MovieChat Forums > Frida (2002) Discussion > Why is anyone so crazy about Frida Kahlo...

Why is anyone so crazy about Frida Kahlo?

posted 19 years ago by Thusnelda
13 replies | jump to latest

Why is Mrs. Kahlo THAT popular? Her paintings are average at best, and she was a good friend of Leo Trotzki (Bronstein) from Russia, who had fled to Mexico from the Soviet Union after a quarrel with Stalin - and after having murdered millions of innocent Russian civilians (farmer, priests etc.). A fried of a mass murderer portrayed as a hero? That's Hollywood. :-(((

As to the movie: It's a typical Hollywood Movie - kitschig and full of historical inaccuracies. Examples: Frida is shown watching King Kong when she goes to New York. It is well known that the movie was made in 1933, but later we see on her mother's grave that the year is 1932. Or this one: There is a reference to Happy Rockefeller in 1933 by Alfred Molina. She became Nelson Rockefeller's wife in the 1960s and was unknown at the time.

Yours,

Thusnelda

[–] 19 years ago

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[–] stefanosstavrinos 19 years ago

Because in her paintings her emotions are clearly displayed by a direect use of symbols and also by the display of her own images in many different time periods.Surealism also characterizes those paintings. I believe that Frida as film promotes the art work of Frida Kahlo and the Mexican culture. It is also explaining the life events that affected Kahlo's paintings.

I do not know if what you wrote about the events of Kahlo's life is true. I know that it is a very good film and that "it is not Hollywood" and that is the reason for the low sales of the film. A film that promotes the history of our country is just a film that make as more calm.BUT a film that discribes the life of a person that didn't like something in our country opens our minds. Kahlo was a communist and it is not so good to critisise that the film presented that side of her life because it is just the truth. "Hollywood" (with the bad meaning of the word") means that the film producer sales a fake story to make us feeling better.It is not real. It is just what we would like to see and hear. Frida was not just that. It was a biography Frida was a communist and Trochky was also a communist and it is not bad that the film presented the real story.

[–] Shearer_Goddard_Russell 19 years ago

Why is anyone so crazy about Frida Kahlo? It's hard NOT to be if you see one of her paintings in person, or even just in a book (out of context, not in a movie). Her art is more than just a still-life with fruit, a man diced into cubes, or melting watches... her paintings seem alive and make me wince each time I see them.

If truth is stranger than fiction, where are the flying monkeys?

[–] MizzMoon 18 years ago

Amen to that! I was a little-bitty-tiny thing, living with my Grandparents when I first saw a Frida Kahlo painting upclose at the Salvadore Dali Museum in St. Petersburg, Florida, and remember being drawn to them. I have been a fan ever since. My goal if I ever win the lotto and become rich would be to either buy a painting or some of her fantastic jewelry.

God, I wanted to buy a time machine when I heard how much she sold her paintings to Edward G. Robinson for!!!

Anyway, to return to the point.... I think artist of all mediums are liked or loved because what they create speaks to the public and resonates to them. And its a matter of whether or not it resonates for you(This of course, is being said to the original poster)and I am guessing that Frida's work didn't, and that's cool, man!

[–] guy-113 18 years ago

I'm still wincing at the inability of anyone here to spell the rather well-known name of Leon Trotsky correctly...good film though, I expect they managed to get it right in the script and credits, at least if the writers had a minimal understanding of history and/or politics.

[–] kutelilkat 18 years ago

why would any one be so crazy about Frida? why so popular you ask?

well why is ANYTHING amazing? why is anyone crazy about anything?

humans just are. they are drawn to certain things and people.

just BECAUSE.

i think she is interesting. her life seems full of interesting people and events. and her art is emotional. Im not crazy about her art but I think she is interesting. as are many many other people.

[–] bessmcneil 18 years ago

There is nothing like frida's paitings in person....so unbeivable and beautiful....

[–] guy-113 18 years ago

I have several dictionaries of the English language, including versions published outside the UK. I'm sorry to report my copies of 'Websters' US are by far the most badly printed, to the point where I can barely make out some lines when reading...I now understand the need/concept of spelling bees!

[–] fanaticita 15 years ago

She was original!!!

[–] moodyiv 18 years ago

Advertising.

She is on tequila now too.

Her paintings are of average technical skill, sure. What does technical skill have to do with art? Does it take tech skill to paint some of Rothko's stuff or maybe Jackson Pollocks splatter paintings?

[–] Amira76 18 years ago

Frida Kahlo is an artist in every sense of the word. When I look at her painting on my wall I see honest, raw emotion. I see artistry at it's best and in it's most vulnerable state. Her paintings were of her life and her most personal experiences.
"Why is anyone so crazy about Frida Kahlo?" I can only answer for myself, and my answer is, I'm not crazy about her--I admire her. I love her art, but besides her talent as an artist, it's the woman she was and the life she led that fascinates me. Her strength is something that you don't see very often in women or men, and I believe that she truly was a beautiful soul.

~Amira

[–] 18 years ago

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[–] lifelike001 17 years ago

how could anyone call kahlos (or any artists) work 'average at best' without realising that is a matter of their personal taste and opinion, and NOT a qualified technical critique?

presumably only by being an f-wit.