Jubilee (1978)

59% of users liked it
(2,775 ratings)

Steeped in the nihilistic philosophy and rebellious fashions of the British punk movement, this early feature by experimental filmmaker Derek Jarman presents an unusual look at late 1970s London. The bulk of Jubilee focuses on a loosely connected group of female outcasts, united by a hatred of… More Steeped in the nihilistic philosophy and rebellious fashions of the British punk movement, this early feature by experimental filmmaker Derek Jarman presents an unusual look at late 1970s London. The bulk of Jubilee focuses on a loosely connected group of female outcasts, united by a hatred of convention that at times extends into dark violence. Providing contrast is the film's framing story, in which Queen Elizabeth I travels forward in time to view the future of England and finds unexpected sympathy with the female rebels. The film references both William Shakespeare and Siouxsie and the Banshees, and it alternates scenes of transgressive violence with heady discussions of English history. The film's casting alone makes it an intriguing artifact of its time, showcasing subcultural icons from musician Adam Ant to several cast members of The Rocky Horror Picture Show. ~ Judd Blaise, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: R, 1 hr. 43 min.
Directed By: Derek Jarman
Written By: Derek Jarman
Genres: Action & Adventure, Musical & Performing Arts, Art House & International, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Special Interest

In Theaters: Nov 3, 1978 Wide
On DVD: May 27, 2003
Studio: Cinegate Ltd.

Critic Reviews

Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
One of the more bleak but imaginative nihilist films to come out of England in the 1970s.
Ian Berriman, SFX Magazine
Flawed but fascinating, deliriously self-indulgent and perverse, it's the cinematic equivalent of having a mouthful of bile gobbed in your eye.
Rumsey Taylor, Not Coming to a Theater Near You
The film stands as an exemplar of its origin era, both undeniably bold and alienating.

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Featured Audience Ratings

Lafe F

weird weird weird British stage show and street trash exhibition. I'm a Toyah fan so had to see this movie.
vieras e

Great set-up, not so great outcome. Definitely worth watching once if you're even slightly interested in weird films or punk rock, but perhaps not a second time (though I suppose you'd really need a second watch to fully understand this film).
Sarah G

This is a pretty odd film. Not one i would watch again
Eric B

Interesting if flawed, "Jubilee" is director Derek Jarman's arty look at UK punks and urban decay. His detached stance seems somewhat ambivalent -- does he regard these flamboyant brats as an antidote to modern society or a mere symptom of it? With its day-glo… More
Interesting if flawed, "Jubilee" is director Derek Jarman's arty look at UK punks and urban decay. His detached stance seems somewhat ambivalent -- does he regard these flamboyant brats as an antidote to modern society or a mere symptom of it? With its day-glo characters and derelict locations, the film isn't out to create a realistic, metropolitan environment -- often, the actors just recite history or philosophy for the camera and serve as conduits for Jarman's thoughts. What passes for "plot" is strictly secondary, as various play-like vignettes are spliced together in collage. The motley cast includes the adolescent Toyah Willcox (relentlessly obnoxious and barely recognizable), the pre-fame Adam Ant, Little Nell (yes, from "The Rocky Horror Picture Show"), Ian Charleson (half the film passed before I realized he starred in "Chariots of Fire" just a few years later) and Jenny Runacre (the group's aloof, glamorous matriarch). Willcox, Wayne County, Adam & the Ants (minus their later New Romantic frills) and Siouxsie & the Banshees are among the onscreen musical contributors, while Brian Eno adds ambient score. The Slits also make a quick cameo. Yet the centerpiece tune comes from a novice: the one-named Jordan (known here as "Amyl Nitrate"), who struts through sort of an operatic, reggae version of "Rule Brittania." The abusive Willcox has the juiciest part, but the most coherent plot thread is the stardom quest of a handsome ingenue (Ant) and his subsequent exploitation by a leering media impresario (the ridiculously overacting "Orlando"). Elsewhere, the sociopathic Nell, Willcox and Runacre collaborate on a few thrill killings, while the depraved proceedings are coolly observed by a time-traveling Queen Elizabeth I (Runacre again), her court astrologer (Richard O'Brien, also from "Rocky Horror") and the spooky, dark-eyed angel they have summoned as a guide. This trio functions as a narrative frame and one suspects that, given a choice, Jarman would rather live in their past era of magic and elegant costumes. Many British youths disliked "Jubilee" (punk-fashion icon Vivienne Westwood even ran off a notorious T-shirt decorated with a letter of protest) and it's easy to see why true rockers would prefer a grittier, grubbier work like, say, "Rude Boy." But "Jubilee" remains an intriguing curio that underground-music fans shouldn't miss.
Walter M

[font=Century Gothic]"Jubilee" starts with Queen Elizabeth I(Jenny Runacre) and her chief astrologer, John Dee(Richard O'Brien), being visited by an angel(Ian Charleson) who offers them a glimpse of a possible future where law and order has broken down, causing not only… More
[font=Century Gothic]"Jubilee" starts with Queen Elizabeth I(Jenny Runacre) and her chief astrologer, John Dee(Richard O'Brien), being visited by an angel(Ian Charleson) who offers them a glimpse of a possible future where law and order has broken down, causing not only the end of history(Amyl Nitrite(Jordan) tries to rectify this by writing her own version of events.) but also that of art. Absolute freedom is the rule of the day which is good for personal relations but bad because violence is just as prevalent as sex. No matter what, music goes on, as The Kid(Adam Ant) goes to London to make it big.[/font] [font=Century Gothic][/font] [font=Century Gothic]Written and directed by Derek Jarman, "Jubilee" is an oddly beguiling and erotic movie that is purposefully ambivalent about the future, especially the effects of an increasingly irrelevant monarchy. Can it be that a future imagined cannot be any worse than the real one of 1978 with AIDS and Margaret Thatcher?[/font]
Patrick D

This film is very "punk" and definitely a product of the time (1977) it was made. Great music in it, and a score by Brian Eno. On the surface it seems like a bunch of rag-tag individuals fucking about, but there's alot of comment and satire in it. Even toward the… More
This film is very "punk" and definitely a product of the time (1977) it was made. Great music in it, and a score by Brian Eno. On the surface it seems like a bunch of rag-tag individuals fucking about, but there's alot of comment and satire in it. Even toward the sub-culture it's glorifying. Where else will you see a gritty future, inhabited with punks, the clergy owning everything and all this being discovered by Queen Elizabeth 1.
Emily B

Anyone interested in British punk should watch this. Jubilee features some of the leader figures of British Punk including Adam Ant, Jordan, Little Nell, Toyah Wilcox, Wayne County, Siouxsie and the Banshees and The Slits. Bizarre, violent and weird Jubilee takes Queen Elizabeth 1st… More
Anyone interested in British punk should watch this. Jubilee features some of the leader figures of British Punk including Adam Ant, Jordan, Little Nell, Toyah Wilcox, Wayne County, Siouxsie and the Banshees and The Slits. Bizarre, violent and weird Jubilee takes Queen Elizabeth 1st and transports her to 1978 Britain where we meet all the strange characters of the scene. Defiantly not one for everyone, you'll ethier love it or hate it, but if you are interested in Punk or obscure art movies then you have to see this.