Jackson Pollock: Love and Death on Long Island  (1999)

Theatrical Release Information:
Jackson Pollock: Love and Death on Long Island

This documentary follows the life of Jackson Pollock, the leader of the controversial abstract expressionist movement of postwar America and one of the most influential artists of the 20th century. By nature a rebel, the artist eschewed traditional approaches to painting in favor of his now famous drip-and-splash method. Standing over a huge canvas, Pollack would pour, drip, and splash enamel or paint on the surface until he was satisfied with the resulting linear designs. The 1973 sale of his painting "Blue Poles" for $1.3 million caused an uproar of protest in the art establishment. Of course, as time went by, the art world would claim Pollack as one of its darlings. This important art figure was tragically lost to the world at the height of his career when he died in a car accident. The film contains archival footage, as well as interviews with Pollack and those close to him in the art world, including his wife and kindred artist Lee Krasner, with whom he lived on Long Island. ~ Rose of Sharon Winter, All Movie Guide