PRIDE GUIDE 1994 GAY PEOPLE'S CHRONICLE 43

Blue: haunting words,

awesome message

Blue

directed by Derek Jarman Cleveland Cinematheque

by Stacey Scull

and Kevin Beaney

Next weekend the Cleveland Cinematheque serves up British filmmaker Derek Jarman's final film, Blue, a stirring account of Jarman's battle with AIDS. A battle Derek Jarman lost on February 18, 1994.

As the director of such films as Caravaggio, Edward II and The Garden, Jarman has been known to push the limits, and Blue is certainly not film as we typically know it to be.

Having been diagnosed as HIV positive in 1987, the filmmaker, artist and activist had purposely kept AIDS and HIV out of his work until 1993 and Blue. The film was influenced by French painter Yves Klein's use of blue (the film is dedicated to him), and made with a budget of $135,000. Through the making of Blue, Jarman dealt with his illness, the gradual loss of his eyesight, as well as the loss of many friends. This is the story that Blue tells.

For 76 minutes the audience stares at a blue screenn--the film's single image. Despite the fact that the image never changes, the audience still looks on, listening intently as the diaries of Jarman, read by actors Nigel Terry, Tilda Swinton, John Quentin and Jarman himself, fill the dream-like soundtrack. As the entries recount an endless stream of hospital visits and treatments, the words are haunting. Relying on the

Derek Jarman

HOWARD SOOLEY

sheer power of these words, Blue does deliver an awesome message without the sentimentalism of other films. The audience knows and feels Jarman's anger, fear, pain and sorrow, along with his pride. Jarman had said that Blue is the "best film that has been done about HIV ..." He's quite right.

Show times for Blue are Friday, June 3 at 9:50 pm, and Saturday, June 4 at 7:00 pm at the Cleveland Cinematheque, 11141 East Blvd. (Cleveland Institute of Art building). Call 421-7450 for information.

Want To Win The Rate Race?

GET REAL

REALESTATEMORTGAGECORP.

THE

GREAT RATE RACE PLACE

Thomas J. Rankin

Residential Lending Specialist "Your Partner In Lending"

756-LEND (East)

356-LEND (West) • Voice Mail-736-9071 20575 Center Ridge Rd. #500, Rocky River, OH 44116

London $499

JP Travel

JP

"Discounted International Travel"

Rome/Milan $775

Madrid $789

Paris $650

Athens $875

Tokyo $899

Frankfurt $650

Tel Aviv $949

Amsterdam $650

Taxes $6-$43. Restrictions apply. *Discounted rates to Africa, The Orient, Pacific, So. America. *Discounted First/Business Class Travel.

216/241-5856

2012 W. 25th St. Suite 707⚫ Cleveland, Ohio 44113 Monday Friday 10am-6pm Saturday 11am-4pm