Derek

Punk Britain, gay Britain, Thatcher’s Britain, Derek Jarman tackled the lot. Isaac Julien’s film celebrates the life, vision and legacy of one of Britain’s great artists.

Punk Britain, gay Britain, Thatcher’s Britain – Derek Jarman tackled the lot. Derek is a unique collaboration between Tilda Swinton, the film’s narrator, and Isaac Julien, in which the life, vision and legacy of Derek Jarman is fondly remembered and celebrated. The revealing and frank interview at the core of the film is embroidered with a moving collage of home-movie footage, clips from 17 of his films, pop promos, rare footage from the sets of Sebastiane and Jubilee, and current affairs footage from 1960s swinging London through to the Thatcherite nationalism of the 1980s.

Painter, author, gay militant, Aids activist and, above all, filmmaker, Derek Jarman was one of Britain’s best-loved and most original artists who touched the lives of everyone he met.

Special features

  • Filmed introduction by producer Colin MacCabe (2008, 5 min).
  • The Extended Derek Jarman interview (1991, 69 min).
  • New filmed interview with Issac Julien (2008, 20 min tbc).
  • Three Super-8mm short films by Derek Jarman: Pirate Tape (W.S. Burroughs Film) (1982, 16 min); TG: Psychic Rally in Heaven (1981, 8 min); Sloane Square: A Room of Ones Own (1974-6, 9 min).
  • The Attendant (Isaac Julien, 1993, 8 min).
  • The Clearing (Alexis Bistikas, 1994, 7 min).
  • Ostia (Julian Cole, 1987, 26 min): short film about Pasolini starring Jarman with optional director’s commentary
  • Derek Jarman paintings gallery.
  • Fully illustrated booklet with essays by Isaac Julien and Ruby Rich; Ossian Ward on Jarman’s paintings; film notes; reviews; and biographies.

Product information

    • Certificate

      18

    • Colour

      Colour

    • Sound

      Sound

    • Running time

      76mins

    • Languages

      English

    • Subtitles

      English for the hard-of-hearing

    • Original aspect ratio

      1.78:1

    • DVD region

      • 2 Europe (except Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus), Middle East, Egypt, Japan, South Africa, Swaziland, Lesotho, Greenland, French Overseas departments and territories

    • Blu-ray region

      • B - Includes most European and Middle-Eastern countries, all of Africa, Australia and New Zealand

    • Catalogue number

      BFIVD797

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