A Short Film About John Bolton is a 2003 film written and directed by
Neil Gaiman. The film takes the form of a fictional television piece on real-life artist
John Bolton (but played in the film by actor John O'Mahony). It was
released direct to video, along with several bonus features.
Synopsis
One of the Bolton paintings on display
In a posh London gallery, Carolyn Dalgleish (Carolyn Backhouse) prepares a showing of the latest works by John Bolton;
disturbing portraits of beautiful, vicious vampiric women. The Interviewer (Marcus
Brigstocke) collects information on Bolton, who seems to perplex those who work with him and collect his art (like radio
personality Jonathan Ross (playing himself)).
Bolton appears to review the placement of the paintings before the opening. Eccentric and detached, Bolton is uncomfortable
with the amount of attention being paid to him. Forced to give a speech at that evening's party (where guests include the
real John Bolton in a cameo appearance), Bolton quietly states that he simply "paints what he sees."
Following the gala, Bolton is interviewed at home by Brigstocke. Bolton again proves elusive with answers about his art,
though he does (reluctantly) agree to have his work habits filmed for the first time (though only by the Interviewer, working
without his crew).
As dusk approaches, Bolton takes the Interviewer to his studio, located in the basement of an ancient monastery and graveyard.
As the hours drag on, Bolton shows no signs of getting started (he says he is waiting), and the Interviewer finally leaves.
Filming himself as he walks out of the graveyard, the Interviewer spots two ghostly women (one with zebra stripes running up her
leg) moving towards him. The camera falls to the ground, and the film closes on Bolton's latest work: a pale woman, with zebra
stripes running up her leg, feasting on human flesh.
Miscellanea
- Gaiman claimed to have gotten the idea for the film after writing an introduction to a collection of Bolton's art, which took
the form of a fictional biography of the artist.
- Bolton gave permission for the fictional film, and not only provided all of the paintings shown in the movie, but painted a
new one based on the film's finale.
- The zebra stripes on the woman's leg are actually a tattoo.
- The film is an homage to HPLovecraft's short story "Pickman's Model"
External links
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