The Angelic Conversation is a 1985 arthouse drama film directed by Derek Jarman. Its tone is set by the juxtaposition of slow-moving photographic images and Shakespeare's sonnets read by Judi Dench. The film consists primarily of homoerotic images and opaque landscapes through which two men take a journey into their desires. The film is shot on Super-8, then transferred into 35mm film.
Jarman himself described the film as "a dream world, a world of magic and ritual, yet there are images there of the burning cars and radar systems, which remind you there is a price to be paid in order to gain this dream in the face of a world of violence."Jarman, Derek (1997). Kicking the pricks.
The soundtrack to the film was composed and performed by Coil, and it was released as an album of the same name. In 2008, Peter Christopherson of Coil (with David Tibet, Othon Mataragas and Ernesto Tomasini) performed a new live soundtrack to the movie during a special screening at the Turin Lesbian and Gay Film Festival.
The film's music track also includes Benjamin Britten's "Sea Interludes" from Peter Grimes, performed by The Chorus and Orchestra of The Royal Opera House Covent Garden, conducted by Colin Davis.
Shakespeare's sonnets 14 sonnets the film features are: Sonnet LVII Being your slave, what should I do but tend Upon the hours and times of your desire? Sonnet XC Then hate me when thou wilt, if ever, now, Now, while the world is bent my deeds to cross, Sonnet XLIII When most I wink, then do mine eyes best see, For all the day they view things unrespected; Sonnet LIII What is your substance, whereof are you made, That millions of strange shadows on you tend? Sonnet CXLVIII O me, what eyes hath love put in my head, Which have no correspondence with true sight! Sonnet CXXVI O thou, my lovely boy, who in thy power Dost hold Time's fickle glass, his sickle hour, Sonnet XXIX When, in disgrace with fortune and men's eyes, I all alone beweep my outcast state,Sonnet XCIV They that have power to hurt and will do none, That do not do the thing they most do show Sonnet XXX When to the sessions of sweet silent thought I summon up remembrance of things past, Sonnet LV Not marble nor the gilded monuments Of princes shall outlive this powerful rhyme, Sonnet XXVII Weary with toil, I haste me to my bed, The dear repose for limbs with travel tired Sonnet LXI Is it thy will, thy image should keep open My heavy eyelids to the weary night? Sonnet LVI Sweet love, renew thy force; be it not said Thy edge should blunter be than appetite, Sonnet CIV To me, fair friend, you never can be old, For as you were when first your eye I ey'd
DVD release The BFI released The Angelic Conversation on DVD in 2007.
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