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List Price: $29.95 | | Label: KINO INTERNATIONAL
Salesrank: 103416
Released: September 2, 2008 |
| Our Price: $18.46 |
| Used Price: $10.48 |
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MPAA Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Media: DVD |
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Editorial Review:
INCLUDES CLIPS FROM 17 DEREK JARMAN FILMS
Academy Award winner Tilda Swinton personally conducts an intimate cinematic commemoration of the life, times, and work of UK filmmaker, artist, and renegade Derek Jarman in Derek. Isaac Julien s (Young Soul Rebels, Looking for Langston) documentary blends together vintage clips from Jarman s groundbreaking experimental theatrical works and 8mm films, never-before-seen footage from the sets of his Queer Cinema milestone Sebastiane and punk film landmark Jubilee, and revealing interview footage shot shortly before Jarman s death in 1994. In his own words and the words of those who knew him best, Derek reveals Jarman s religion-scarred beginnings and his ascent in the vibrant UK counterculture of the 60s and the London punk scene of the 70s. Also covered, his eight film collaboration with muse, companion and collaborator Tilda Swinton, the influential music videos made with The Smiths and The Pet Shop Boys, and Jarman s contributions to a British art scene he helped to redefine. Both a heartbreaking and giddily alive biopic and an accomplished homage (Art Forum), Isaac Julien s Derek is a joyful requiem celebrating Derek Jarman s life, vision and legacy with the same maverick energy and affectionate creativity that made its subject one of the most important artistic mirrors of his time.
DVD EXTRAS:
- An Introduction by Producer Colin MacCabe
- The Extended Derek Jarman Interview (1991, UK, 69 minutes)
Derek Reviews:
Good introduction to Jarman, though it could have been more detailed... 
2009-06-07 - Derek Jarman was one of the most unique, artistic, and criminally neglected British filmmakers ever. He's hardly ever mentioned when British cinema is mentioned, yet his films are some of the most beguiling, fascinating, and moving films that the U.K. has ever produced. Jarman was also a painter, a writer, and a political activist. He was openly homosexual, and he campaigned for gay rights during a time when it wasn't hip to do so. He was part of Outrage, an English gay rights organisation. Sadly, Derek Jarman passed away from AIDS complications in 1994, leaving behind a massive amount of stunning work that hasn't dated at all. It's nice to see someone finally make a documentary about Derek, as he deserves to be better known, but the documentary is really only for those who are already familiar with Jarman's work (like me).
The film is very good in that it consists of mostly home footage of Jarman, his family, his home movies, clips from his films, and a long interview segment that is edited throughout the film. Jarman comes across as a really wonderful, witty, and artistic man (which he was). The filmmaker lets Jarman speak for himself, which I like very much, but the segments with Tilda Swinton are very dry and borderline dull. I find it rather sad that the director didn't do more with Tilda, as Tilda was one of the producers on this film and also wrote and narrated it. It was Derek Jarman who really discovered her, and it's apparent than Tilda still misses her mentor very much. Many entertainment reporters never mention that Swinton got her start when Jarman cast her in his films. Jarman is quite extraordinary in that I have never heard a bad word spoken about him by anyone. Even the cranky Ken Russell, a great filmmaker but someone who had a difficult personality, spoke glowingly about Jarman and his work as production designer on Russell's still controversial film The Devils. Unfortunately, Russell isn't interviewed here, but I met Ken at a screening of The Devils last Halloween, and he talked about Jarman in such glowing, warm terms, as if he were still alive. It was actually quite moving, and when Jarman's name appeared on the credits of the film, he was appaulded.
I would recommend this film to anyone interested in Jarman's work, and then rent The Last of England, Jubilee, Caravaggio, and Blue. Then rent the rest of his filmography.
Amazing, thorough and compelling documentary of one the great Avant Garde filmmakers of the 20th century 
2009-02-21 - I consider Derek Jarman's films some of the greatest of film output from Great Britain. I'm a fan of avant garde films and Derek's are some of the best. So, to say the least, I was incredibly eager to see this documentary. It did not disappoint! Tilda Swinton does an amazing job as the host/narrator of this documentary. The first 10 minutes or so are done in an avant garde style and may put some people off. However, once it gets past that, the documentary is quite cohesive and tells the amazing story of Derek Jarman's life and films. Incredibly lush and full of interesting tidbits about Derek and his films. I highly recommend this for any Derek Jarman fan, Tilda Swinton fan or fans of avant garde cinema.
Moving and Profound
2008-12-07 - Writer/narrator Tilda Swinton's valedictory essay on the friend whose death she's never gotten over is a moving testament to the enduring power some lives exert on others. Framed almost as a pessimist's argument with a departed optimist, DEREK is simultaneously a celebration of Derek Jarman's exuberant, political and innovative oeuvre and also much more than just a career overview of a gay provocateur's fascinating cinematic and personal journey. Director Isaac Julien does a fine unfussy job, showing a subtle awareness that his true resources are Swinton and the unbelievably sharp, gregarious and generous Jarman himself, who had the foresight to commit his memories and views to videotape before his premature death during the early stages of the AIDS crisis. A reminder of a type of cinematic adventure the corporate production system of today rarely allows for, DEREK will move you to cheers and tears for things lost and things remembered.
Documentary Just Like His Films 
2008-09-04 - Some people felt that Jarman's film were artsy and highly political and classy. Others thought they were dry, low-budget, anachronistic, and confusing. This documentary is the same way. If you love you some Derek, then you will like this. It'll make you nostalgic for him. If you aren't a big fan of his, then this will just plod along and you'll start thinking about what else you could be doing besides watching this.
I am a big supporter of Isaac Julien. However, I'm not sure what much he did besides record modern shots of Tilda Swinton. Jarman died about 15 years ago, but this work is made up entirely of an interview from him. There are no living people here analyzing his work now. This documentary begs the question why it didn't come out in the early 1990s. As a corollary, maybe it did and it is just being re-packaged here. By the way, Tilda looks a hot mess with her graying hair and lack of makeup. They show a scene of Neil Tennant from 20 years ago. I forgot too that he used to have hair.
Viewers may want to watch this alongside documentaries about Gilbert & George or David Hockney.
