displayed all over the walls of their apartment, which drew ecstatic approbation from their visitors, Emily urged her husband to give some of his sketches of Peter to publishers, but he did not believe they would be receptive. Instead, its a much more melancholy biopic of a Victorian artist who spent his life battling mental health issues at a time when these conditions were ill understood. In Summer 2019, we welcomed the cast and crew of a new film which tells the true story of an eccentric British artist. Sadly, Emily would be diagnosed with breast cancer soon after and passed away three years later. Wains illness progressed, and his cat paintings got increasingly abstract until they were scarcely identifiable as cats at all by the end of his life, instead, they became elaborately detailed, fractal patterns full of impossibly vivid colors. Peter the cat drew a lot of attention since he was so reassuring to Emily, and Louis began teaching him skills to entertain her. Free shipping for many products! It follows the life and career of a British artist whose cat images typified Edwardian Englands exuberant flair. He had always been odd, but now he was exhibiting symptoms of a major mental disease. Benedict Cumberbatch. The mental health of Wain, who had always been considered eccentric, deteriorated as he got older. Louis Wain was born in 1860 in Clerkenwell, London, as the oldest of six children and the only male. He also claimed that spirits were torturing him and, on multiple occasions, even physically attacked his sisters. The practice of keeping a cat as a pet was unusual in the Victorian era. Louis Wains cats may be found in posters, magazines, journals, post-cards, and annuals engaged in every form of human activity, from playing sports, digging up roads, and riding bikes, to showing the newest trends at Ascot and delivering pompous after-dinner lectures at the club. The Electrical Life of Louis Wain opens in UK cinemas on New Year's Day. When I first started sketching and painting cats, they were viewed as detested creatures, looked upon as pests by hunters, Louis Wain stated in 1909. His discovery there by a journalist a year later led to a high-profile campaign to find him better care. Louis Wains paintings were also replicated on picture postcards, which are today very collectible. Whatever disease he had, he did not lose himself in it: his passion for cats and his unique creative skill remained undiminished during his stay in the hospital. Hes now widely regarded as having suffered a terrible downfall owing to mental illness, as indicated by major changes in his artistic approach and production. Their eyes are big and slightly deviousa signature of his work. Original features . Yet, there is always plenty more to learn about any artist. And it's up to you to capture it, Louis. Titled A Kittens Christmas Party, the drawing featured nearly 200 felines reveling in holiday festivities: They make speeches, play games and indulge in boozy punch. Watch The Electrical Life Of Louis Wain: Prism, Watch The Electrical Life Of Louis Wain: Mr. Cat Man, Watch The Electrical Life Of Louis Wain: Emily Painting (UK), Watch The Electrical Life Of Louis Wain: Emily Painting, Watch The Electrical Life Of Louis Wain: Mr. Cat Man (UK). A cat drawing by Louis Wain represents his anthropomorphic style;Louis Wain, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons. Starring: Benedict Cumberbatch, Claire Foy, Andrea Riseborough, Aimee Lou Wood, Toby Jones But his behavior eventually became disconcertingly erratic, and in 1924, he was certified insane and committed to an asylum. Known for his unique paintings of anthropomorphised cats, Wain suffered from poor mental health in his later years and was hospitalised when his family could no longer care for him. [11][12][13][14] It began its limited release on 22 October 2021. Sky News finds out about his unusual life. Wain later attended the West London School of Art and also worked as a lecturer at the school for a brief time. Liar Series 1 & 2 (2017 2020) and Baptiste (2019) both recently filmed here. The cast and crew filmed extensively in and around the city to bring the timepiece to life. The cast and crew have been tight-lipped about further specifics of the production. He was a huge success in this job. His work aided in the popularization of cats as home pets. Moving from the late 1800s through to the 1930s, we follow the incredible adventures of this inspiring, unsung hero, as he seeks to unlock the "electrical" mysteries of the world and . But after seeing the drawings, editors at the Illustrated London News, where Wain was a freelancer, offered to print some of his cat art. Merchandise such as Christmas annuals and postcards further spread his fame and Wain became known simply as "the man who drew cats". The 2021 film "The Electrical Life of Louis Wain," directed by Will Sharpe, conveys the life of the highly influential English artist, but is also sympathetic to his mental health struggles. In turn-of-the-century Britain, Wain was the country's favourite illustrator. The Kent Film Office detailed the filming locations that were used in that county. ", The world's oldest psychiatric institution. Emily was soothed during her sickness by their beloved cat Peter, a stray kitten they adopted after hearing him meowing in the storm one night. Psychiatrist Walter Maclay discovered the paintings in a junk shop in the 1930s; he later arranged them in a sequence and touted them as illustrations of Wains descent into madness. Wain was not only ahead of his time in artistic style, but also in his attitudes about some of our favorite furry friends today. An eccentric polymath who compensated for his lack of people skills with a savant-like gift for sketching animals. It stars Benedict Cumberbatch, Claire Foy, Andrea Riseborough and Toby Jones. The typical Wain cat began to be replaced by dynamic, richly patterned images, leading spectators into a new, lively universe where cats became frenetic and sharp, sometimes dissolving into kaleidoscopic forms. Get the latest stories in your inbox every weekday. And Benedict Cumberbatch after the Power of the Dog and this is the best actor right after Daniel Day Louis .. Id die for every single cat in this movie especially Peter. Louis Wain is an illustrator for an English publication. The Electrical Life of Louis Wain's title might lead a viewer to think they will be embarking on a journey of discovery about electricity, but the real meaning of the title is something else entirely.The Amazon Original film is directed by Will Sharpe and garnered four nominations at the British Independent Film Awards this past December, winning one. Louis Wains artwork is commonly cited as an illustration of schizophrenias evolution and the disorders influence on an artists perceptions. The period-piece drama set in late 19th century London lends an endearing look into the exceptionally talented but troubled artists life. . In this article, we will explore how Louis Wains art not only influenced artists but also was significantly used in the field of psychology to illustrate a patients declining mental cognition. Directed by. "They became an overnight sensation," says Mr Gale. Maclay considered the series as confirmation of his views, according to OFlynn, who based his theory on his 1930s research with art and mescaline-induced insanity. The notion of Kaleidoscope Cats does not allow for the recognition or appreciation of Wains artistic progress, nor does it portray the depth of his character and personal experiences. Louis Wain created a cat fashion, a cat society, and a whole cat universe. In 1924, his sisters are forced to have him committed to the Springfield Mental Hospital in Tooting. Let us now take you to the specific locations where the movie was filmed! "He made the cat his . Louis Wain: You make the world beautiful and warm and kind. Moving from the late 1800s through to the 1930s, we follow the incredible adventures of this inspiring, unsung hero, as he seeks to unlock the . 5383055, Cumberland Lodge 2021 Letterboxd is an independent service created by a small team, and we rely mostly on the support of our members to maintain our site and apps. After raising the money needed. One pared-down work on display at the Bethlem features only the head of a grinning cat and a very cat-like caption: I Am Happy Because Everyone Loves Me.. The two become instantly attracted to each other, much to the dismay of the eldest sister, Caroline. Individuals with schizophrenias capacity to be creative declined, according to Maclay. Learn more. He generated hundreds of drawings each year and created illustrations for over 100 childrens books. Wain was a productive artist over the following 30 years. Their eyes are big and slightly. Deal is a town on the south coast of Kent with a long naval history as one of the major Cinque Ports. His family had a history of illness, with his youngest sister admitted to . It would be interesting to study more about the alterations in Wains brain that allowed him to access this previously unseen world of color and pattern. Find out more about using Cumberland Lodge as a filming location. Louis Wains art was known for one subject: cats, such as his famous cat painting, Kaleidoscope Cats I (1931). Wain continued to create quirky cat art after his hospitalization in 1924. Production Company: Amazon Studios, Film4, Shoebox Films, StudioCanal, SunnyMarch Kent Locations Used: Botany Bay, Kingsgate Bay, Deal, Walmer, Kingsdown Leas The Electrical Life of Louis Wain (2022) is a biopic of the English painter who rose to fame at the end of the 19th century. When Wain was found there a year later, his plight was extensively reported, prompting appeals from celebrities like H. G. Wells. However, because Wain did not date his paintings, it is unknown if they were made in the sequence shown in textbooks, which usually depict more florid, abstract imagery as coming later, indicating Wains mental condition. Registered charity no. This gives me a double nature, and I consider these pieces to be my funniest work. He also did a few political satirical cartoons, so Winston Churchill as a cat, but it was all very gentle," the museum director says. Macmillan commissioned Wain to illustrate Madame Tabbys Establishment in 1886, a childrens story about a young girl who is welcomed into the cat kings court and travels to Madame Tabbys to learn correct cat etiquette. Though Louis Wain is not a well-known artist today, this is a worthy addition to the sub-genre of artist biopics. [5], The film was announced in July 2019, with Benedict Cumberbatch, Claire Foy, Andrea Riseborough and Toby Jones cast. The film premiered at the 48th Telluride Film Festival on 2 September 2021, and then the film had a limited release on 22 October 2021 and then later . Kingsgate Bay is a small sandy bay surrounded by chalk cliffs that connects at low tide through Whiteness cliff arch to Botany Bay. TMDb Get the latest information and tips about everything Art with our bi-weekly newsletter. Wain decided to use the mirrors there as his canvas. One of Louis Wains Christmas illustrations (1909); How Did Louis Wains Art Become Abstract? The Great Park Wains bright use of pattern is magnificent; was it a way of exploring a lifelong love with electric impulses, or was it inspired by his textile-designer parents? The house features glorious Georgian architecture, large portraits, original chimney pieces and door frames and an iconic sweeping staircase with 19th century . In 1881, 18 months after his father's death, Louis Wain, the only male and eldest of the Wain family, becomes the primary breadwinner. Father, Son' and 'Louis Wain', to name a few. [17], "Interview: Sex Education's Aimee Lou Wood", "Taika Waititi, Nick Cave And Olivia Colman Cameos Revealed For The Electrical Life Of Louis Wain Exclusive", "Stath Lets Flats returning for Series 3", "Brit List topped by Matinee Idol, Gateway 6", Benedict Cumberbatch & Claire Foy To Star In Movie Louis Wain For StudioCanal, SunnyMarch, Shoebox, Film4 & Amazon, "Stacy Martin, Hayley Squires Join Benedict Cumberbatch in 'Louis Wain' for Amazon, StudioCanal", "Kent Film Office The Electrical Life of Louis Wain (2022) Article", "Telluride Film Festival: Will Smith's 'King Richard', Peter Dinklage Musical 'Cyrano', Joaquin Phoenix In 'C'mon C'mon', Ken Branagh's 'Belfast' Set To Premiere", "Neon Acquires Zhang Yimou's One Second Ahead of Toronto Film Festival", "Comcast's Sky Inks Content Deal with StudioCanal", "Amazon Adapts Son Heung-Min Series For UK; Sky Signs Movie Deal With Studiocanal; UK's Indielab Accelerator Opens Global Briefs", "Benedict Cumberbatch stars in new look at Louis Wain biopic", "Virtually every movie coming to theaters or streaming this fall", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Electrical_Life_of_Louis_Wain&oldid=1134326736, This page was last edited on 18 January 2023, at 03:55. Often these were created as Wain sat in public places and furtively sketched the people around him, but as anthropomorphised felines. Emily Richardson-Wain: I don't make the world beautiful, Louis. Something in Wains condition appears to have enabled him to comprehend and describe these unseen natural motifs long before anybody else had noticed them. Unlike Wains later works, this piece displays none of the extreme coloring and fractal patterns that would become hallmarks of his style. Louis Wain was famous for the thousands of sketches and paintings of cats which he produced in his lifetime Often seen with large eyes or human-like smiles, the depictions softened the hearts. Louis William Wain was an eccentric cat lover who delighted Edwardian audiences with delightful, often funny pictures of anthropomorphized feline pals playing golf, drinking tea, wearing suits, and attending the opera. Cats Bringing in a Yule Log (1910) by Louis Wain, from his Catland illustrations;Louis Wain, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons, Wain, on the other hand, spent the mid-1880s attempting to earn a livelihood as a dog portraitist rather than pitching cat images to publishers. His father was a traveller for a textile firm: his mother, of French emigr descent, designed church embroideries and carpets. All Rights Reserved. He became increasingly verbally abusive and violent towards his sisters, with whom he lived. Animal Therapy: The Cats of Louis Wain runs at the Bethlem Museum of the Mind - which is based in the hospital's former administration wing - until 13 April. The Electrical Life of Louis Wain is a 2021 biographical comedy-drama film directed by Will Sharpe, from a story by Simon Stephenson, and screenplay by Stephenson and Sharpe. Benedict Cumberbatch and Claire Foy occupy central roles in the extraordinary venture, but the cats steal some highlights. He was easily deceived, falling for promises of a new invention or other money-making scams. Dir. The Electrical Life of Louis Wain is an enthralling biopic directed by Will Sharpe, the acclaimed director of black comedy Black Pond and creator of crime drama Giri/Haji. It revolves around the life and times of the titular artist. Deals seafront has a large green, promenade, small fishing fleet, huts, sailing boats, lifeboat station as well as an extensive pebble beach. Fresh off delivering the best and most unexpected performance of his career in Jane Campions The Power of the Dog, Benedict Cumberbatch retreats to more familiar territory in a whimsical Victorian biopic that might as well be called The Ridiculousness of the Cat. Of course when it comes to the late 19th- and early-20th-century artist Louis Wain whose adorable illustrations of big-eyed moggies effectively invented our modern understanding of felines as domestic friends ridiculousness is meant with utmost affection. The Electrical Life of Louis Wain is in cinemas on January 1, 2022; Animal Therapy: The Cats of Louis Wain is at the Bethlem Museum of the Mind until April 14 and can also be viewed online at. According to the Bethlems website, the artists illustrations won widespread fame between the 1880s and the outbreak of World War I in 1914. This could have been a fairly dour affair, but the creative team have worked hard to make this a constantly engaging and fascinating journey. It was painted in 1896. Louis Wain(1860-1939) Louis Wain. From the 1880s until the outbreak of World War I, the Louis Wain cat was highly popular. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. Louis Wain (August 5, 1860 - July 4, 1939) was an English artist best-known, if at all, for drawings of animated and often anthropomorphized cats. Amazon Studios' The Electrical Life Of Louis Wai n is now in theaters and will be available on Prime Video Friday Nov. 5. English cats that do not look and live like Louis Wain cats are ashamed of themselves.". Unlike other artists who painted cats in their natural condition, Wain preferred to depict them funnily, with huge eyes and frequently engaging in human activities. He frequently sold his drawings altogether, with no rights to reproduce them. He drew cats performing on musical instruments, cats pouring tea, cats playing a game of cards, hunting, smoking, and attending opera performances. Wains profession expanded to manufacture futurist ceramic cats, more Cubist in style, after the demand for his work fell off during World War I. Animal Therapy: The Cats of Louis Wain is currently on display at the Bethlem Museum of the Mind, located on the hospitals grounds in Beckenham, Kent. Made by fans in Aotearoa New Zealand. Carol Singing by Louis William Wain, watercolor, gouache, pen and pencil on paper;Louis William Wain, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons. The artist was institutionalized at Bethlemmore commonly known as Bedlambetween 1925 and 1930, when he was transferred to Napsbury Hospital, near St. Albans. See production, box office & company info, The Electrical Life Of Louis Wain - Challenges Us To Feel, The Graham Norton Show: New Year's Eve Show. He progressively degenerated, turning into a distrustful and even angry individual with nonsensical, meandering discourse. Dir: Will Sharpe. Powered by JustWatch. Please consider upgrading to a Pro accountfor less than a couple bucks a month, youll get cool additional features like all-time and annual stats pages (example), the ability to select (and filter by) your favorite streaming services, and no ads! He invented a cat style, a cat society, a whole cat world. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for C. 1890'S ALLERTONS 8" CHILD'S ABC PLATE LOUIS WAIN CATS at the best online prices at eBay! His paintings of lovely, lovable felines parodying Edwardian life inundated newspapers and periodicals. So says the wife of Louis Wain to her husband in The Electrical Life of Louis Wain, a new movie about a Victorian-era illustrator who is credited for changing the reputation of the cat from a mere . The website's consensus reads: "Sparked by a pair of well-matched leads, The Electrical Life of Louis Wain honours its real-life subject by adding a dash of whimsy to the standard biopic formula. Dan Rider, an official inspecting the mental institution recognizes Louis; in 1881 Louis drew his dog Cleopatra for free while they rode a train. Caroline fires Emily; Louis weds her. A popular filming location offering an ideal backdrop for TV interviews, period dramas and photo shoots. The Electrical Life of Louis Wain was filmed in its entirety in and around England, especially in London. His treatment was centred on making his environment as pleasant as possible. Although the edition becomes a success, Emily dies months later. "The Electrical Life of Louis Wain" has the same problem as its real-life subject, in that it goes off in too many directions at once. Mar 25, 2022. More at The Electrical Life of Louis Wain on Amazon Prime will be released on November 5, 2021. Animal Therapy: The Cats of Louis Wain takes place at Bethlem Royal Hospital in London beginning this month. Wain often depicted cats in cheeky, anthropomorphic scenes. The Electrical Life of Louis Wain is a 2021 biographical drama film directed by Will Sharpe, from a story by Simon Stephenson, and screenplay by Stephenson and Sharpe. Wain went on to become a popular commercial artist best known for his humorous, endearing depictions of wide-eyed cats engaging in an array of human antics. It is unusual as it depicts bulldogs, rather than the cats which are Louis Wains usual fare;Louis Wain, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons. We delved into Louis Wains biography as well as his famous cat paintings such as Kaleidoscope Cats I. The film stars Benedict Cumberbatch (as the eccentric artist Louis Wain), Claire Foy, Andrea Riseborough and Toby Jones. Cats melting into patterns or converting into three-dimensional Cubist patterns may have indicated something positive instead of an internal sickness. Read More: Is The Electrical Life of Louis Wain Based on a True Story? 2023 Kent Film Office. The Bachelor Party is a hilarious image depicting several cats gathering around a tabletop, having a few beverages, and smoking cigars. 1108677 Company no. A movie with Benedict drawing psychedelic cats, a Nick Cave cameo (as H.G. Visitors will be rewarded with a fascinating, vibrant and spirit-lifting show, Gale tells the Guardian. Keira Knightley. What was the official certification given to The Electrical Life of Louis Wain (2021) in France? Its hard to believe that the cat was not generally regarded as a pet in those days, Dale said, adding that cat fancier groups were beginning to have an influence. He gradually establishes his place in the artistic canon of Victorian-era England. To look and to share it with as many people as you can. Much of the film plays as baroque comedy, Wain introduced as a busy young Londoner. Louis William Wain was sent to Napsbury Hospital in Hertfordshire in 1930. Cookie Policy Although fractal patterns may be seen in nature, such as in aerial shots of coastlines and mountain ranges, and even in plant foliage, the first computer-generated representations of idealistic fractal structures that we are acquainted with were not created until the 1970s.