Trailer would have been perfect playing Stardust, being the actual opening song. I recall being transfixed from the start due to Nat King Cole's voice and the cinematography.
When people sit down to watch a film, they have a certain type of experience in mind : a fairly standard narrative approach with occasional stylistic variations like flash-backs or dream sequences etc. So, if a film goes too far afield from this structure, they feel betrayed. It is as if they expected to see a realistic painting of a seascape but were shown one by J.M.W Turner. It is as if they sat down to read a short story but found, instead, a poem. The Long Day Closes is a poem, a series of impressionistic moments that sharply evoke a past time and place, Catholic Liverpool in the 1950's as it was experienced by a lonely 11 year old boy on the threshold of budding sexuality. A difficult time at best but one made more-so since this young fellow has feelings for men at a time and in a place where such feelings could never be expressed or spoken of safely. And like some poems, this film is peppered with references and allusions that a typical modern American viewer might not pick up on. References to English films and radio shows and their personalities. Old songs and place names. Lines from old films get inserted into and between the dialog. Films like Great Expectations,The Magnificent Ambersons and the old Ealing comedies. Then there is the accent which can be difficult to understand. Declarative statements will have the same lilting rise at the end which Americans use when asking questions. There are a number of obstacles in the way to understanding what's happening. But even if some is missed, much comes through ....not on a cognitive level but on an intuitive one. Look, I could never convince you that this is a worthy film if such a film is not to your taste. But I was overcome by such strong waves of emotion as I watched it . It conjured up an atmosphere of a long- ago time that felt palpable and that touched me in a way that most conventionally told stories never do.
Such a beautiful film about childhood!!!
is it scary to watch?
@@rosanaklobcarjavornik9053 In no way whatsoever.
Trailer would have been perfect playing Stardust, being the actual opening song. I recall being transfixed from the start due to Nat King Cole's voice and the cinematography.
When people sit down to watch a film, they have a certain type of experience in mind : a fairly standard narrative approach with occasional stylistic variations like flash-backs or dream sequences etc.
So, if a film goes too far afield from this structure, they feel betrayed. It is as if they expected to see a realistic painting of a seascape but were shown one by J.M.W Turner. It is as if they sat down to read a short story but found, instead, a poem.
The Long Day Closes is a poem, a series of impressionistic moments that sharply evoke a past time and place, Catholic Liverpool in the 1950's as it was experienced by a lonely 11 year old boy on the threshold of budding sexuality. A difficult time at best but one made more-so since this young fellow has feelings for men at a time and in a place where such feelings could never be expressed or spoken of safely.
And like some poems, this film is peppered with references and allusions that a typical modern American viewer might not pick up on. References to English films and radio shows and their personalities. Old songs and place names. Lines from old films get inserted into and between the dialog. Films like Great Expectations,The Magnificent Ambersons and the old Ealing comedies.
Then there is the accent which can be difficult to understand. Declarative statements will have the same lilting rise at the end which Americans use when asking questions. There are a number of obstacles in the way to understanding what's happening. But even if some is missed, much comes through ....not on a cognitive level but on an intuitive one.
Look, I could never convince you that this is a worthy film if such a film is not to your taste. But I was overcome by such strong waves of emotion as I watched it . It conjured up an atmosphere of a long- ago time that felt palpable and that touched me in a way that most conventionally told stories never do.
"Budding" is exactly the right word. Consider the main character’s name, and also consider the first image we see, during the credits.
@@Edo_Marinus - sharp observations !
That was a wonderful summation of Mr. Davies extraordinary film.
@@dabearcub -Thank You.
good writeup, one of the greatest films ever made in my opinion
Simply georgeous film
terrible trailer - wonderful movie. one of the best about memory
thanks
is it scary?
I agree, such a sensationalist trailer for such a gentle, melancholy portrait of childhood. Producers should be ashamed.
Great film..............
any link to watch this?
LeBron James
The Bronze Jade
The bomb bay
where can i find this film?
It's on FILM4 this Sunday night at 11.40pm 29th October 2023.
Somewhere on the Internet
i did end up watching it
Tell me any websites plzz it'll help
bloody awful trailer.
I think you are right. The trailer does the movie no justice at all.
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