The Garden

1990

1 hr. 35 min.

Drama

LGBTQ+

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8 Reviews

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Surreal religious images offset scenes of homophobia in contemporary England.

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isla s

This is a very arty film with a sense of symbolism and a strong sense of detachment and isolation. Its almost completely dialogue free, with the sometimes present music/score in the background somewhat of a mechanical strain type noise, initially. Also, later on, violins and piano feature, which I felt accentuated the sense of despair. It features bright, vivid colours - most notably a fiery yellow alongside orange, green and red. Religious symbolism is also present - I wondered if its meant to make the viewer question salvation. Its eery and somehow sinister in tone and also somewhat poignant. Its, while bizarre and somewhat uncomfortable to watch in parts, a thoughtful piece of work, though cryptic, not entirely accessible and not especially appealing to all, I imagine. Thematically, it covers humiliation, acceptance and societal and cultural judgement. I should note that there's some bloody violence depicted, in a torture setting, which could be very upsetting for some, hence its not for the especially squeamish. Otherwise, I'd recommend it as a surreal, arty watch, yes.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

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Audience Member

Superb, especially Johnny Mills, he is gorgeous .

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/21/23

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Audience Member

The Garden was originally released in 1990 and was widely reviewed in newspapers including THE NEW YORK TIMES. There are certainly more than two reviews out there. Also: PG-13? Don't think so. I'm quite sure its unrated and would be an R for nudity and language.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/25/23

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Audience Member

The Garden is a shockingly mixed bag from Derek Jarman that contains incredible highs and baffling lows, competently repositioning gay existence within a biblical story and offering up powerful criticisms in regards to spirituality and the discrimination that gay people face while simultaneously laying out ridiculously campy satirical segments who's relation to the rest of the proceedings is tangental at best. While these are few and far between, Jarman mostly insistent on operating within a dreamscape that offers up much more compelling material for analysis, they severely damage the film's overall impact, a strangely underdeveloped commercial parody finding itself within an affecting nod to the AIDS epidemic to no great avail. These moments drastically alter the mood of the piece, the swerving from campy humor to reverent drama feeling unnatural and undercooked in a way that Jarman's films rarely do. While the work as a whole is still absolutely a bold experiment with a lot to say, it's not always a successful at communicating its message in a way that feels tonally consistent, a disappointment given the fact that Jarman is usually so excellent in that respect. Perceived faults aside (I have to watch this again at some point), it's stunning to look at and the gay couple's trajectory is devastating, making it a worthwhile experience as a whole.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/10/23

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Audience Member

Increible y alucinÃ³geno testamento....

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/04/23

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Audience Member

I am not sure whether I liked it or not. It is a portrait of very personal and intimate thoughts, mixed with clearly recognisable worldwide gay experiences. It is so beautiful that I almost fell asleep. One thing for sure is guaranteed: originality and sincerity.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/12/23

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Derek Jarman

Director

Kevin Collins

Lover

Roger Cook

Christ

Jody Graber

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Pete Lee-Wilson

Devil

Philip MacDonald

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The Garden: Trailer 1

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Janet Maslin

New York Times

Mr. Jarman's visual sense easily eclipses his conceptual talents. And The Garden has a burning, kaleidoscopic energy to compensate for the facile nature of some of its more unavoidable thoughts.

May 27, 2020

Full Review

Tony Rayns

Time Out

Touching, intense, sometimes unexpectedly amusing, sometimes agonising, and always achingly sincere.

May 27, 2020

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Pat Brown

Slant Magazine

Derek Jarman's 1990 film isn't without hope that we can regrow a paradise.

Rated: 3.5/4

May 28, 2019

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Michael Bronski

Gay Community News (Boston)

Not all of The Garden is easy or pleasing, but Jarman’s intelligence and honesty shine through every frame.

Sep 22, 2022

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B.L. Panther

The Spool

It's an anarchic montage of images, sounds, and dialogue that presents Jarman's final indictment of organized religion.

Jun 9, 2021

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Karl Soehnlein

OutWeek

The Garden is a film of many moods, alternately peaceful and disturbing, ethereal and familiar, but as with many of Jarman's films, it is also often frustratingly abstract, cryptically symbolic and resolutely self-referential.

May 27, 2020

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Synopsis

Surreal religious images offset scenes of homophobia in contemporary England.

Director: Derek Jarman
Executive Producer: Takashi Asai
Production Co: Channel 4 Television Corporation, British Screen Productions
Genre: Drama, LGBTQ+
Original Language: English
Rerelease Date (Theaters): May 29, 2019
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 1, 2019
Box Office (Gross USA): $3.9K
Sound Mix: Dolby Stereo
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)

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