A Short Film About John Bolton


A Short Film About John Bolton is a 2003 film written and directed by Neil Gaiman. The film takes the form of a fictional television piece on real-life artist John Bolton. It was released direct to video, along with several bonus features.

Plot

In a posh London gallery, Carolyn Dalgleish prepares a showing of the latest works by John Bolton: disturbing portraits of beautiful, vicious vampiric women he encountered whilst pot holing. The Interviewer collects information on Bolton, who seems to perplex those who work with him and collect his art.
Bolton appears to review the placement of the paintings before the opening. Eccentric and detached, Bolton is uncomfortable with the amount of attention being paid to him. Forced to give a speech at that evening's party, Bolton quietly states that he simply "paints what he sees".
Following the gala, Bolton is interviewed at home by Brigstocke. Bolton again proves elusive with answers about his art, though he does agree to have his work habits filmed for the first time.
As dusk approaches, Bolton takes the Interviewer to his studio, located in the basement of an ancient monastery and graveyard. As the hours drag on, Bolton shows no signs of getting started, and the Interviewer finally leaves. Filming himself as he walks out of the graveyard, the Interviewer spots two ghostly women moving towards him. The camera falls to the ground, and the film closes on Bolton's latest work: a pale woman, with zebra stripes running up her leg, feasting on human flesh.

Development

  • Gaiman claimed to have got the idea for the film after writing an introduction to a collection of Bolton's art, which took the form of a fictional biography of the artist.
  • Bolton gave permission for the fictional film, and not only provided all of the paintings shown in the movie, but painted a new one based on the film's finale.
  • The zebra stripes on the woman's leg are actually a tattoo.
  • The film is similar to H. P. Lovecraft's short story "Pickman's Model".
  • Guests at the art launch were friends and colleagues of Gaiman's who he asked to take part, among them SF writer Colin Greenland and Starburst writer Anthony Brown. Little acting was required as the wine served was real.