Jubilee (1977 film)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jubilee
Region 1 DVD cover for Jubilee, featuring Jordan as Amyl Nitrate on the cover
Directed by	Derek Jarman
Produced by	Howard Malin James Whaley
Written by	Derek Jarman Christopher Hobbs
Starring	Jenny Runacre Jordan Nell Campbell Linda Spurrier
Music by	Chelsea Suzi Pinns
Cinematography	Peter Middleton
Editing by	Nick Barnard Tom Priestley
Release date(s)	1978
Running time	103 min.
Country	UK
All Movie Guide profile
IMDb profile

Jubilee is a 1977 cult film directed by Derek Jarman and starring Jenny Runacre, Jordan (the Malcolm McLaren protege), Toyah Willcox, Nell Campbell (Little Nell), Adam Ant, Ian Charleson, Hermine Demoriane and Wayne County.

In the film Queen Elizabeth I is transported forward in time by John Dee through the spirit guide Ariel to the shattered Britain ruled by Elizabeth II. The 1970s queen is dead, killed in an arbitrary mugging, and the historical queen moves through the social and physical decay of the city observing the activities of a group of sporadic nihilists called Amyl Nitrate, Bod, Chaos, Crabs, Mad, et. al.

The film is clearly Jarman's but is heavily influenced by the 1970s punk aesthetic in its style and presentation. Shot in grainy colour the film is largely plotless, episodic, untidy, confrontational, often incoherent and noisily anti-establishment and anti-royalty (Buckingham Palace has become a recording studio run by a seedy music producer named Borgia Ginz).

The film features performances by Wayne County and Adam and the Ants among others as well as cameo appearances by The Slits and Siouxsie and the Banshees. It was scored by Brian Eno. Punk fans wanted to see the bands, but the music was largely left on the cutting room floor.