An outstanding fable from New Zealand director Vincent Ward, which switches in time between monochrome Cumbria in 1348 and the colourful modern-day Antipodes.
A medieval mining village threatened by the advancing plague sends a group on a journey to find a miraculous cathedral located on the other side of the world in the hope that raising a copper cross on the spire will protect their village from the Black Death.
A nine-year-old psychic boy named Griffin (Hamish McFarlane) and a group of intrepid miners, however, burrow through the earth and end up in 20th-century New Zealand.
The story could have been the basis for a knockabout time-travel comedy, and indeed, there are some nice gags. Yet Ward is more interested in creating a mythical tale that subtly alludes to the AIDS crisis and the nuclear apocalypse.
To this end, he summons up some extraordinary visual images – drawing draws heavily on the art of Bosch, Bruegel and Grünewald – and elicits a marvellous performance from young Hamish McFarlane.
Connor
Bruce Lyons Griffin
Hamish McFarlane Ulf
Noel Appleby Searle
Marshall Napier Arno
Chris Haywood Martin
Paul Livingston
Director
Vincent Ward
Related Posts
Twins (1988) Far from the idiot farce its publicity suggested, this comedy by Ivan (Ghostbusters) Reitman is gentle, sweet, pleasant and highly…
Vibes (1988) Nick Deezy (Jeff Goldblum) is a ‘psychometrist’ capable of touching an item and being able to psychically tell things about…
NeverEnding Story, The (1984) Fantasy adventure from the director of The Perfect Storm and Troy (here in his first English-language movie), starring Noah Hathaway and Barret…
No Time for Tears (1957) Made in colour in the wake of the success of ITV's Emergency - Ward 10, No Time For Tears is…
Night Of The Living Dead (1968) George Romero's directorial debut was shot in black and white over several weekends in Pennsylvania and chronicles the desperate efforts…
Mississippi Burning (1988) Feisty British director Alan Parker takes on the Ku Klux Klan in Mississippi Burning as two white FBI agents head up a…
Powaqqatsi (1988) Having censured the old world order for allowing itself to be enslaved by modern technology in Koyaanisqatsi (1983), director Godfrey Reggio…
