British director Terence Davies brings his distinctive sensibility and compassion to this profile of Liverpool. Best known in America as the birthplace of the Beatles, this port city and industrial center on the northwest coast of Britain is Davies' hometown and this film is his memoir of the city, told from an ambivalent perspective of troubled affection and critical commentary. Illustrating his first-person essay with a vivid selection of archival news and newsreel clips, documentary footage, and home movies, Davies' personal narration (accompanied by a witty collection of literary quotes, song lyrics, movie titles, and snatches of poetry, backed by a collection of popular songs and snatches of classical music) reflects on a wide range of topics, including the influence of the Roman Catholic church, his growing social awareness of Liverpool's poverty (while the “fossil monarchy” celebrated marriages and coronations with lavish pageants), and the challenges of growing up gay in a culture intolerant of homosexuality. Less of a conventional documentary than a lyrical nonfiction essay freely mixing history and remembrance, Of Time and the City is a wistful, funny, satirical, angry, and forgiving portrait of the city that shaped Davies the artist. Highly recommended. (S. Axmaker)
Of Time and the City
Strand, 74 min., not rated, DVD: $27.99, May 12 Volume 24, Issue 3
Of Time and the City
Star Ratings
As of March 2022, Video Librarian has changed from a four-star rating system to a five-star one. This change allows our reviewers to have a wider range of critical viewpoints, as well as to synchronize with Google’s rating structure. This change affects all reviews from March 2022 onwards. All reviews from before this period will still retain their original rating. Future film submissions will be considered our new 1-5 star criteria.
Order From Your Favorite Distributor Today: