Deborah kerrs sister clodagh has a spiritual crisis, while a fellow nun, brilliantly played by kathleen byron, becomes erotically obsessed with a. It was originally the palace of mopu, built for one of calcuttas most extravagant generals. Live accompaniment provided by pianist kevin madison. Black narcissus was made into a famous movie with deborah kerr in 1947. Godden wrote novels, poetry, plays, biographies, and books for children. Deborah kerr, flora robson, jean simmons, michael powell, emeric pressburger. Accompanying the disc is a 22page booklet with color pictures of the film and features an excellent essay entitled empire of the senses by kent jones. In 2008, itv dvd released a restored version of the film on bluray in the united kingdom. In black narcissus, were brought into a world of nuns trying to establish a convent in the himalayas, and the external and internal conflicts that arise from such an undertaking. Martin scorseses film foundation has already restored the red shoes and they are currently working on restoring the life and death of colonel blimp.
Although a large part of it was shot at pinewood studios, and at leonardslee gardens in sussex, black narcissus is very much a landscape film. Black narcissus is a 1947 film by the british directorwriterproducer team of michael powell and emeric pressburger, based on the 1939 novel of the same name by rumer godden. As a threestrip technicolor film, restoration can be tricky business, and though. Dean david farrar about what theyre getting into, early in michael powell and emeric pressburgers black narcissus, 1947. Black narcissus is an unsettling, unforgettable journey into madness. Rumer godden margaret rumer godden was born in sussex, but grew up in india, in narayanganj. Reviewing criterions black narcissus and the red shoes on blu. In black narcissus, were brought into a world of nuns trying to establish a convent in the himalayas, and the external and. Jean simmons in black narcissus 1947 black narcissus 1947 kathleen. Shot entirely at pinewood studios and in west sussex, it boasts jack cardiffs luscious oscarwinning cinematography. Michael powell and emeric pressburgers black narcissus. When a handsomely restored print of black narcissus was screened at the cannes film festival several years ago, it was remarked that had it been in the competition, powell and pressburgers 1947 masterpiece easily wouldve walked away with the awards for best cinematography and best art direction, regardless of the more than halfcentury that had passed in between. Black narcissus is a 1947 british psychological drama film written, produced, and directed by michael powell and emeric pressburger, and starring deborah kerr, kathleen byron, sabu, david farrar, flora robson, esmond knight, and jean simmons. In this era, british filmmaking favoured either the realism of documentaries and kitchensink dramas or the fluffy, escapist comedies and melodramas produced by gainsborough.
Faith, a rugged retreat for a group of english angelican nuns. The composition of the film proves to be masterful in nearly every aspect. Jul, 2010 black narcissus is a romance crossbred with a horror film, and its melodrama has as much in common with the histrionics of hitchcocks rebecca as it does any of douglas sirks soapy tearjerkers. After opening a convent in the himalayas, five nuns encounter conflict and tension both with the natives and also within their own group as they attempt to adapt to their remote, exotic surroundings. Oct 12, 2017 the overriding element of black narcissus that marks it out as a truly marvellous technical achievement is that not a single scene was shot on location in the himalayas. Such a present has now arrived with the new 4k restoration of pandora and the flying dutchman. With deborah kerr, david farrar, jean simmons, kathleen byron. Its an alltime top 10 favourite of mine and seeing it digitally restored on the big screen brings a sugar. I next encountered black narcissus as an older adult. A darkly grand film that won oscars for alfred junges art direction and jack cardiffs cinematography, black narcissus is one of the greatest achievements by two of cinemas true visionaries. It still looks phenomenal, and much better than the 2001 dvd edition, but its noticeable.
Black narcissus calendar the museum of fine arts, houston. Black narcissus the current the criterion collection. Aug 14, 2017 black narcissus, in particular, was so unlike anything directors were making in 1940s britain. Museum of the moving image visit calendar black narcissus. The process of developing black narcissus s visual style is detailed in a fascinating short film about cinematographer jack cardiff, painting with light. Aug 10, 2010 michael powell and emeric pressburgers black narcissus practically drips with under the surface eroticism. Black narcissus is criterions third powell film on dvd, trailing equally essential packages for the red shoes 1948 and peeping tom 1960. When black narcissus opened in england in 1947, great britain was barely emerging from the agony and exhaustion of world war ii.
Nov 08, 2018 at the height of their creative powers, michael powell and emeric pressburger delivered a feast of color with this captivating convent drama. There are some scenes which work superbly well when the size of the screen is so big that it completely fills your field of view. A darkly grand film that won oscars for alfred junges art direction and jack cardiffs cinematography, black narcissus is one of the greatest achievements by. Nothing could be further from gray, hungry postwar london than the india imagined by director michael powell and screenwriter emeric pressburger. Reviewing criterions black narcissus and the red shoes. Black narcissus 1947 is a provocative, dazzling and richcolored psychologicalreligious and sexual drama from the legendary partnership duo of the archers. Both films have recently been restored, with the red shoes making an appearance at cannes in 2009 with a highly publicized restoration and a. Black narcissus even has a tenuous relationship with horror films hard to believe, but there are shots of an insanelooking ruth that must have been inspired by val lewton, and influential on. The entire film was shot at pinewood studios, england and several flashback scenes were shot on location in the english countryside. It builds an atmosphere thats chilling and unsettling, and there are so many shots that took my breath away, but the brownface was incredibly distracting. This explosive work about the conflict between the spirit and the flesh is the epitome of the sensuous style of michael powell and emeric pressburger. Black narcissus is a 1947 british psychological drama film written, produced, and directed by. At the convent of the order of the servants of mary in calcutta, sister clodagh is instructed by her order to oversee the establishment of a new school and.
But even among their many masterpieces, black narcissus stands tall. Jul 20, 2010 the problem is corrected on the red shoes, but black narcissus hasnt enjoyed a similar restoration. The idea of someone being given a trust much heavier to bare than their abilities can handle opens the door to all sorts of possibilities. Black narcissus 1947 movie clip the place and the people. This scene was restored when the film was rereleased in the u.
It is like a completely different world where you feel amazed from start to end and yet feel in a way involved because it talks about universal things in a. The film is presented in its original aspect ratio of 1. Black narcissus criterion collection dvd 1947 best buy. Black narcissus is the best example of this, unfortunately. Black narcissus 1947 is another powell and pressburger masterpiece, right on the heels of their more famous film, the red shoes 1948. Black narcissus 1947 michael powell, emeric pressburger. Their spiritual aims are hampered by the arrival of a beautiful native girl and a young general. Three experts in film restoration lobster films, groupama gan foundation, and technicolor foundation for cinema heritage used the most. This explosive film about the conflict between the. Nine of her works have been made into films, most notably black narcissus in 1947. Like i did with the red shoes i revisited criterions original dvd for black narcissus to see how it holds up and i was quite disappointed. Jan 24, 2020 just about the best cinematic gift one could receive is a new restoration of a technicolor classic shot by jack cardiff black narcissus, the red shoes. Black narcissus, a 1939 novel by rumer godden, named after the caron perfume, and on which the 1947 film is based. I am making no profit from this, and no infringement is intended.
She is believed to have been in poor health for a number of years. The women are from an order where the nuns renew their vows every year, and ruth doesnt reup when her time is through. Based on the 1939 novel by rumer godden, the film revolves around the growing tensions within a small. While the dramatic content of the film hasnt stood the test of time all that well, the individual performances, production values, and especially the oscarwinning technicolor photography of jack cardiff. But i like to view it as a film ahead of its time, daring enough to look puritanical figures that are in. How black narcissus heralded the slow death of the british empire. A group of nuns open a makeshift convent in the foothills of the himalayas, but soon find their vows challenged in this new, exotic environment. A group of anglican nuns travel to the palace of mopu, high in the. Black narcissus is not another old style melodrama, but a provocative and yet true and passionate tale of solitude, attraction, sanctity and visualstorytelling. Film critic dave kehr suggests that black narcissus should be taken with the historical context of britain bidding farewell to their fading empire, and indeed that is an interesting point of view. Hd trailer for the black narcissus wasnt happy with the quality of other trailers on youtube. This 4k digital restorationsupervised by thelma schoonmaker, widow of michael powell and longtime editor of martin scorseses filmsis the same version. The archers, were known for their bravura works of popular art, films of staggering beauty and intellect.
Black narcissus 1947 directed by emeric pressburger. Pinewood studios, iver heath, buckinghamshire, england, uk studio studio. But i like to view it as a film ahead of its time, daring enough to look puritanical figures that are in truth as frail as anyone. Black narcissus is a 1947 film by powell and pressburger. Feb 03, 2020 captured in a rich palette of oceanic blues by legendary cinematographer jack cardiff black narcissus, the film whose 4k restoration was completed by the cohen film collection in conjunction. Black narcissus, which electrified scorsese far flungers. Every single frame of black narcissus is a thing of exquisite beauty, particularly as it is seen in this remarkable restoration of the film undertaken for the 100th anniversary of the birth of michael powell. Apr 29, 2018 contains clips from black narcissus 1947, dir. With deborah kerr, david farrar, flora robson, jenny laird. Margaret rumer godden obe 10 december 1907 8 november 1998 was an english author of more than 60 fiction and nonfiction books written under the name of rumer godden.
Black narcissus, like much of the rest of powells oeuvre, shines like a beacon within the context of world cinema, especially 1940s and early 1950s british cinema. The allure and shock of black narcissus 70 years later. Criterions bluray of black narcissus is sourced from a 2005 british restoration that far surpasses earlier video incarnations, including criterions previous dvd release in 2001. Powell and pressburger were filmmakers that created iconic films in the 1940s. This powell and pressburger classic is set in a community of nuns high in the himalayas. The title refers to the caron perfume narcisse noir. In powell and pressburgers exploration of eroticism and sexual repression, western values are seen to. Not a frame of film shot in asia, the nuns are reading a voicedover letter from mr.
Its not however merely aesthetically pleasing though visually it could hardly be more striking through jack cardiffs. Can a full restoration of black narcissus be far behind. The aforementioned flashback was removed from the us release version of black narcissus so as not to offend the catholic legion of decency. Directed by albert lewin, the 1951 british production follows the seductive pandora reynolds ava. Jan 19, 2009 kathleen byron, the intense, flamehaired star of michael powells black narcissus, died yesterday at the age of 88. Black narcissus, or narcisse noir, a perfume introduced in 1911 by parfums caron. Black narcissus, in particular, was so unlike anything directors were. Find out where black narcissus is streaming, if black narcissus is on netflix, and get news and updates, on decider. Next to the red shoes itself a shattering film about lonelinessself denial in the arts black narcissus is a mustseemusthave. Apr 30, 2014 set design black narcissus 1947 set high in the mountains, surrounded by the majestic himalayas, stands the convent of st. The hd videos color quality rivals original technicolor prints, and the detail is astounding. The film fuses sexuality and religion into a petri dish of unrelenting turmoil.
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