:
Jenny Runacre,
Jenny Runacre,
Jordan,
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:
Derek Jarman,
Derek Jarman
see all cast/crew...
: Not Rated
: Criterion
: Comedies, Cult, Foreign, British Comedy, Camp, Time Travel, Experimental/Avant-Garde, Fantasy, UK, Criterion Collection
: 106 min.
: English
: English
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Steeped in the nihilistic philosophy and rebellious fashions of the British punk movement, this early feature by experimental filmmaker Derek Jarman presents an unusual look at late 1970s London. The bulk of Jubilee focuses on a loosely connected group of female outcasts, united by a hatred of convention that at times extends into dark violence. Providing contrast is the film's framing story, in which Queen Elizabeth I travels forward in time to view the future of England and finds unexpected sympathy with the female rebels. The film references both William Shakespeare and Siouxsie and the Banshees, and it alternates scenes of transgressive violence with heady discussions of English history. The film's casting alone makes it an intriguing artifact of its time, showcasing subcultural icons from musician Adam Ant to several cast members of The Rocky Horror Picture Show. ~ Judd Blaise, All Movie Guide
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| Well, at least the band footage was cool...
by colintappe
May 28, 2009 - 5:02 AM PDT
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I've always heard about this flick due to its punk connections, but it wasn't until I saw Jarman's previous flick, Sebastiane, that I finally took the plunge. I'm pretty much up for anything as far as movies go, but this was just garbage. If I may go back to Sebastiane, even though I'm well aware it was basically an excuse to show a bunch of naked guys wrestling around, but the actual cinematography was so spot on that it was visually a very powerful film. And there are flashes of the same kind of inspiration in this flick (namely during the scenes involving similar physical struggle), but any of that is overwhelmed by AWFUL dialogue, and a nonsensical plot, which also gets in the way of establishing any sort of impressionistic, or surreal tone, which, again, was one of Sebastiane's strong suits.
So as an arthouse flick, this falls way short. But with a pack of post-apocalyptic punker types and a low budget, there is the potential for a fun, trashy John Waters kind of flick, but it's just to damn boring to ever catch up to that pace. In a way it's genuinely frustrating, because I SHOULD love this flick, I mean, it's undoubtedly "cool," with its arty/punky leanings, killer soundtrack, and bombed out locations, but this just felt like a chore to watch. Save your time. |
| Easily misunderstood movie
by mason
February 3, 2009 - 10:22 AM PST
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1 out of 1 members found this review helpful
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The previous reviews of this film seem to be based on the easy misunderstanding that "Jubilee" is a "punk rock movie" -- which it isn't. It's an art film, no doubt about it, which happened to be made when British punk was thriving. But it's also a very political movie, encompassing a bleak vision of England's future as seen in 1978. It's an early Jarman film, so it's both a bit more raw than, say, "Edward II", but also less overtly avant-garde than "Blue".
While rough around the edges, and containing its share of somewhat aimless scenes, it's also got a lot of beautifully-rendered visuals and some strong performances. It's particularly great to see Toyah in her first real film role.
I definitely recommend watching the short documentary included here, which provides a lot of useful context around the film, the time at which it was made, and its importance as a resolutely indie film in 1978 England.
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| A sloppy realization of what could have a good idea...
by MMurphy2
August 27, 2006 - 9:04 AM PDT
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Essentially without a plot or a protagonist, the film plodded on and on, with the outcome of certain scenes being very indistinct. No sympathetic characters with the exception of the time-traveling Elizabeth I and her court, who sadly never interact with the future denizens of London (unless you count Adam Ant's ill-fated self-absorbed up-and-coming punkers or the incestous car-thieves who give him advice he ignores). Nor are the anti-heroes any more interesting. The usually beautiful Toya Wilcox is unrecognizable as a puffy pyromaniac and the majority of the characters are vicious pyschopaths that fail to entertain, even on a dark humor level. You will find the hammy, line-streching impressario (played by a blind actor) to be the most irritating of the lot.
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GreenCine Member Rating
(Average 5.14)
93 Votes
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