The Angelic Conversation (1985)

User Rating:

6.7/10   

Director:

Derek Jarman

Writer:

William Shakespeare (sonnets)

Release Date:

28 February 1987 (Japan)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

An unseen woman recites Shakespeare's sonnets - fourteen in all - as a man wordlessly seeks his heart's desire...

Plot Keywords:

Shakespeare | Gay Interest | Independent Film

Cast

Dave Baby
Timothy Burke
Simon Costin
Christopher Hobbs
Philip McDonald
Toby Mott
Steve Randall
Robert Sharp
Tony Wood
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Judi Dench	...	Narrator
Paul Reynolds
Phillip Williamson

Runtime:

81 min | USA:78 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White | Color

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Company:

British Film Institute (BFI)

Movie Connections:

Features The Pantheon (1978)

Soundtrack:

Sea Interludes

Kitsch

Ten minutes' worth of voyeuristic amateur video stretched out (playback set to frame-by-frame) into an hour of pretentious gay artsiness. Shakespeare recited to give 'depth' to the platitude - (in a woman's voice - oh, creativity!). Coil's accompanying sounds are the reason why the word 'bombastic' was invented. Just don't think I'm a gay-hater (far from that) - I simply cannot stand this kind of indulgent schmaltz. Love between men equal with gazing upon each other's phiz while fanning? Give me a break. Just imagine this without the oh so cute protagonists: two middle aged, hairy men gone awry staring into the sun, drifting in the water, then decorating each other with pearls. You may like this, but it still remains a lazy kitsch, sorry.