A Short Film About John Bolton 2003

Gallery prep and anticipation

In a posh London gallery, Carolyn Dalgleish prepares the showing of John Bolton's latest works. The portraits depict vampiric women the artist encountered while pot holing underground passages, creating a sense of danger and allure. The staff arrange paintings and promos as the opening looms and guests begin to arrive.

Bolton reviews placement

Bolton walks among the hung canvases, scrutinizing each piece with a stiff, detached air. He seems uncomfortable with the attention and with the questions his art invites. His meticulous focus hints at a troubled, solitary aesthetic.

Opening gala speech

During the evening's party, Bolton is compelled to deliver a speech about his work. He remains evasive and uneasy in the spotlight, offering only that he paints what he sees. The gathering includes notable guests and even a cameo by the real John Bolton.

After-gala interview at Bolton's home

Back at Bolton's home, the Interviewer Marcus Brigstocke conducts a candid interview about the art and its sources. Bolton remains elusive, offering few concrete answers and questions that hover just out of reach. He reluctantly agrees to let his working habits be filmed, but only by the Interviewer and without a full crew.

Journey to the studio beneath the monastery

As dusk approaches, Bolton leads the Interviewer to his studio, housed in the basement of an ancient monastery and graveyard. The setting is claustrophobic and ceremonial, reinforcing Bolton's enigmatic aura. The Interviewer senses something unsettled as they descend.

Waiting to start work

Bolton shows no sign of beginning the work, insisting that he is waiting. The Interviewer watches with the camera rolling, trying to coax a glimpse of inspiration or process. The delay creates a heavy, almost ritual tension in the space.

The interview ends; the Interviewer leaves

After hours of waiting, the Interviewer decides to leave the studio. He records his exit and steps out into the graveyard's cold air. The sense of foreboding deepens as the night grows darker.

Ghostly approach

While filming his own exit, the Interviewer spots two ghostly women moving toward him from the dark. One woman bears zebra stripes running up her leg, a striking and jarring image. They glide closer with eerie calm, suggesting the nightmarish visions behind Bolton's paintings.

Camera falls to the ground

The tension peaks as the camera is dropped and falls to the ground, cutting away from the confrontation. The frame lingers on the ominous surroundings and the looming figures just out of reach. The abrupt cut leaves the scene in unresolved suspense.

Final painting revealed

The film closes on Bolton's latest work: a pale woman with zebra stripes running up her leg, feasting on human flesh. The portrait appears to embody the supernatural encounter described and witnessed that night. The image leaves a haunting impression of art crossing into danger.