Long Day Closes (The)
- Director: Terence Davies
- Writer: Terence Davies
- Producer: Ben Gibson; Colin MacCabe
CGiii Comment
Easily, a contender for the best British film ever made.
You can only marvel at the imagery that bombards the screen - every frame is a carefully constructed beauty.
As for CGiii, Davies is a gay director and this is a glimpse into his childhood.
It is subtle, a glimpse of a bare-chested builder, the affinity with the girls, the teasing at school - don't expect a plot-driven extravaganza - just sit back, relax and marvel at the sight and sound.
A masterpiece.
Trailer...
The(ir) Blurb...
The Long Day Closes is the story of eleven-year-old "Bud." A sad and lonely boy, Bud struggles through his days. With cinema as his main source of solace, he haunts the local movie-house. All the while, his family looms large in our peripheral vision as do the menacing bullies of his school, but Bud is the center of attention both from the camera's angle and from his doting family. With a gray background, the film fuses clips and audio from classic movies into Bud's dreary childhood and brings it to life with an elegance Bach would bring to your home movies. The overall effect is a montage of memory which seems to ignite flashes of recognition in the viewer.
Cast & Characters
Marjorie Yates as Mother;
Leigh McCormack as Bud;
Anthony Watson as Kevin;
Nicholas Lamont as John;
Ayse Owens as Helen;
Tina Malone as Edna;
Jimmy Wilde as Curly;
Robin Polley as Mr. Nicholls;
Peter Ivatts as Mr. Bushell;
Joy Blakeman as Frances;
Denise Thomas as Jean;
Patricia Morrison as Amy;
Gavin Mawdslay as Billy;
Kirk McLaughlin as Labourer / Christ;
Marcus Heath as Black Man