War Requiem (film)

This experimental film synthesizes the poetry of Wilfred Owen, wordless reenactments of events from Owens life, stock footage of 20th-century wars and music by composer Benjamin Britten. During World War I, British soldier Owen (Nathaniel Parker) is mortified by the examples of cruelty that surround him in the trenches. He combats these terrifying images by maintaining hope in his love for an army nurse (Tilda Swinton). But he also begins to accept his fate as another battlefield sacrifice.

Contents

• Cast
• Filming
• Video
• References

War Requiem is a 1989 film adaptation of Benjamin Brittens musical piece of the same name.

It was shot in 1988 by the British film director Derek Jarman with the 1963 recording as the soundtrack, produced by Don Boyd and financed by the BBC. Decca Records required that the 1963 recording be heard on its own, with no overlaid soundtrack or other sound effects. The film featured Nathaniel Parker as Wilfred Owen, and Laurence Olivier in his last acting appearance in any medium before his death in July 1989. The film is structured as the reminiscences of Oliviers character, the Old Soldier in a wheelchair, and Olivier recites "Strange Meeting" in the films prologue.

A film with no spoken dialogue, just follows the music and lyrics of Benjamin Britten's "War Requiem, which include WWI soldier poet Wilfred Owen's poems reflecting the war's horrors. It shows the story of an Englishman soldier (Wilfred Owen) and a nurse (his bride) during World War I. It also includes actual footage of contemporary wars (WWII, Vietnam, Angola, etc.)