Distant Voices, Still Lives(1989)

Name: Distant Voices, Still Lives
Director: Terence Davies
Genre: Drama, Music
Released: Jul 28, 1989
Cast: Pete Postlethwaite, Freda Dowie, Angela Walsh

Independent

PG-13
1h 24m
- Drama
- Music

Release Date: Jul 28, 1989

The lives of an English working-class family are told out of order in a free-associative manner. The first part, "Distant Voices", focuses on the father's role in the family. The second part, "Still Lives", focuses on his children.

Note: Distributed by Avenue Pictures Productions

Release Details

Original Release | Jul 28, 1989 | Limited (Avenue Pictures Productions)

2018 Re-release | Aug 31, 2018 | Limited (Arrow Films)

View Advanced Data Watch Trailer Watch on

Box Office Results

2025-04-29T04:16:01.769Z

All Releases (2)
Total US & Canada:
$693,563
Total International
$78,182
Total Worldwide:
$771,745

Total US & Canada:
$15,303
Total Worldwide:
$15,303

Current Showtimes

orround

Tue Sep 15
Wed Sep 16
Thu Sep 17
Fri Sep 18
Sat Sep 19
Sun Sep 20
Mon Sep 21

Director & Top Cast

Terence Davies
Director

Pete Postlethwaite
Father

Freda Dowie
Mother

Angela Walsh
Eileen

Technical Specifications

Sound Mix: Dolby

Aspect Ratio: 1.78 : 1

Other Details

Country of Origin: United Kingdom, West Germany

Language: English

Summaries

Plot Summary

This film follows no rigid plot as it has a strong dreamlike quality and flicks between different memories. Songs are sung in the pub on many occasions and these happy moments of solidarity serve to contrast with the strong strains we see the characters facing.

Storyline

The second film in Terence Davies's autobiographical series ('Trilogy', 'The Long Day Closes') is an impressionistic view of a working-class family in 1940s and 1950s Liverpool, based on Davies's own family. The first part, 'Distant Voices', opens with grown siblings Eileen (Angela Walsh), Maisie (Lorraine Ashbourne) and Tony (Dean Williams), and their mother (Freda Dowie) arranged in mourning clothes before the photograph of their smiling father (Pete Postlethwaite). Soon after, the family poses in a similar tableau, but for a happier occasion - Eileen's wedding. While relatives sing at her reception, Eileen hysterically grieves for her dad, and recalls happy times of her youth. Tony and Maisie's memories, however, are more troubled. Davies intermingles and contrasts scenes like the family peacefully lighting candles in church with the brutal man beating his wife and terrorizing his young children. In 'Still Lives', set (and filmed) two years later, the siblings are settled in life, but not all happily. For Eileen, relief from her drab existence comes only when singing at the pub. With his skillfully composed frames and evocative use of music in place of dialogue, Davies creates a lovely, affecting photo album of a troubled family wrestling with the complexity of love. — Anonymous