Jubilee

Plot synopsis:
Queen Elizabeth I (Jenny Runacre) is transported forward in time by the occultist John Dee (Richard O'Brien) by the aid of the spirit guide Ariel (a character from William Shakespeare's The Tempest) whom he commands. Elizabeth arrives in the shattered Britain of the 1970s. Queen Elizabeth II is dead, killed in an arbitrary mugging, and Elizabeth I moves through the social and physical decay of the city observing the sporadic activities of a group of aimless nihilists, including Amyl Nitrite (Jordan), Bod (Runacre in a dual role), Chaos (Hermine Demoriane), Crabs (Nell Campbell), and Mad (Toyah Willcox).
Numerous punk icons appear in the film including Jordan (a Malcolm McLaren protégé), Toyah Willcox, Nell Campbell, Adam Ant, Hermine Demoriane and Wayne County. It features performances by Wayne County and Adam and the Ants. There are also cameo appearances by the Slits and Siouxsie and the Banshees. The film was scored by Brian Eno. The uncredited piece of music used in the 'Jordan's Dance' scene was written by Ludwig Minkus in 1884 for Act I of the revived ballet Giselle.
Beginning with a scene where John Dee summons the spirit Ariel for Queen Elizabeth I, the action moves to an anarchic present day, where law and order has broken down and punk gangs roam the streets, committing acts of murder and larceny. In one squat, Amyl Nitrate is instructing a group of young women —in so doing valourising the violent criminal activity of Myra Hindley—before she reminisces about her time as a ballet dancer and introduces the audience to Mad, Crabs, Chaos, Sphinx and Angel (two incestuous bisexual brothers) and Bod, a sex-hating anarchist. Bod has just strangled and killed Elizabeth II and stolen her crown.
From there the group move on to a café, where Crabs picks up a young musician named the Kid, Mad tears up some postcards and Bod attacks a waitress with a bottle of ketchup. Bod contacts impresario Borgia Ginz. On meeting Ginz, however, she is surprised to find Amyl performing a pastiche of "Rule Britannia". Sphinx and Angel establish a relationship with Viv, a young former artist, whom they take to meet Max, an ex-soldier. In exchange for sexual favours, Crabs takes the Kid to see Ginz, who auditions him and his band signs them up under the name "Scum." Sphinx and Angel try to talk the Kid out of this but he just laughs at their lecturing. Ginz is branching out into property management and has purchased 'abandoned' properties like Westminster Cathedral and Buckingham Palace, which are transformed into musical venues.
Meanwhile, Mad, Bod and Crabs asphyxiate Happy Days, one of Crabs' one-night stands, with red plastic sheeting and break into the flat of androgynous rock star Lounge Lizard whom Bod throttles to death. A fight breaks out at a disco session in St. Paul's Crypt between Kid and a policeman. After the gang all watch Kid's TV debut together, Viv and the three males all pay a visit to Max's bingo hall, where Violent police activity causes the death of Sphinx, Angel, and the Kid and two revenge attacks on the police officers responsible. One of them is castrated to death by Mad and Amyl; the other, who has just started an affair with Crabs, is blown up on his doorstep with a petrol bomb by Bod. Finally, Ginz takes the four women off to Dorset and signs a recording contract with them. Interspersed with these displays of contemporary anarchic violence, Dee, Ariel and Elizabeth try to interpret the signs of anarchic modernity around them, before they undertake a pastoral and nostalgic return to the sixteenth century at the film's end.

Tags: cult, comedy, psychedelic, murder, violence

Review:
With this film, Jarman mixes his own social and political ideologies with the ideas at the forefront of punk; taking both the sense of liberation and the dangerous sense of apathy and aggression presented in both the style and the attitude of that particular era, and applying it to a story that involves elements of history, theology and science fiction.With the juxtaposition of ideas, Jarman presents us with the alarming vision of England in decline; seeing the present by way of the past, and further depicting a dystopian future very much reminiscent of our own.
The story is given a further ironic twist by presenting the image of Queen Elisabeth I as she journeys to the future of late 70's Britain on the eve of the Silver Jubilee, and finds a world in which punk terrorists have taken over the streets, rampaging through shopping centres, looting houses and generally giving a grubby two-fingered salute to anyone courageous enough to represents the mindless masses or the ultra chic bourgeoisie.
Certainly, with these factors in mind, Jubilee is not an easy film to appreciate on any level, with the brutality of the imagery and the shocking vulgarity of the world as it is presented being incredibly bleak and incredibly prescient; whilst the visualisation of the film is brash, jarring, clearly exploitative and generally rough around the edges.The film wallows in sordidness for the first half-hour, as we watch characters wandering through a sadistic wasteland engaging in sex, violence and murder.
However, this limited description might lead certain audiences to expect a gritty action film that presents violence as entertainment and coolly ironic characters akin to Kubrick's A Clockwork Orange (1971) and Walter Hill's The Warriors (1979), in which street violence and dystopia are presented as chin-scratching entertainment.
Obviously Jarman wasn't a punk and wasn't even of the generation, but he clearly saw something within the scene, again, be it in the liberating freedom that punk could offer, or in the apathy and aggression that came as a direct result of the political climate of the time.In fact, the film seems purposely stylised to conform to the fashion of the punk rock-status quo in an almost ironic manner that stresses the director's cynical, satirical intent.
The cast for example reads like the veritable who's who of seventies cult, with characters Lindsay Kemp, Jenny Runacre, Little Nell, Wayne Country, Richard O'Brien, Jordan, Toyah and Adam Ant all popping up to deliver disarming performances; part pantomime/part existential theatre.
The second half of the film wanders slightly; there are examinations on sexuality, a prolonged attack on the music industry and brutal violence between the punks and police which causes both sides to question the immoral decadence being flaunted in the name of rebellion.
There are also musical numbers, political manifestos, agitprop, and screaming polemic as well as an extraordinarily vivid sequences shot on fuzzy 8mm film, featuring Jordan dressed as a ballerina dancing in a junkyard.It's one of the most grimly beautiful and evocative images that Jarman ever created; that sense of true tranquil beauty against a vicious, decaying urban wasteland.
Jubilee, being a Derek Jarman film, obviously sets out to shock.
The regal Bod (Jenny Runacre, very good in this in both roles) doubles as Queen Elizabeth, wandering with her soothsayer John Dee (Richard O'Brien) and emotionless angel Arial, through a Britain tottering on the brink of revolution as the Silver Jubilee hits.
In some ways the film or even punk itself was a protest against the obliteration or rewriting of history (note Jordan's old-fashioned twinset and pearls).
Derek Jarman examines the punk aesthetic, with a framing device that Queen Elizabeth I has asked her court magician to show her England's future.
The documentary included on the Criterion disc, Jubilee: A Time Less Golden, convinced me that the film wasn't only impressive on a primal level.
I'm going to be honest right from the start: I've only seen two films from the late Derek Jarman, this and The Last of England (1987).
Jubilee tells the disjointed story of Queen Elizabeth I, who bored by her own existence has her court astrologer and an angel invent a time travel devise that will allow her to travel forward to twentieth century Britain.
Once again Jarman revels in pointing out the failings in modern British culture, from the violent punk scene that the main characters are part of, to the harsh severity of the music industry and corporate big business.
Jubilee is a film that so obviously wanted to be hip it hurts, looking back it seems Jarman took everything that was just about to explode into the public conscious and structured a highly self-indulgent story around it.
So we are shown one of the most miss-representative looks at punk one could ever imagine, and a cast that reads like the who's-who of seventies underground celebrities (Richard O Brien rubs shoulders with the likes of a chubby Toyah Wilcox and a pre-fame Adam Ant).
Jubilee is yet another product of art-house cinema gone wrong and film-making in it's most brash and unsubtle form..
Tripe of the worst kind boring, inane, idiotic tripe.My Grade: FDVD Extras: "Jubilee: A time less Golden" Documentary; Jordan's Dance (a super-8 short); theatrical trailer; shooting script; costume sketches; Continuity stills; "a new wave movie" (a collection of odds & ends).
It's certainly put me off seeing anything else that Derek Jarman has had a hand in.I repeat, the apocalyptic concept sounds great, but if it appeals, go and see something better, like Alan Clarke's Stars of the Roller State Disco, or even Logan's Run....
JUBILEE was the first film to come from the true British punk rock scene, and has a fascinating cast, but unfortunately this is one of the most boring, pretentious, and ultimately pointless movies I've ever seen.
If you want to see Jarmans world watch "The Alternative Miss World" which is much more entertaining, though not one of his films obviously ...
Judging by the credits, Jubilee was a creation of faith, hope and goodwill and the cast give it their sometimes amateur all, with entertaining debut appearances from the likes of Jordan, Toyah Wilcox and Adam Ant and proper thesps like Little Nell and Jenny Runacre doing their best with the film-school script and direction.As feature-film entertainment, Jubilee's a non-starter.
Pants!.I watched this film in college as part of a Media & Culture lesson, and I felt that this was a complete waste of time.
It was at a small art theater and it was part of the bill with the Who's "Quadrophenia." I had only a vague idea about Jarman and his movies, so I decided to stay and watch "Jubilee." It was -- and still is -- quite an experience.
I think that it is certainly worth a look, particularly if one is willing to be open-minded and see something quite different than the usual predictable, tepid movie fare that makes the merely bland seem exciting.
I have seen all of Derek Jarman's movies and this one is by far his best.This is the first British punk film and probably the best one that has ever been done.It was very difficult to describe this movie as it has many strange images from beginning to end.It is one of the most amazing movies.If you know Derek Jarman's style of directing then you will know he doesn't follow other director's ways of directing.This movie has a fantastic score from Adam and the Ants and many others.If you don't like nudity,sex,drugs and violence then do not watch this movie.This movie is very underrated.Watching this movie is a very rare experience that will come very few times in your life.I would recommend this movie to all punk fans rating: 10/10.
Not to mention a very young Adam Ant who signs his talent away for Thatcher-Tarian like luxury (How Ironic) "Jubilee" is one amazing, angry, poetic in your face film with great punk rock music and strong imagery.
This film has been described as a "punk-music documentary," which is most certainly is not, as clearly explained in the "Making of" featurette contained on the DVD.
It is an art house film written by Jarman to take the p*** out of the Queen, who was then very pompously celebrating her 25th jubilee.
Apart from Adam Ant, no major punk-music acts have any significant role in the film..
These scenes include girls boxing(badly), punks killing policemen, punks trying to pull the doors off a car (and failing), random murders, a bingo hall being shot up, some of the worst sex scenes since The Room and lots of bizarre poetical ramblings while someone dressed as a Queen tries to look interesting.
The main reason people may have an interest in this movie is the fact it has a few faces from the punk scene like Adam Ant and a harder to recognise Toyah Wilcox.
The only part of the movie which has anything like a plot comes towards the the end when the punks seek retribution on the police for a wrong doing.
One of those films that promises so much with a great cast but sadly ruined by Derek Jarman and his ability to turn a good story into a dull attempt to shock with his usual boring overtones.Great performances from Toyah and Adam Ant but I watched this feeling that say an Alex Cox could have turned this into a bit of a cult masterpiece rather than remembering much about the finished article on show..
Queen Elizabeth I (Jenny Runacre), guided by John Dee (Richard O'Brien) and spirit guide Ariel (David Brandon), travels forward in time to the eve of the Silver Jubilee to witness Britain in a state of moral and physical decay.
One particular group, consisting of, amongst others, Amyl Nitrate (Jordan), Mad (Toyah Willcox), Bod (Runacre in a dual role), Crabs (Nell Campbell) and Chaos (Hermine Demoriane), tend to spend their time smashing cars, having sex, participating in the odd murder, and generally giving the two-finger salute to anything resembling conformity.
Crabs picks up a young punk named Kid (Adam Ant), who has aspirations to be a rock star, and finds himself being swept up by the system.Derek Jarman certainly wasn't a punk - he was at least one generation too late and his art was generally more focused on themes of homosexuality and homoerotica - but Jubilee seems to aspire to be a film that defines punk.
As well as the many punk acts that appears in the film (Siouxsie and the Banshees, Wayne County and The Stilts all appear as well as the aforementioned Jordan, Wilcox and Adam Ant), Jubilee adopts a punk aesthetic.
It also has a great cast of actors and musicians that are still remembered in cult circles from old Britain, including Ian Charleson, Karl Johnson, Claire Davenport and Lindsay Kemp, for those, like me, who enjoy looking back in time at Britain, which is ironically the opposite to what Queen Elizabeth I does in Jubilee.www.the-wrath-of-blog.blogspot.com.
If you can see ball gowns and bovver boots picking their way over rubble beside the Thames set to a classical music score, you're probably watching a Derek Jarman picture.England's first punk film was mostly shot around Butlers Wharf and Shad Thames in Southwark, south-east London; in the late 1970s a hive of mouldering warehouses and docks - ideal for the director's vision of a run-down capital besieged by murderous punks.
Of course, corporate highjacking is what this movie's all about, which is why in many ways, it's still a disturbingly relevant film.
Except of course, the Soviet-protected area of the UK shown at the end of the film.I'm not one to be bothered by sex, incest, murder, and violence on screen, but I did find this movie to be a bit much at times.
The mere fact that it got such mixed reviews from the supposedly supportive (??) Punk scene back then, is prove that it did hit home: people thought and discussed about what they saw, and didn't merely sat down and watched this picture.JUBILEE is a landmark, and in hindsight it is easy to see that Jarman was on the dot here.
A strange film, but one that is defintely a must see.Queen Elizabeth I travels through time to late-1970s England, and finds it to be a depressing place, where no-one seems to have a purpose for anything they do.Stars from the time, including Siouxsie Sioux, Adam Ant and Toyah Willcox (now a VH1 UK presenter), mix with Rocky Horror's Richard O'Brien and unknown actors to paint a disturbing (if a little arthouse-ish) portrait of Britain in the punk era.Adam Ant and Brian Eno (ex of Roxy Music) contribute to the score, giving it an authentic sound..
This movie had a shoestring budget, the acting wasn't very good, and the plot didn't make much sense; nevertheless, I liked it.The plot: At the request of Queen Elizabeth I, John Dee, her magician, summons an angel to show the Queen what life if like in the future.
The world economy has completely collapsed, roving street gangs (and the police) randomly kill or terrorize people, and Top of the Pops is played constantly on Television.The story centers around a gang of female punks (an Historian, a Pyromaniac, a Nymphomaniac, their leader, and their au pair), who more or less aimlessly travel through London killing people.Like I've said, the plot is not very substantial, but the characters are very vivid and seem very real.
The acting and dialog in the final scene, when she talks with Dee as Queen Elizabeth I and set to Brian Eno's music, is really nice.
An utterly bizarre film to be sure, Jubilee is an anarchic take on history and science fiction that tells, simultaneously, of Queen Elizabeth I's reign and a dystopian England in 1977 where gangs of women roam the countryside.Punk-SciFi would reach its apogee with Repo Man, but here's where it more or less starts: With Adam Ant and a host of nameless actors gallivanting about London in outrageous garb.
I felt that it was trying to show what would happen if women end up taking over the world (especially having Elizabeth I (a powerful queen) go forward in time that was 'futuristic' when the movie was made right after the women's rights movement of the 60s).
However, the last fifth (the last 20 minutes) and they isn't even good enough to bear watching this awful film.The premise was an interesting one (Queen of England goes ahead in time to see futuristic times) but Jarman completely failed at making a movie worth anyones time.
The no future of the punk rock era, a place where Queen Elizabeth II was killed in a mugging and a gang of punk rock survivors, including Amyl Nitrate (Jordan, the model who was of the creators of W10 London punk look), Bod (Runacre in a second role), Chaos (French singer, writer and tightrope walker Hermine Demoriane), Mad (singer Toyah Willcox) and Crabs (Little Nell from Rocky Horror, who even gets in the line "Don't dream it, be it.").
There's also Borgia Ginz, who shares a house with Hitler, runs the world and has transformed Buckingham Palace into a recording studio and Westminster Cathedral into a disco where Jesus performs.Beyond the nihilism and lack of hope in this film, there's also plenty of punk rock stars, like Adam Ant and Wayne County along for the ride and gamely performing songs, as well as blink and you miss it moments for Siouxie and the Banshees and the Slits.
And hey - the music is by Ol' Sourpuss himself, Brian Eno.Director Derek Jarman may have based this movie in punk rock, but he was against the scene's fascism fetish, as well as its love of stupidity and violence.
The only part i liked was the fact that adam ant was in the movie.
Derek Jarman is not a film director one can easily digest.
His films were made with the intention to shock, to produce some form of catharsis -- positive or negative -- but something so strong that there would be no other way to regard his work as moving, or deeply unsettling.JUBILEE is his second feature film coming on the heels of SEBASTIANE and tells the story of Queen Elizabeth I, who summons John Dee and has him reveal unto her the England of the future -- to see how far her influence has reached.
Several of them have aspirations to transcend their present, dire situation and make it in the pop world -- bringing forth their own punk sensibilities to it -- while moments of extreme violence, mainly against men, ensues, until one of their own is murdered and they take action against those in power.JUBILEE is pure Jarman.
Not an easy film to come into nor to watch for its entire duration because despite having done films of stronger cinematic value, it seems to me that this one is left hanging in its own time of release (1977) when Punk as a movement was screaming its way into the media and trying to assert itself.
Queen Elizabeth asks her court alchemist to show her a vision of England in the future, and the alchemist summons a angle/spirit guide(played by Adam Ant) who transports her to London 400 years into the future where it is a post apacalyptic wasteland.
Religious groups are not going to like the raw attention to sex and violence which society does its best to bottle-up and deny exists (funnily enough we have retrograded these days into political correctness).Media and institutions are more sophisticated at managing us these these days, and the youth of today has different issues - but the message of the film is a relevant today (maybe even more so) at it was in 1978.Watch with an open mind !.
I recommend that anyone who is an Adam Ant fan rent or get this movie from the library and watch it.