The Last of England (film)

The Last of England is a 1987 British arthouse film directed by Derek Jarman and starring Tilda Swinton.

The Last of England
Directed byDerek Jarman
Written byDerek Jarman
Produced by
Starring
Narrated byNigel Terry
CinematographyDerek Jarman, Christopher Hughes, Richard Heslop, Cerith Wyn Evans
Edited byDerek Jarman, Peter Cartwright, Angus Cook
Music by
Release dates
  • August 1987 (1987-08) (Edinburgh International Film Festival)
  • 14 February 1988 (1988-02-14) (Berlin International Film Festival)
Running time
87 min.
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish
BudgetGBP£276,000
The Last of England, the painting from which the film derives its name

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
  • 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

Derek Jarman received the 1988 Teddy Award in Berlin for the film. Also Tilda Swinton received the jury prize for her performance in the film.[5]

Reviews

On 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

Two 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 Micarrick, Brian Gulland and Diamanda Galas. The CD version includes all of this material and a third section, "Dead to the World", primarily by Turner.

References
  1. Kuc, Kamila. "Last of England, The (1987)". screenonline.org.uk. Retrieved 14 August 2018.
  2. Bezanson, David. "The Last of England Review". contactmusic.net. Retrieved 14 August 2018.
  3. Scovell, Adam (7 November 2014). "In Profile: Derek Jarman's The Last of England (1988)". thedoublenegative.co.uk. Retrieved 14 August 2018.
  4. Jarman, Derek; Hirst, David L. (1 January 1987). The Last of England. Constable & Robinson. ISBN 0094680809.
  5. 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.
  6. "THE LAST OF ENGLAND (1987)". rottentomatoes.com. Retrieved 13 August 2018.
  7. "The Last of England". timeout.com. Retrieved 14 August 2018.
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