British Universities Film & Video Council

moving image and sound, knowledge and access

Tempest, The

Synopsis
Low-budget adaptation of the play using chiaroscuro lighting, location shooting, unusual casting, and eccentric costuming. The film remains faithful to the spirit of the play. Jarman’s understanding of the text brings a political intelligence as well as beauty and fantasy. It is also perhaps ‘a touch too art-school for its own good, but it contains many beautiful things, among them a gruff Prospero from Heathcote Williams...and a deliciously cam finale by jazz dive Elisabeth Welch’ (The Guardian, 2019).
Language
English
Country
Great Britain
Medium
Film
Technical information
Black-and-white / Sound
Year of release
1979
Duration
115 mins; 10,382 feet

Credits

Director
Derek Jarman
Producer
Guy Ford; Mordecai Schreiber
Cinematographer
Peter Middleton
Writer
William Shakespeare
Screenplay
Derek Jarman
Music
Brian Hodgson; John Lewis
Costume
Nicolas Ede
Art Direction
Ian Whittaker; Steven Mehea
Cast
Heathcote WilliamsProspero
Toyah WillcoxMiranda
Karl JohnsonAriel
Jack BirkettCaliban
David MeyerFerdinand
Christopher BigginsStephano
Claire DavenportSycorax
Elizabeth WelchGoddess
Ken CampbellGonzalo
Neil CunninghamSebastian
Peter BullAlonso
Peter TurnerTrinculo
Richard WarwickAntonio

Additional Details

Production type
Fiction Films
Plays
Tempest, The
Subjects
Drama
Keywords
Shakespeare, William (1564-1616)

Notes

Notes
Available on BoB:https://learningonscreen.ac.uk/ondemand/index.php/prog/buf5b31de?bcast=128419600
Estimated budget £150,000.
General
BFI Special Collections holds the Derek Jarman Collection which includes scripts, notebooks, production papers etc related to the film.

Online Availability

Online URL
https://learningonscreen.ac.uk/ondemand/index.php/prog/buf5b31de?bcast=128419600
Online format
Streamed

Production Company

Name

Boyd’s Company

Distributor

Name

Learning on Screen Off-Air Recording Back-up Service

Email
services@bufvc.ac.uk
Web
http://bufvc.ac.uk/tvandradio/offair External site opens in new window
Phone
020 7393 1514
Fax
020 7393 1555
Address
For Learning on Screen Members only
77 Wells Street
London
W1T 3QJ

Distributor (Hire)

Name

BFI Film Bookings Unit

Email
bookings.films@bfi.org.uk
Web
http://www.bfi.org.uk/about-bfi/help-faq/film-bookings External site opens in new window
Phone
020 7957 8938 / 8935
Address
21 Stephen Street
London
W1T 1LN

Distributor (Sale)

Name

Retail outlets

Name

Second Sight Films Ltd

Email
info@secondsightfilms.co.uk
Web
http://www.secondsightfilms.co.uk External site opens in new window
Phone
020 8977 0553
Fax
020 8977 1470
Address
16 Connaught Road
Teddington
London
TW11 0PS
Notes
A UK DVD distributor of celebrated classics and cult cinema from around the world, as well as some television titles. Sale via retail outlets.

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