The Lost Language Of Cranes (British Telefilm/BBC)
Picture:
C+ Sound: C+ Extras: C Compilation: B-
Brian Cox
is an older man unhappy in his marriage because of his homosexual feelings and finally
starts acting on them again in Nigel Finch’s telefilm of David Leavitt’s
classic gay literary hit The Lost
Language Of Cranes (1992) with Eileen Atkins as his wife and when his son
Phillip (Angus Macfadyen) admits he is gay, the return of the repressed is on
the way.
This is a
well-acted, honest and nicely produced TV movie that is effective and to the
point without being preachy or going on and on.
At 87 minutes, it is right on the mark.
Cox is especially impressive dealing with all the pain and confusion of
his life and it is well worth seeing, easier now that it is on DVD. John Schlesinger (the late, great director)
and Rene Auberjonois also star.
The 1.33
X 1 image looks good for its age, with color consistency and some depth, though
this is not an HD transfer of the original film material. Director of Photography Remi Adefarasin (House Of Mirth) shot this very well
with good narrow screen composition throughout.
The Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo is simple and from early on when TV was
just beginning to use stereo, with Julian Wastall’s score a plus. The only extra is an installment of the BBC’s
Late Show all about this telefilm in its original broadcast.
- Nicholas Sheffo
