A "tortured artist" refers to a creative person who struggles with inner turmoil, emotions, or mental health issues, which can often be a source of inspiration but also lead to suffering. Full definition
Director: Paul Schrader Writer: Leonard Schrader, Paul Schrader Cinematographer: John Bailey Starring: Ken Ogata, Masayuki Shionoya Studio: Criterion Collection Beautiful portrait of tortured artist With its meticulous execution, Paul Schrader's gorgeous examination of enigmatic Japanese novelist Yukio Mishima doubles as an homage to Japanese film and culture. (pastemagazine.com)
Van Gogh never sold within his lifetime, and Balzac famously parodied the archetypal tortured artist in «The Black Sheep», 1842, as a gifted idealist hopelessly inadequate in all matters business. (artlyst.com)
At its best, it's flippant fun, but with its depiction of a hateful, haughty, tortured artist who is losing touch with reality, it feels much more like a film about Woody Allen than it does Godard. (lwlies.com)