Screening on 21/12/18
UK 1982
Dir: Peter Greenaway
Starring: Anthony Higgins, Janet Suzman, Anne-Louise Lambert
Cert 15
108 mins
Synopsis
Mr. Neville, a cocksure young artist, is contracted by Mrs. Herbert, the wife of a wealthy landowner, to produce a set of twelve drawings of her husband’s estate, a contract which extends much further than either the purse or the sketchpad. The sketches themselves prove of an even greater significance than supposed upon the discovery of the body of Mr. Herbert.
Testimonial – John Rossington
Peter Greenaway established himself as one of the UK’s most exciting and innovative film-making talents with this, his exquisite 1982 feature. Made and released against the backdrop of a moribund and stagnating national cinema, Greenaway found himself at the forefront of a burgeoning renaissance of British film.
The film was an enormous success and became the most widely seen British avant garde film to date. Today, it remains a hugely enjoyable experience, bringing together restoration comedy, art and architecture appreciation, social commentary and allegory, wrapped up in the form of an English country house murder mystery.
The sense of artificiality in the film, with its exaggerated costumes and dialogue rich in innuendo and euphemism, is delightful and Michael Nyman’s Purcell-inspired score adds to a terrific film experience.
The Draughtsman’s Contract must surely be one of the most memorable of LFS’s past screenings, and one well worth revisiting.
Event Details
1pm – two-course carvery meal (in the Refectory)
From 2pm – Movie Memories
3pm – The Draughtsman’s Contract (at The Venue)
Film trailer
