Remembering the brilliance of Derek Jarman’s Smiths film ‘The Queen is Dead’ - Far Out Magazine

Remembering the brilliance of Derek Jarman’s Smiths film ‘The Queen is Dead’ - Far Out Magazine (July 19, 2019)
By Kelly Rankin

Excerpt:

"Jarman worked with several music artists over the years, collaborating with the likes of the Sex Pistols, Marianne Faithful, Patti Smith and Pet Shop Boys, to name a few. But the Smiths were one of his first and most regular collaborators. ‘The Queen is Dead’ is a “Super 8 film triptych” made up of the Smiths hits; ‘The Queen is Dead,’ ‘There Is A Light That Never Goes Out’ and ‘Panic.’ It’s an amalgamation of recycled images and clips expressing Morrissey’s deep-cutting lyrics and Marr’s hit melodies. Jarman’s film is disorientating and so eighties that today, it could be mistaken as parody (and I mean this in the most positive way possible). This particular piece of work has fallen off the radar for many when looking back at the great and eclectic range of Jarman’s works, but it definitely deserves a closer look."

full




https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/the-smiths-derek-jarman-film/

Regards,
FWD.
 
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They did meet once in a dressing room. I think Saint Johnny threw up.

I was remembering an interview to him (though I do not know which one) in which he was asked how it was to work with The Smiths.
And his answer was that he liked making the videos, but that they never happened to meet.
(then again, if they happened to meet at a dressing room... it would be almost the same... not a very deep relationship, not even a relationship).

I simply meant that I do not see Jarman as someone who has been specially influential for The Smiths, nor I think that The Smiths were specially important for him (certainly something different happened with Throbbing Gristle, Coil & Psychic TV... and Jarman)
 
I heard Derek J interviewed on the radio shortly before he died, and the interviewer asked him if he felt that he and Morrissey were "two sides of the same coin". Jarman answered "I hope not". "Why?" asked the interviewer. "He's not very bright, is he?" said Jarman.
 
I have or had a VHS tape called Projections. It was a collection of short films of his that were projected during a Pet Shop Boys tour. Some are on youtube. The one for "King's Cross" is my favorite. There are two versions. One is just Derek Jarman's work and then there was a live video released where you could see the films as they appeared in concert.
 
It's interesting to me that so many aspects of The Smiths career were not particularly fondly received at the time, yet are now viewed very differently.
 
When I was about 18 or 19 I saw Wittgenstein on Channel Four: it was mesmerising.
 
Marr's hit melodies?
What a bizarre way to phrase Johnny Marr's music.
 
Nothing will ever make me laugh more than “Regards, FWD”. Such a c***.
We already knew you were a prick. You don't have to go the extra mile calling FWD a c***. Put your feet up. There's plenty of time left to be a douche.
 
Wittgenstein might be his best film, although I am not sure it is really remembered.
I rarely get the chance to talk about this, but Peter Fillingham was my art teacher. We didn’t get on, apart from when we spoke about Derek Jarman (Peter was in Wittgenstein).

On a clear day you can see his house from Whistable (Jarman’s, not Fillingham’s; he f***ed off to France).

What struck me (about his house) was that Jarman had found the best place in the world to live; in the midst of a consensus saying it was the worst.

Anyway. A great human (Jarman) I was told. And I’ve no reason to disbelieve.

I loved Blue. Never saw it at the cinema, but I bought the CD.
 
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"So eighties" ? This person doesn't have a f***ing clue. At the time it was seen as cutting edge. It was typical experimental art of the times.
I’ve spent some time considering ‘what she said’ and your response.

I think you’re right, in some sense, it does actually look early 90s. But I do see the influence of Jan Svankmajer.
 
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I was very lucky to meet Derek Jarman when I worked as a clerk in a university/art cinema in Derby in the eighties. It was called the Metro. He did a question and answer talk after a showing of his films. I did not know who he was at the time. All the staff went for a curry afterwards. I was sat next to him and I didn't know what to eat. He helped me decide and he fed me some of his food too. That's why I love lime pickle to this day. He was so kind and friendly to me who he didn't know and made me feel really happy. I was just a clerk and he kept talking to me. I'll never forget that and I hope to one day visit the place that he lived by the sea with the beautiful garden.
I enjoyed his films a lot and have never seen this Smiths film before. It's great. Sorry, I'm not as bright as the rest of the contributors on this site, but I just wanted people to know that he was a lovely Man.
 
I was very lucky to meet Derek Jarman when I worked as a clerk in a university/art cinema in Derby in the eighties. It was called the Metro. He did a question and answer talk after a showing of his films. I did not know who he was at the time. All the staff went for a curry afterwards. I was sat next to him and I didn't know what to eat. He helped me decide and he fed me some of his food too. That's why I love lime pickle to this day. He was so kind and friendly to me who he didn't know and made me feel really happy. I was just a clerk and he kept talking to me. I'll never forget that and I hope to one day visit the place that he lived by the sea with the beautiful garden.
I enjoyed his films a lot and have never seen this Smiths film before. It's great. Sorry, I'm not as bright as the rest of the contributors on this site, but I just wanted people to know that he was a lovely Man.

This is a sweet story.
 
The great Derek Jarman. 'Caravaggio' is his best - although 'Blue' is a lyrical gem too. One of his films - 'Last of England' - mourns the loss of English culture in the 1980s. The Smiths were very much saying the same thing then - or at least Moz was. He's still talking it about it now. But the context around him has changed beyond all recognition.
 
I was very lucky to meet Derek Jarman when I worked as a clerk in a university/art cinema in Derby in the eighties. It was called the Metro. He did a question and answer talk after a showing of his films. I did not know who he was at the time. All the staff went for a curry afterwards. I was sat next to him and I didn't know what to eat. He helped me decide and he fed me some of his food too. That's why I love lime pickle to this day. He was so kind and friendly to me who he didn't know and made me feel really happy. I was just a clerk and he kept talking to me. I'll never forget that and I hope to one day visit the place that he lived by the sea with the beautiful garden.
I enjoyed his films a lot and have never seen this Smiths film before. It's great. Sorry, I'm not as bright as the rest of the contributors on this site, but I just wanted people to know that he was a lovely Man.
What a wonderful story!
 

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