Report on Derek Jarman film Jubilee


 

In Derek Jarman’s film Jubilee (1977) Queen Elizabeth I has been brought by an angel to contemporary London whereby she follows a gang of violent female rebels. It was widely regarded as one of the first British punk feature films[1] and contains strong anti-establishment views. The clip I have chosen to analyse provides an evocative window into punk music’s changing environment in London during the 1970’s in the face of growing consumerism. Starting from timestamp 46:53-48:00, it begins in the recording studio whereby Borgia Ginz, the owner of a global media entertainment enterprise, is being introduced by Crabs to potential new music talent by the name of The Kid. Anti-establishment sentiment is a strong part of punk ideology and in this clip there is opposition against ‘selling out’ to mainstream record labels and conforming to mainstream music trends.

 Ginz represents the global media entertainment business and he both askes when first introduced to The Kid "What can I do for you?"[2] and "What can you do for me?".[3] The close up shots of his face show him talking to the other characters and also talking to himself when he stares away from the lens. It appears as if he is telling the characters what they want to hear from him, that he is willing to help them but in reality he is using them for his own personal gain. A few scenes later, The Kid is warned that the music industry is dead and that these corporations only exploit people for wealth and fame rather than prioritizing their authenticity. In these close up shots, he appears disembodied and surreal against the black backdrop and the coloured lights illuminated upon his face.

The rich and suggestive production design is just as impactful in displaying the anti-establishment sentiment as the film style and narrative form. Fashion, just as music, was used as another form of rebellion which is expressed in the clothes worn by Crabs and The Kid. Crabs is wearing nothing but her bra and underwear and The Kid is wearing an all-black ensemble with straps attached which seems even more at odds with the suit and tie the other two characters are wearing. Crabs is provocative and sensual, a reference to sexual freedom that had been frowned upon during the more conservative times of the 1960's. Cloths were beginning to be massed produced during this time, leading to the fear of everyone becoming the same. By wearing the black outfit, The Kid is breaking away from popular fashion trends and his make-up breaks traditional gender norms.

As Ginz predicts at the end of the film, “they all sign up in the end”[4] when other characters such as Bod and Amyl Nitrate sign up to his record label. He has managed to create a commodified version of the world that has not only replaced the real world but has also replaced the political thoughts of the right and left wing alike.


[1] Claire Monk, “The shadow of this time”, Shakespeare Bulletin , 32.3 (2014), 359-373 (p. 359).

[2] Jubilee, dir Derek Jarman (megalovision, 1977) [on DVD]

[3] Ibid.

[4] Ibid.


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