Angelic Conversation DVD

A film by Derek Jarman

Intense, dreamlike, and poetic, The Angelic Conversation is one of Derek Jarman's most artistic films. With his painterly touch, Jarman uses a beautiful palette of light, color, and texture to create an atmospheric and radical visualization of Shakespeare's love poems.p>

Of the 154 sonnets written by Shakespeare, most were written to an unnamed young man, often referred to as Fair Youth. Here are Judi Dench's emotional readings of 14 sonnets linked to ethereal sequences; figures on beaches, by streams, and in colorful gardens. The disruption of these magical scenes with images of barren and threatening landscapes perfectly echoes the celebration and plight of love explored in the sonnets.

Filmed on Super-8 before being transferred to 35 mm, the unique technical method results in a dreamlike aesthetic, with Coil's dreamy soundtrack complementing the intoxicating effect.

Subtitles:: English

Language: English (Dolby Digital 2.0)

DVD extras

• Specially commissioned interviews with producer James Mackay and production designer Christopher Hobbs
• Derek Jarman in conversation with Simon Field (1989, 32 mins)
• Stills gallery
• Fully illustrated booklet including introductory essay by Colin MacCabe, Tilda Swinton's testimonial letter to Derek Jarman and photographs taken during the making of the film