BSkyB - Edward Hopper and the Blank Canvas (2012)
Edward Hopper and the Blank Canvas
This documentary examines American realist painter Edward Hopper's life, including testimonies from people who knew him, and by those inspired by his work, like German filmmaker Wim Wenders. From Mad Men to Blade Runner and The Simpsons, Hopper's scenes of modern American Life, most notably Nighthawks, have been recreated in myriad films and TV shows, while his style has influenced the likes of Alfred Hitchcock and Terrence Malick. Obsessed with the everyday, Hopper depicted all-night diners, cinemas, petrol stations, hotel lobbies and a theatre, filling them with seemingly isolated and alienated figures, because he believed loneliness was an inherent feature of city life. This documentary reveals the social and cultural context surrounding Hopper's work, while also exploring his independence as a painter, the many references to his work in film and the widespread production of his works.