The Last of England

The Last of England Artist: Derek Jarman
Label: Fine Line Records
Category: Music


Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Format: Soundtrack
Media: Audio CD


UPC: 017533009721
EAN: 0017533009721
ASIN: B00005YII8


Release Date: 1996-07-16

The Last of England


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Movie Soundtracks Movie Soundtracks
Categories | Soundtracks | Styles | Music
General General
Categories | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

Tracks:

  1. Tonala - M. Turner
  2. Autumn Leaf - M. Turner
  3. Sketches of Luxembourg - M. Turner
  4. Last of England - M. Turner
  5. Fina
  6. Persistence of Memory - M. Turner
  7. Bridge - M. Turner
  8. Hymn for Thatcher - M. Turner
  9. Disco Death - Albert Oehlen, Tilda Swinton, Mayo Thompson
  10. Springback - Brian Gulland, M. Turner
  11. Refugee Theme (15 Rounds) - Barry Adamson, Paul Kendall
  12. In the Free World - Dean Garcia, Andrew Gill
  13. Intro - M. Turner
  14. Treizieme Revient (The Thirteenth Returns) - Diamanda Gal
  15. Evoy Me - Diamanda Gal
  16. Day After Tomorrow - Simon Fisher-Turner, Derek Jarman, Nigel Terry
  17. Imprisoned Memories - Derek Jarman, M. Turner
  18. Dead Sea - Simon Fisher-Turner, Sally Herbert, Derek Jarman, Simon Fisher-Turner
  19. Broadway Boy - El Tito, Simon Fisher-Turner, Mayo Thompson, Simon Fisher-Turner
  20. National Grid - M. Turner

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars Not a milestone but still a rock that stirs the water.......2006-06-01

The soundtrack of "The last of England" is one of those rare succesful compilations of both original score and pop music. In my book, when it comes to these "double bills" on which both the composer and the pop musicians excell in quality, the soundtrack to Wim Wenders' "Wings of desire" is the best example. Jürgen Kniepers melancholical score for strings and (angelic) choir is as effective as the compilation of popsongs by such artists as Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, Crime & The City Solution, Laurie Anderson and Tuxedomoon.

The biggest difference between this movie and "The Last of England" is that "Wings of desire" is an internationally acclaimed and rewarded art house favorite, and Derek Jarman's highly experimental collage movie is, well... lesser known.
Allthough Jarman has a following of his own, his Super 8 movies are by no means well known outside lovers of avant garde cinema and the gay and lesbian scene.

But that doens't mean the movie and it's musical score is of less quality. Long time Jarman-collaborator Simon Fisher Turner does the screaking and scratching sound design and music, in which soft flowing melodies are hard to find. His music consists more of soundscapes, literary quotations, noises and samples directly taken from the movie. It's completely off-beat and for the average music lover even off-turning. For others it is a rush of audio Ritalin and if that is what you like, Mr. Turner provides.

As for the pop songs, the same can be said. Allthough names as Diamanda Galas and Barry Adamson certainly can ring a bell to soe of us, most people will just scratch behind their ears and say: who? Galas, seems to be the Satanic equivalent of opera Goddess Maria Calas, really gets under your skin (not to say on your nerves) with two "songs", which can easily be put on the soundtrack to a movie version of Dante's "Inferno" or the burning sequence of any movie about Joan of Arc.
Following is the strange, pounding, almost mantra-like "Disco Death" with vocals by actress Tilda Swinton and a more normal sounding catchy rock song "In the free world" by Andy Gill.

The CD ends with some narratives by Derek Jarman self, not to be heard in the movie, but in the same vein and atmosphere. Turner provides the backing sounds, actor Nigel Terry some of the spoken words.

In my opinion, Jarman's later collage-movies "The Garden" and "Blue" clearly show a development in Turners musical output, containing not only more coherent and accessible sounds but even moments of shere poetry, and by this it trancends its right of existence for Derek Jarman/Simon Turner-fanclub members only, something which, dispite it's own inner quelities, can not be said entirely about "The Last of England".

Music Album:

  1. The Watcher (2000 Film) ~ Marco Beltrami
  2. Athena ~ Original Soundtrack
  3. Il Principe Di Homburg (Original Soundtrack)
  4. Merlin ~ Trevor Jones
  5. Southie ~ Original Soundtrack
  6. With Love, from the Soaps ~ Various Artists
  7. Barbershop 2: Back in Business ~ Various Artists
  8. Yakitate!! Japan: Ost ~ Japanimation
  9. Frozen Stars: The Original Soundtrack From The Motion Picture ~ Original Soundtrack
  10. More Monty: From And Inspired By The Biggest British Film Of All Time ~ Various Artists - Soundtracks

Music Album

Music Album

Music

Carpenters Delight ~ Don Air

Passing Through ~ Rig the Jig

VH1 Classic Metal Mania: Stripped ~ Various Artists

Dawn Anew Is Coming ~ Message

Attitude ~ C.I.A.

Gul: The Rose ~ Latif Bolat

Recordando Los Exitos De Noro Morales, Vol. 1 ~ Noro Morales

Sortimento ~ Zelia Duncan

Gypsy Kings and Queens ~ Various Artists

Aqua ~ Cuetracks