Rent Distant Voices, Still Lives (1988)
3.6 of 5 from 159 ratings
1h 20min
- General info
- Available formats
- Synopsis:
- Drawn from his own family memories, 'Distant Voices, Still Lives' is a strikingly intimate portrait of working class life in 1940's and 1950's Liverpool. Focusing on the real-life experiences of his mother, sisters and brother whose lives are thwarted by their brutal, sadistic father (a chilling performance by Pete Postlethwaite), the film shows us beauty and terror in equal measure. Davies uses the traditional family gatherings of births, marriages and deaths to paint a lyrical portrait of family life - of love, grief, and the highs and lows of being human, a 'poetry of the everyday' that is at once deeply autobiographical and universally resonant.
- Actors:
- Freda Dowie, Pete Postlethwaite, Angela Walsh, Dean Williams, Lorraine Ashbourne, Sally Davies, Nathan Walsh, Susan Flanagan, Michael Starke, Vincent Maguire, Antonia Mallen, Debi Jones, Chris Darwin, Marie Jelliman, Andrew Schofield, Anne Dyson, Jean Boht, Alan Bird, Pauline Quirke, Matthew Long
- Directors:
- Terence Davies
- Producers:
- Jennifer Howarth
- Voiced By:
- Kenneth Horne, Kenneth Williams
- Writers:
- Terence Davies
- Studio:
- BFI Video
- Genres:
- Drama, Music & Musicals
- Collections:
- A World of Difference: A History of Gay Cinema, Drama Films & TV, Top 100 BFI Films, Top Films
- BBFC:
- Release Date:
- 22/10/2018
- Run Time:
- 83 minutes
- Languages:
- English LPCM Stereo
- Subtitles:
- English Hard of Hearing
- Formats:
- Pal
- Aspect Ratio:
- Widescreen 1.78:1 / 16:9
- Colour:
- Colour
- BLU-RAY Regions:
- B
- Bonus:
- Q&A with Terence Davies (2018, 32 mins): recorded after the UK premiere of the new restoration at BFI Southbank
- Audio commentary by Terence Davies: the director scrutinises his film in this commentary from 2007
- Interview with Terence Davies (2007, 20 mins): director Terence Davies discusses his work with film critic Geoff Andrew
- Interview with Miki van Zwanenberg (2007, 7 mins): the film's art director looks back on its making Introduction by Mark Kermode (2016, 2 mins)
- Images of Liverpool in Archive Film (1939-42, 62 mins): three archive shorts depicting the city of Liverpool and its community
- Original and 2018 Trailers
- Image Gallery
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Reviews (3) of Distant Voices, Still Lives
Misery, the musical - Distant Voices, Still Lives review by JD
This is essentially 2 films. Distant voices is set around a physically abusive father and husband. Still lives is set around the weddings of the 3 children. There are so many flash backs and forwards it is difficult to maintain an interest. The theme is life and times of a working class family who sing for about 50% of the film and cry for a similar fraction. Muddled, disjointed and far too much singing to make it feel authentic.
3 out of 4 members found this review helpful.
Great atmosphere. - Distant Voices, Still Lives review by PV
In spite of the sleeve notes being inaccurate, or rather misleading, this was an amazing look into the times gone by.
Kenneth Horne and Kenneth Williams did not star in this film, but were a few seconds of sound bites from past radio programmes.
The real stars were Freda Dowie, Pete Postlethwaite, Angela Walsh, Dean Williams, Lorraine Ashbourne and Sally Davies.
The supporting cast were absolutely faultless. I even recognised a teenage Pauline Quirke.
Well worth a nostalgic visit; happy, sad and occasionally frightening, plus quite a few musical moments.
1 out of 1 members found this review helpful.
Touching, nostalgic look back at everyday living in Liverpool in the 50s. - Distant Voices, Still Lives review by PL
A beautiful, broadly paced film. Affectionate but tempered with brief moments of domestic violence. An evocative soundtrack of (mostly) popular song is far more than a soundtrack - it becomes an essential part of the film with the actor/singers sharing joys and sadness in a way far removed from today' approach to music-making.
Highly recommended.
1 out of 1 members found this review helpful.