EMPIRE OF LIGHT [2022 / 2023] [Blu-ray] [UK Release] ‘EMPIRE OF LIGHT’ is a “Love Letter” to the Movies Genre and is about Love, Life and Films!
From Academy Award-winning director and writer Sam Mendes, ‘EMPIRE OF LIGHT’ is a moving drama about the power of human connection during turbulent times. Set in and around a faded old cinema in an English coastal town in the early 1980’s, It follows Hilary Small [Olivia Colman] a cinema manager struggling with her mental health, and Stephen Murray [Micheal Ward], a new employee who longs to escape this provincial town in which he faces daily adversity.
FILM FACT No.1: Awards and Nominations: 2022 Camerimage: Nomination: Golden Frog: Main Competition for Roger Deakins (cinematographer) and Sam Mendes (director). 2022 Florida Film Critics Circle Awards: Nomination: Best Cinematography for Roger Deakins. Nomination: Best Score for Atticus Ross and Trent Reznor. 2023 Hollywood Music In Media Awards: Nomination: Best Original Score - Feature Film for Atticus Ross and Trent Reznor. 2022 Las Vegas Film Critics Society Awards: Nomination: Sierra Award: Best Actress for Olivia Colman. Nomination: Sierra Award: Best Cinematography for Roger Deakins. 2022 North Texas Film Critics Association, USA: Nomination: NTFCA Award: Best Actress for Olivia Colman. Nomination: NTFCA Award: Best Cinematography for Roger Deakins. 2022 Online Association of Female Film Critics: Nomination: OAFFC Award: Best Cinematography for Roger Deakins. 2022 Sunset Film Circle Awards: Nomination: Best Supporting Actor for Micheal Ward. Nomination: Best Score for Atticus Ross and Trent Reznor. Nomination: Best Cinematography for Roger Deakins. 2022 Washington DC Area Film Critics Association Awards: Nomination: Best Cinematography for Roger Deakins. 2022 Women Film Critics Circle Awards: Nomination: Best Screen Couple for Olivia Colman and Micheal Ward. 2023 Academy Awards: Nomination: Best Achievement in Cinematography for Roger Deakins. 2023 BAFTA Awards: Nomination: Outstanding British Film of the Year for Pippa Harris and Sam Mendes. Nomination: Best Supporting Actor for Micheal Ward. Nomination: Best Cinematography for Roger Deakins. 2023 AARP Movies for Grownups Awards: Nomination: Best Grownup Love Story. 2023 Alliance of Women Film Journalists: Nomination: EDA Award: Best Cinematography for Roger Deakins. 2023 American Society of Cinematographers, USA: Nomination: ASC Award: Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography in Theatrical Feature Film for Roger Deakins. 2023 Black Reel Awards: Nomination: Outstanding Supporting Actor for Micheal Ward. Nomination: Outstanding Breakthrough Actor for Micheal Ward. 2023 British Film Designers Guild Awards: Win: Best Production Design - International Studio Feature Film – Period for Adam O'Neill (supervising art director), Kamlan Man (set decorator), Mark Tildesley (poduction designer) and Véronique Melery (set decorator). Nomination: The Planet Positive Award for Adam O'Neill (supervising art director), Kamlan Man (set decorator) and Mark Tildesley (production designer). 2023 Columbus Film Critics Association: Nomination: COFCA Award: Best Lead Performance for Olivia Colman. 2023 Critics Choice Awards: Nomination: Best Cinematography for Roger Deakins. 2023 Golden Globes: Nomination: Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture for Drama for Olivia Colman. 2023 Guild of Music Supervisors Awards: Nomination: Best Music Supervision for a Trailer (Film) for Matthew Bailey and Shawn Stevens. 2023 Houston Film Critics Society Awards: Nomination: Best Original Score for Atticus Ross and Trent Reznor. 2023 London Critics Circle Film Awards: Nomination: ALFS Award: British/Irish Actress of the Year for Olivia Colman. 2023 Motion Picture Sound Editors, USA: Nomination: Golden Reel Award: Outstanding Achievement in Sound Editing - Feature Dialogue/ADR for Oliver Tarney (supervising sound editor) and Rachael Tate (supervising sound editor). 2023 Satellite Awards: Nomination: Best Cinematography for Roger Deakins. Nomination: Best Costume Design for Alexandra Byrne. 2023 Tromsø International Film Festival: Nomination: Aurora Award: Sam Mendes.
FILM FACT No.2: Filming began on the 7th February 2022 at Margate on the Isle of Thanet, Kent. The Dreamland Margate Cinema building was remodelled and renamed until the 15th May 2022. The film includes several pieces of music that are being played on a record player in the film, such as Bob Dylan's “It's Alright, Ma (I'm Only Bleeding),” Cat Stevens's “Morning Has Broken” and Joni Mitchell's “You Turn Me On, I'm a Radio.” ‘EMPIRE OF LIGHT’ premiered at the Telluride Film Festival on the 3rd September 2022.
Cast: Olivia Colman, Micheal Ward, Colin Firth, Toby Jones, Tom Brooke, Tanya Moodie, Hannah Onslow, Crystal Clarke, Monica Dolan, Ron Cook, Sara Stewart, Justin Edwards, Roman Hayeck-Green, Brian Fletcher, Dougie Boyall, William Chubb, Spike Leighton, Jacob Avery, Jamie Whitelaw, Dylan Blore, Adrian McLoughlin, D.J. Bailey, Tom Colley, Mark Goldthorp, Rod Arthur, Mark Field, Tim Samuels, Dawn Murphy, Ashleigh Reynolds, Ashleigh Reynolds, Sam Boskovic, Mark Collier (uncredited), Mark Farrow (uncredited), Caroline Glass (uncredited), Eliza Glock (uncredited), George Greenland (uncredited), Steve McKiel (uncredited), Jason Charles Onion (uncredited) and Laine Slater (uncredited)
Director: Sam Mendes
Producers: Celia Duval, Julie Pastor, Lola Oliyide, Michael Lerman, Pippa Harris, and Sam Mendes
Screenplay: Sam Mendes
Composers: Atticus Ross and Trent Reznor
Costume Design: Alexandra Byrne
Cinematography: Roger Deakins, A.S.C. B.S.C. (Director of Photography)
Image Resolution: 1080p
Aspect Ratio: 2.39:1
Audio: English: 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio
English: 2.0 Descriptive Audio
English: 2.0 Dolby Digital Stereo Audio
Subtitles: English, Français and Espanol
Running Time: 114 minutes
Region: All Regions
Number of discs: 1
Studio: SEARCHLIGHT PICTURES / TSG Entertainment
Andrew’s Blu-ray Review: ‘EMPIRE OF LIGHT’ [2023] opening is totally magical, and here we have grand theatre seemingly sleeps as we’re shown an empty box office, an unpopulated lobby, and a darkened theatre. It’s not until the manager Hillary Small [Olivia Coleman] comes in and turns on the lights that the Empire cinema theatre stirs from its slumber. There’s a stillness and tenderness to how she performs mundane tasks such as putting her boss Mr. Donald Ellis shoes in front of a space heater that adds to the intimacy of this story as Hillary Small prepares the theatre for its staff and patrons.
The sequence effortlessly cares and wants you to care about the movies. Sadly, the rest of the movie doesn’t compare. Despite predominately taking place in a cinema theatre, the movies are secondary. Yet Toby Jones’ as the projectionist Norman has lines that desperately want you to believe otherwise.
We’re shown the lonely life Hillary Small leads eating meals by herself and not having a partner at dance class and is also having an affair with her married boss Mr. Donald Ellis. On top of that, Hillary Small’s taking pills for bipolar disorder; they stabilize her moods but she describes them as making her numb. It’s not until Stephen Murray [Michael Ward] is hired that Hillary Small begins to take an interest in life again. What starts as an employer/employee relationship turns into an unlikely friendship and buds into a romantic one. Hillary Small is happy for once and decides to stop taking her medication. Now Hillary Small and Stephen Murray’s relationship is tested as racial tensions begin to breakdown and Hillary Small starts to spiral out of control.
Director and writer Sam Mendes makes a movie that tries to comment on the magic of the cinema, racism, an intergenerational relationship, and mental health with varying levels of success. The movie authentically addresses the aforementioned elements best when Hillary Small and Stephen Murray interact with their co-workers or the theatre itself. It’s not until the movie begins to widen its scope that it loses its focus and closeness to its characters. The broad stroke approach to these topics is a disservice and comes off preachy.
Olivia Coleman and Micheal Ward have really great chemistry, and it’s such a shame that the movie is so lifeless. Once Hillary Small stops taking her medication, a growing sense of dread distracts from their relationship. I found myself often wondering when Hillary would go off on Stephen. That said actress Olivia Coleman does a really great job conveying the various changes with her moods from one scene to the next.
Toby Jones and Colin Firth are not in this movie enough to be properly utilized, but Toby Jones has some great lines that are completely ironic about the experience of going to the cinema. Sadly, they come at such odd times that it feels as if the director wants to remind the audience and the movie itself that this story is about the love of movies. Just as disingenuous is Hillary Small’s discovery and awe of the movies. Hillary Small works at the theatre but has never seen any of the movies on the Empire screens – or possibly has never seen a movie ever. Hillary Small sits in the cinema all on her own after hours and you feel quite sad for her.
There are some wonderful set-piece scenes in ‘EMPIRE OF LIGHT’ where everyone, especially the self-important Mr. Donald Ellis, is thrilled at the news that the cinema is to get a special regional premiere of that summer’s smash-hit, ‘Chariots of Fire’ with loads of dignitaries present – but the big night is marred by a terrible scene that Hilary Small makes out in the foyer, once the film has begun, which is made more painfully surreal and hilarious by the unmistakable sounds of composer Vangelis’s electronic theme tune in the background as the shouting commences.
‘EMPIRE OF LIGHT’ is a totally beautiful film and a sweet sentimental romance as an added bonus. Written and directed by Sam Mendes, this British romantic drama is a celebration of both cinema and the importance of human relationships. Empire of Light also tackles themes around racism, mental health, and abuse of power within the workplace, which are all packaged up into a beautiful looking movie. The film’s nostalgia is incongruous with the contemporary social ills that it diagnoses. ‘EMPIRE OF LIGHT’ is a tribute to how kindness creates friendships and how movies can be transformative.
EMPIRE OF LIGHT MUSIC TRACK LIST
JERSEY BOUNCE [Benny Goodman]
YOU’RE BLASÉ [Ella Fitzgerald]
MIROR IN THE BATHROOM [The English Beat]
DORA LEE’S FANTASY Part 2 [Charles Fox]
YOU TURN ME ON I’M A RADIO [Joni Mitchell]
DO NOTHING [The Specials]
IT’S ALRIGHT MA (I’m Only Bleeding) [Bob Dylan]
THE WIND [Cat Steven]
MORNING HAS BROKEN [Cat Stevens]
SPELLBOUND [Siouxsie & The Banshees]
ASTEROID – Pearl & Dean: Pete Moore
MISSA O MAGNUM MYSTERIUM [Agnus Dei – Oxford Camerata]
STOP THE CALVARY [Jona Lewie]
LOVE WILL TELL US APART [Ian Kevin Curtis]
THE LOGICAL SONG [Roger Hodgson]
TOO MUCH, TOO YOUNG [Jerry Dammers]
MARTINI [London Session Musicians]
ELEPHANT MAN THEME [National Philharmonic Orchestra]
OFFICE MONTAGE [Charles Fox]
THE TIDE IS HIGH [John Holt]
TITLES (From Chariots of Fire) [Vangelis]
CAVALIERIA RUSTICA [Bologna Municipal Theatre Orchestra]
SWINGING ON STARS [APM Music]
DOWN BY THE RIVERSIDE [Chris Barber’s Jazz Band]
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Blu-ray Image Quality – SEARCHLIGHT PICTURES and TSG Entertainment presents us the awesome film ‘EMPIRE OF LIGHT’ with a wonderful 1080p image and especially in the 2.39:1 aspect ratio that really enhances your magical cinematic viewing experience. It has a striking image that is full, bold and features loads of detailed information everywhere in the frame. It is a sharp, vibrant image that really lifts off and really shows off Roger Deakins wonderful and professional cinematography that really looks totally incredible. Depth of field is rock solid with wonderful pushback with a three dimensional feeling quite easily. Movements of the camera are smooth and natural with no issues of blur or jitter doing more rapid sequences. Blacks are deep and close to natural. Details maintain strong and present in even the darkest areas of the screen. Colours are bold and striking in a more vivid looking picture. They are well saturated and there’s a rather golden look to a lot of the cinema theatre setting in the film and a bit of colder vibe anywhere outside of it. Skin tones lean towards the warm side with a consistency from start to finish. Facial features and textures are easily discernible any given distance in the frame. All in all, it is a very clean image presentation.
Blu-ray Audio Quality – SEARCHLIGHT PICTURES SEARCHLIGHT PICTURES and TSG Entertainment brings us the amazing film ‘EMPIRE OF LIGHT’ with a pretty good rock solid 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio experience. It is a very well balanced mix between the vocals, composed score and effects that never get in one another’s way but also have moments to take the spotlight on their own. It has got a terrific depth and layering on display as well. The subwoofer gives a more than anticipated boom and rumble when it comes to effects like smashing glass, punching, doors slamming and more while keeping a good performance with the bass with the composed score and captures a lot up front, but there are some impressive additions from the rear channels as well as nice ambiance built in every environment. But most important is that the vocals are clear and crisp.
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Blu-ray Special Features and Extras:
Special Feature: Creating ‘EMPIRE OF LIGHT’ [2022] [1080p] [2:39:1] [18:12] With this featurette, director Sam Mendes opens up and informs us that the film is set during a period of his life that meant the most to him. The cast and crew talk about loving the script which was “visually sumptuous.” It us one of those Making of featurette that step by step goes through the characters/actors in the film and hits upon some lighter production bits along the way. Another great bonus is that we get to view lots of behind-the-scene filming, as well as lots of clips from the actual film. Contributors include: Sam Mendes [Writer/Director], Olivia Colman [Hilary Smith], Toby Jones [Norman], Colin Firth [Mr. Ellis], Tanya Moodie [Delia], Roger Deakins, A,S,C, B,S,C [Director of Photography], Micheal Ward [Stephen Murray], Lola Oliyide [Co-Producer], Crystal Clarke [Ruby], Pippa Harris [Producer], Hannah Onslow [Janine], Julie Pastor [Executive Producer], Alexandra Byrne [Costume Design], Michael Lerma [Executive Producer], Mark Tidesley [Production Designer], Emma Pill [Location Manager] and Tom Brooke [Neil].
Finally, ‘EMPIRE OF LIGHT’ is a sweet, heartfelt, humane movie, which doesn’t shy away from the brutality and the racism that was happening in the streets outside the cinema: the Empire is showing ‘Stir Crazy’ starring Richard Pryor and Gene Wilder, directed by Sidney Poitier – a message of diversity, if 1981 Britain cared to listen. It’s clearly a labour of love for director Sam Mendes and I truly felt the total magic of the whole film and it is definitely a must view if you truly love cinema like I do. Highly Recommended!
Andrew C. Miller – Your Ultimate No.1 Film Aficionado
Le Cinema Paradiso
United Kingdom
