DISTANT VOICES, STILL LIVES

Review: A British autobiographical drama, which follows a working class family in Liverpool during the 1940’s and 1950’s. This is split up into two sections, the first part focuses on the father’s role in the family and the second part focuses on his children.
Director: Terence Davies
Actors: Pete Postlethwaite, Freda Dowie, Lorraine Ashbourne, Michael Starke and Andrew Schofield
Year: 1988
Genre: Drama and Music
Conclusion: 5/5
Now considered one of the best British movies ever made. This is Pete Postlethwaite’s first performance plus his breakthrough. Doing this film was a ‘labour of love’ for director, cast and crew. Due to the very low budget, it had to be shot intermittently over a period of two years. From the book Directing – Film Techniques and Aesthetics it quotes about this film “Events neither follow one another in chronological or cause and effect relationship, nor follow the subjective of a single character. Instead moments flow through the collective memories and multiple perspectives of a whole family. Using major events (weddings, funerals, births, etc”. This has been described as “A forgotten Masterpiece”. Also in 1000 Films to Change your Life it quotes about this film “Davies endows all these everyday activities with the passion and intensity of luminous dreams”. This is a highly personal film filled with drama, comedy and tragedy. Terence Davies won an award at the Cannes Film Festival in 1988.