Negatives (1968) complete; Glenda Jackson, Diane Cilento

The almost forgotten British drama Negatives (1968) was the first feature film directed by Peter Medak, whose name was later made by the likes of The Ruling Class (1972) and A Day in the Death of Joe Egg (1972). It's one of those intense and wordy pieces, scripted by Peter Everett from his own novel, which have a respectable amount of visual flair as well.

Theo (Peter McEnery) and Vivien (Glenda Jackson) are a bickering and dislikable couple who spend their evenings in bizarre role-playing games. He takes on the persona of notorious cellar murderer Dr. Crippen, while she alternates between playing his doomed wife Cora and his mistress Ethel Neave. A morbid state of affairs which is bound to end badly, the catalyst being the arrival of glamorous photographer Reingard (Diane Cilento).

Eccentricity turns to outright insanity when Reingard suggests Theo finds himself a new hero - WW1 fighter ace Baron von Richtofen! The antics which follow suggest an influence on the later black comedy Mumsy, Nanny, Sonny and Girly (1970).

Category:

Film & Animation

Tags:

• Glenda Jackson
• Diane Cilento
• Peter McEnery
• Peter Medak
• Peter Everett
• British cinema

[jhassett2]

Another lost film.Where do you find them?By any chance do you have access to a pair of long vanished Jerzy Skolimowski films from the early seventies:"The Adventures of Gerard" and "King,Queen,Knave"?

[EddietheArsehead]

@jhassett2 I've got copies of both those titles and will put them up shortly. Though I thought they were both pretty disappointing. These sort of films can nearly always be found to download if you dig deep enough. Often it means spending a lot of time wrestling with torrents or emule, or paying for a collectors' DVD-R.

[Bizarronumber4]

Thanks for putting this obscure movie on Youtube. You don't have by any chance Blue Blood (1973) with Oliver Reed or the 1972 James Ivory film Savages? Please stick them on Youtube if you do.

[CrescentViolet13]

OMG..... Thank you so much for posting this movie! I Love Peter McEnery!!! THIS IS MY ALL TIME FAV MOVIE OF PETER'S LOOOOVE IT!