David Patrick Columbia recently wrote in the New York Social Diary about a Peter Greenaway event on in New York right now. I’ve long been a fan and it prompted me to post in brief about one of my favourite movies, ‘The Draughtsman’s Contract’.
I can’t even begin on the complexities of this movie so will keep to a few visuals.
In many ways this movie is a tableaux vivant. It is largely ‘wrong’ in terms of historic evocation but it’s a visual feast, and his use of entirely white costumes is one I wholly condone, naturally.
It’s old but absolutely classic and was filmed in the gardens at Groombridge, Kent, which also featured as the home of the Bennets in the recent Pride and Prejudice film.
Have you seen ‘The Draughtsman’s Contract’? Let me know what you think!
Chiswick House Gardens have recently been renovated and they have installed drawing frames around the grounds to allow visitors to place themselves in the exact viewpoint of various artists who painted the house. Charming and successful idea.
This image comes courtesy of the V&A and shows Dürer using a drawing frame. Apparently Constable was a fan of these instruments also.
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I have seen it. But a long time ago. I will look for it now. I remember being awed by it, though. And everything Greenaway touches has that visionary, other-world, mysterious even, quality to it.
Colette-was just going through a Stephen Calloway book Baroque and thinking about this film at 4 am this morning-we are simpatico today/tonight it would seem.
The historical inaccuracies of the film bother me, but it is rich enough visually to recommend as satisfying entertainment. “Pretty” goes a long way.
Colette, you trouble me with your faint praise of one of your “favourites”… What is with “It’s old but is (sic) a classic…”? I hope you age as well as it does.
And WTH do you mean by “classic” in that context? And how is it a tableaux (sic) vivant “in many ways”?
Dear Linda, you are entirely correct…my praise IS too faint, and I could wax on for days re this film however blogs are primarily visual ‘teasers’ so i chose to leave it to dear readers to discover more. There are reams of praise and critique already written on Greenaway by those better apt than me. Some consider TDC part of Greenaway’s ‘older’ ouvre but for me it is part of my ‘classic’ (ie must see) film library. As for the tableaux vivant aspect, that is how I see and feel all things in life, probably because I am making mental snapshots for future reference, and Greenaway’s composed shots in TDC hit home. For some, the movie is a ‘who done it’, but for me it is more of a visual experience. WTH its my blog, my opinions..but thanks for taking me up on it….keep it coming! yours Colette
You go, girl! It IS your blog and your opinion…and we all love it!
ps…in 2001 Greenaway himself said “It would be impossible for me to make The Draughtsman’s Contract now. My interests would be very different, so much so that, at last, after long resistance, I am negotiating for an American company to remake it.” which strikes me as puzzling so perhaps this is a more complex discussion than i realized. And does anyone know if this is still in discussion?
reference: http://archive.sensesofcinema.com/contents/cteq/01/12/draughtsmans.html
This is an intriguing Film - Brillantly staged and directed.
It was so compelly to view the elegant balance of the Black & White Costumes - against that Green Background-!
I thought the Draughtsman Neville was only acting mischievous - like a Jester or maybe Puck.
He certainly didn’t deserve what happened in the End. He seemed an Angel compared to the Treacherous “Friends” & relatives surrounding The Lady of the Estate. (any one of them could have done the deed-!)
However the Mystery remains — a Mystery. The Film is definately a Favorite of mine as well-! MMR
Please Colette, tell me what it all means! I read somewhere that Channel 4 still have Greenaway’s three-hour original edit. Now that would be worth a screening.
ROBIN….LETS PLAN A PARTY DARLING!!