Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #102925 in DVD
• Released on: 2002-10-29
• Rating: R (Restricted)
• Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
• Formats: Color, Dolby, DVD, Widescreen, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 87 minutes

Amazon.com
This satire of the art world springs from this question: What matters more, the art or the artist? Floundering artist Gus Bishop (Chris Eigeman, Barcelona) can't get a gallery to even consider his work. Then a thief breaks into Bishop's studio and steals one of his paintings, which--after the thief concocts a dramatic and sorrowful life for the reclusive artist--sells for $10,000. The lure of easy money helps the thief convince Bishop to manufacture a hoax and turn this fictional artist into an art star. Before long, Bishop finds monstrous success that he can't take any credit for, and a girlfriend who dumped him when he was a failure decides to blackmail him for a share of the loot. Though The Next Big Thing has some lapses in logic, Eigeman's unique combination of innocence and cynicism carry the film along. --Bret Fetzer

Customer Reviews

Entertaining with one big flaw
The premise is quite well carried off and the art even looks real, but there is one big logical flaw in the plot that bothered me. It is NOT fraud to use a "nom de brush" just as writers can legally use a "nom de plume". As long as the artist was not trying to pass off the work as an existing artist's work, there was NO law that was broken. As for embellishing the background of the artist, well just ask any Hollywood agent about that. Otherwise the story is provocative and does make you wonder...just what is being "valued" in a work of art..the work itself or the label, with the label being the artist's tortured bio.

Wonderful movie for any artist
Simply said the art speaks for itself, watch the movie and find out what the heck I mean!