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The Last of England is a 1987 British arthouse film directed by Derek Jarman and starring Tilda Swinton.
| The Last of England | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Directed by | Derek Jarman |
| Written by | Derek Jarman |
| Produced by |
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| Starring |
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| Narrated by | Nigel Terry |
| Cinematography | Derek Jarman, Christopher Hughes, Richard Heslop, Cerith Wyn Evans |
| Edited by | Derek Jarman, Peter Cartwright, Angus Cook |
| Music by | |
Release dates |
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Running time | 87 min. |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Budget | GBP£276,000 |
It is a poetic depiction of what Jarman felt was the loss of traditional English culture in the 1980s and his anger about Thatcher's England,[1][2] including the formation of Section 28 Local Government Act.[3] It is named after The Last of England, a painting by Ford Madox Brown.[3]
One of the film's most famous scenes is of Tilda Swinton as a bride mourning her executed husband.[1] The scene was shot near the director's home on the beach of Dungeness, Kent.[3]
Jarman wrote a book, with the same title, to accompany the film.[4]
Cast
edit- Tilda Swinton as The Maid
- Spencer Leigh as Soldier / Various roles
- 'Spring' Mark Adley as Spring / Various roles
- Gerrard McArthur as Various roles
- Jonny Phillips (credited as Jonathan Phillips) as Various roles
- Gay Gaynor as Various roles
- Matthew Hawkins as Junkyard Guy
- Nigel Terry as Narrator (voice)
Awards
editDerek Jarman received the 1988 Teddy Award in Berlin for the film. And Tilda Swinton received the jury prize for her performance.[5]
Reviews
editOn Rotten Tomatoes, it has an average score of 68%, based on 3 reviews.[6]
'What proof do you need the world's curling up like an autumn leaf?' wrote Time Out magazine.[7]
David Bezanson wrote that the film is “graphic and disorienting, yet also totally trite".[2]
Soundtrack album
editTwo versions of the soundtrack album were released on the Mute Records label. The LP has one side ("Bombers") by Simon Turner, and the other ("Diplomat") by a variety of performers, including Mayo Thompson with Albert Oehlen and Tilda Swinton; Andy Gill with Dean Garcia, Barry Adamson and Martin McCarrick, Brian Gulland and Diamanda Galas. The CD version includes all of this material and a third section, "Dead to the World", primarily by Turner.[citation needed]
References
edit- ^ a b Kuc, Kamila. "Last of England, The (1987)". screenonline.org.uk. Retrieved 14 August 2018.
- ^ a b Bezanson, David. "The Last of England Review". contactmusic.net. Retrieved 14 August 2018.
- ^ a b c Scovell, Adam (7 November 2014). "In Profile: Derek Jarman's The Last of England (1988)". thedoublenegative.co.uk. Retrieved 14 August 2018.
- ^ Jarman, Derek; Hirst, David L. (1 January 1987). The Last of England. Constable & Robinson. ISBN 0094680809.
- ^ Rose, Toby (6 February 2015). "Berlin Film Festival: why the Teddy Awards ceremony is one of the wildest parties on the festival circuit". The Evening Standard. Retrieved 14 August 2018.
- ^ "THE LAST OF ENGLAND (1987)". rottentomatoes.com. Retrieved 13 August 2018.
- ^ "The Last of England". timeout.com. 29 November 2011. Retrieved 14 August 2018.