Of Time And The City
- Year:2009
- Rating:M
- Director:Terence Davies
- Release Date:March 12, 2009
- Distributor:Sharmill
- Running time:74 minutes
- Film Worth:$10.50
- FILMINK rates movies out of $20 - the score indicates the amount we believe a ticket to the movie to be worth
“…enchanting…”
Though it may not have the appeal of a fast paced, high-energy, exciting thriller, or huge crowd-pleasing romance between big name stars, Of Time And The City deserves all the attention that the above mentioned genres usually receive. It is an undeniably slow film, but there is something enchanting in its pace, as it gradually immerses you in its imagery, its soundtrack and its otherworldly quality.
Spanning the sixty years of director Terence Davies' (Distant Voices, Still Lives, The Long Day Closes) life in Liverpool, Of Time And The City starts with the rationing days after WW2, through to the Korean war, the building of high rise apartments, and the gradual reawakening of the city in recent years, which has seen Liverpool restored as the 2008 European Capital Of Culture. While it may be classified as a documentary, there is no one particular issue that receives focus here, and there are many gaps in the "story" which are left unexplained.
Of Time And The City is a love letter to a city, a combination of historical footage, music, poetry, prose and mystique. It certainly won't appeal to all audiences, and it would surely have a more resonant effect on those who are familiar with Liverpool. There are several moments (the reciting of James Joyce; footage of post-war children playing in the streets; the excitement over the Queen's coronation; locals lining the pebbled shores in summer), however, that invoke the passion that Davies obviously feels for his home city.
More like a piece of video art than a documentary, Of Time And The City has a strange appeal: it's a quiet, reflective piece of filmmaking dropped in among the torrential roar of Oscar season releases.
