Moulin Rouge

Though they’re ubiquitous in rental stores, VHS copies of the new-to-tape biopic Surviving Picasso, starring Anthony Hopkins, aren’t exactly flying off the new-release shelves. Why would they? The movie portrays a towering creative talent as a nasty old man and hardly brings his work alive. If you’re up for a more artful film about a great painter, we suggest you white out Picasso and brush up on one of these tortured-artist flicks. Just don’t expect photorealism.

Moulin Rouge (1952)
Portrait of: Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec (Jose Ferrer) circa 1880. Missing from this picture: The Parisian brothels the shy, stunted painter frequented and used as inspiration. Neatest visual motifs: Re-creating many of Toulouse-Lautrec’s colorful posters, director John Huston packs scenes with cafe eccentrics and can-can dancers. B+