Blue
Derek Jarman / GB, 1993 / 76 min.
Derek Jarman’s final, most daring film is precisely what its title states: a pure blue screen, with sumptuous sound design. Blue is an exceptional cinematic experience about its creator's life and how he dealt with AIDS – equal parts moving and philosophical.
In Derek Jarman’s beautiful final film (the director died in 1994 from AIDS) the creator of Caravaggio looks back on his life and the many friends he lost to AIDS. He speaks with great candour about his disease and his increasing blindness. This exceptional cinematic experience consists of an entirely blue screen, a remarkable collage featuring the voices of Jarman stalwarts Tilda Swinton, Nigel Terry and John Quentin and a unique ambient soundtrack by Simon Fisher Turner with Brian Eno, Coil and others.
4K digital restoration as a joint project between Basilisk and Tate Modern
35mm print from the Eye collection
This is part of
Special screenings
Details
Director
Derek Jarman
Production year
1993
Country
GB
Original title
Blue
Length
76 min.
Language
English
Subtitles
NONE
Format
DCP, 35mm
Part of
Tilda Swinton
This autumn, Eye presents Tilda Swinton – Ongoing, an exclusive exhibition dedicated to the celebrated Scottish performer, artist, and fashion icon. This unique and personal exhibition centres on Swinton’s creative collaborations.
Why in Eye
When Derek was losing his sight, in his last year, he became fascinated by colour. We made a series of improvised concerts against a screen of Yves Klein Blue - the Bliss concerts - which we developed into this film, Derek’s final final piece of cinema, and certainly his purest.
Tilda Swinton
Actor and Performer
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