Lust for Life Movie Analysis

Evan Pappazisis
Lust for Life Analysis
Lust for life is a film that follows infamous painter Vincent Van Gogh from the age of 21 to his death at age 37. In the initial stages of the film, the audience sees Van Gogh attempting to have success in various careers, such as teaching, being a minister’s assistant, and a bookseller, but failing on all fronts. He even failed his exams to become a minister. From this state of failure than Van Gogh became stuck in, he eventually found his true calling: to become an artist. We see him drawing anything he can, such as the villagers where he has been stationed as a minister’s assistant. He continues to improve upon his drawing skills. He eventually moves to Paris after being fully recognized as an artist, where he paints the famous “Sunflowers” painting. It is here in Paris that Van Gough’s depression finally onsets into complete bipolar disorder, and he takes it upon himself to cutoff his right ear. He is then admitted to a mental hospital, where he continues to paint. When he eventually reaches a better state of mine, he returns to Paris and continues to paint, but he falls back into a cycle of depression because of immense loneliness, and commits suicide.
Throughout the film, Vincent Van Gogh is depicted as very high strung,however during his times of depression, he is portrayed as sullen and melancholy. His passion for art is extremely prevalent throughout the film, and this passion eventually takes the place of his material comfort, food, love, and friendship. When the relationships thathe has in his life go bad, he starts to fully develop the depressive tendencies that he displays subtlety throughout the film, and becomes suicidal in the end. He displays common trends of bipolar disorder throughout the film, and Van Gogh’s behaviors greatly reflect what bipolar disorder represents in the human mind. The rapid cycle between depression and mania that Van Gogh displays makes him a definitive case for bipolar...