Distant Voices, Still Lives - 1989, Terence Davies

Terence Davies is a master at capturing moments in time. Distant Voices, Still Lives proves this as well as any of his films could. In a mere 80 minutes, he manages to fashion an engaging, entertaining, somber, almost voyeuristic look into the lives of a mid-20th century English family. Not only is the story evocative, it is downright affecting.

The use of song in this film is really unlike anything I've seen before. The music is seamlessly intertwined with the story and is never jarring, which can not be said about many musically generated motion pictures.

The film is divided into two segments; the first, Distant Voices, is a look into the lives of the five member family as the three children grow up in a household with a verbally and physically abusive father and a caring and hard-working mother. The story is seen through the memories of individual members of the household, as they reminisce about their lives in the wake of their father's passing. The different perspectives give us a thorough and unbiased picture of some of the events that shaped their lives.

Still Lives focuses on the lives the children lead after getting married. What makes this story effective is not that it is important; but that we are watching the lives of ordinary, "normal" people unfold set in an era far gone. It is a striking portrayal of just how fleeting and insignificant our lives really are. We are important to our significant others, yet so irrelevant in history.

The non-linear approach taken by a number of directors in portraying their story can sometimes be confusing, but here it is seamless. It is beyond me how so much story and character development could be woven into two 40 minute stories. Watching this film is like peering through a time capsule into the lives of forgotten people.

The performances here are all naturally crafted; there is no weak link to be found. My favourite of the bunch is Debi Jones, whose turn as family friend Micky was all sorts cheeky and delightful. The camerawork and editing are a work of art. The real standout, unsurprisingly, is Terence Davies, whose signature direction is at its bleeding best. Here he crafts a film that is melancholy without being overbearing, engaging without being important.

Few directors are able to move an audience without resorting to heavy manipulation the way he does, and few directors command my respect more deservedly.


♥♦♠♣ 10/10

© 2009 Kim Bartlett