Horticultural Hollywood
Posted in Around the Garden on February 20 2013, by Lisa Vargues
Lisa Vargues is a Curatorial Assistant with the NYBG’s Steere Herbarium.
As springtime quietly lingers around the corner, the 85th Academy Awards ceremony also draws near. While we wait for both the red carpet and springtime flowers to unfurl, this is an ideal opportunity to consider some garden-focused movies, as well as the connection between horticulture and film-making.
Have you ever found yourself watching films with a “botanical eye,” ogling the scenery; zeroing in on flowers in the set; or perhaps debating the name of a plant in a fleeting scene? Presumably, many garden enthusiasts have this inclination. Whether we are conscious of it or not, greenery (simple or grand-scale) is frequently an essential ingredient in shaping the atmosphere of film scenes.
Credit for the green on the silver screen often goes to the Greensman (a.k.a. the Greensperson), depending on the production arrangement. Working with the Art Department as a type of set dresser, this is the professional who typically locates, arranges, and maintains the necessary foliage and flowers (real and artificial), as well as other landscaping elements, for film sets. If a large amount of greenery is needed for a film, a greens team is utilized, as in Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy, which included a Greensmaster for its elaborate, naturalistic scenery.
As mentioned previously in Plant Talk, the NYBG, itself, has been used as a location for a number of films, including Awakenings (1990) and The Age of Innocence (1993), both of which were filmed inside the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory. Anyone who has seen the Conservatory will have an easy time spotting it in these acclaimed films.
There are plenty of films with garden sightings or botanically interesting scenes, from Avatar to The Wizard of Oz. But, let us question: which films place a particular emphasis on gardens? The following is a list of some films, in which gardens (or small farms) play a significant role in the film’s story or setting.
L’Arroseur arrosé, a.k.a. The Sprinkler Sprinkled (1895): This list would not be complete without mentioning this historical short movie. Filmed in France by the Lumière brothers, this was one of the first films ever shown to a public audience. The story, indeed, takes place in a garden, where the gardener becomes the subject of a practical joke.
A Walt Disney Silly Symphony: Flowers and Trees (1932): Also of historical interest, this charming film was the first animated short film to win an Oscar. A creative personification of flowers, trees, mushrooms, etc., this was also the first animated film to use the three-strip Technicolor process.
Farrebique, a.k.a. Les Quatre Saisons/The Four Seasons (1946): A “semi-documentary” filmed on a family farm in southern France. Plant enthusiasts will appreciate the time-lapse photography of plant growth, as well as the parallels drawn between the rhythms of nature and human life. A winner of several international film prizes.
The Secret Garden (1949 & 1993): Based upon Frances Hodgson Burnett’s beloved 1911 novel, reflecting the restorative and uplifting powers of a garden. The 1949 and 1993 versions are both worth watching.
The Spanish Gardener (1956): Filmed in London and on the beautiful Costa Brava, Spain. A father feels distanced from his young son, who has befriended a kindly gardener. Based upon the 1950 novel by A. J. Cronin.
Twice-Told Tales: Rappaccini’s Daughter (1963): Based upon the 19th-century stories by Nathaniel Hawthorne, this is a collection of three eerie tales, the second of which focuses on a strange love story set primarily in a beautiful garden–a garden with one very sinister plant.
Jean de Florette, and its sequel, Manon des sources/Manon of the Spring (1986): Landowners’ dreams of a profitable carnation farm turn into greed and deception. Filmed in southern France and based upon the 1964 novel, L’Eau des collines, by Marcel Pagnol.
Akira Kurosawa’s Dreams (1990): The great Japanese director, Akira Kurosawa, filmed this environmentally-conscious movie consisting of eight dreams (based upon his own) with stunning visuals, including stepping into the fields and gardens of Van Gogh’s paintings. Garden enthusiasts may especially appreciate The Peach Orchard; Crows; Weeping Demon; and Village of the Watermills, filmed on Japan’s largest wasabi farm in Nagano prefecture.
Edward Scissorhands (1990): Tim Burton’s imaginative fable on acceptance and conformity. Suburban lawns are transformed by Edward’s whimsical topiaries, while Edward’s own garden is a “Burtonesque” fantasy.
Enchanted April (1991): Filmed among breathtaking gardens and scenery on the northern coast of Italy. A weary group retreats to this beautiful location to seek renewal in life. Based upon Elizabeth von Arnim’s 1922 novel and nominated for three Oscars.
Much Ado About Nothing (1993): Shakespeare’s works are peppered with references to plants and trees. Kenneth Branagh’s adaptation of this Shakespeare play, in which two couples fall victim to trickery, was filmed at the gorgeous Villa Vignamaggio in Tuscany, Italy, with numerous scenes shot inside its picturesque gardens.
Jane Austen films, such as Emma (1996), Pride and Prejudice (2005), and Sense and Sensibility (1995): Author Jane Austen’s personal love of gardening is evident in her written works. Gardens, vast lawns, and pastoral settings are backdrops to many scenes in her stories on 18th and 19th century romance and social rules.
Greenfingers (2000): Inspired by actual events, prison inmates learn to garden and enter a prestigious garden contest. Lovely English garden locales include Barnsley House, Hampton Court Palace, and the Cotswolds.
Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit (2005): Ever-inventive Wallace, and his trusty dog, Gromit, try to save the neighborhood gardens from marauding rabbits and strange happenings before an important vegetable competition. This clay animation film won numerous awards, including an Oscar for Best Animated Feature.
And what better place than the NYBG to bring your camera, and film your own great botanical scenes. Here, you will encounter dramatic flowers begging for close-ups; a lush rainforest backdrop; atmospheric forest trails; and the Tulip Tree Allée (which I think looks a lot like a Jane Austen film location, minus the horses and Regency wardrobe). It is a visual feast with countless NYBG stars, such as vibrant peonies, dazzling magnolias, and glamorous roses. Don’t let overcast or snowy days deter you. In Akira Kurosawa’s Dreams, Vincent Van Gogh (played by Martin Scorsese) says it best: “If you take the time and look closely, all of nature has its own beauty.”
Header image by Lisa Vargues.
Film captures and poster images courtesy of Wikimedia.
