Remembrance interweaves the lives of several different characters, all of whom are sailors, as they await their departure to sea in the coming days. At the heart of the film is Plymouth, particularly Union Street, as we see the chaos and disorder that takes place in the pubs and clubs once the sun sets.
Director Colin Gregg was a student at Plymouth Art College and used his experiences of Plymouth to carve out the film, with it being predominantly shot on location in the city. The film was commissioned by Channel 4 before they had even done their first broadcast. It aired in November 1982 in the first week of broadcasting for the newborn channel. It has gained notoriety in recent years due to it being Gary Oldman’s first film role, marking the debut of an actor who would go on to become one of the best of his generation and perhaps one of the best British actors ever. The film also features early appearances from John Altman (Return of the Jedi, An American Werewolf in London) and Timothy Spall (Mr Turner, Life Is Sweet, Harry Potter).
From the first frame, it is clear that Gregg wants the city itself to be the central character. John Metcalfe’s cinematography captures the beauty of Plymouth so well, while also using the camera to show the isolation of the sailors, who struggle with their relationships back on land and seem unable to convey emotions that they have lost from all their time at sea. Much of the film takes place under the light of clubs and pubs on Union Street, which is interesting to see as it is a Union Street that is not there today. This is shown by the fact that two of the pubs used in the film, The Phoenix and The Two Trees, have now closed. In this sense, Remembrance acts as a rare insight into a part of Plymouth that no longer exists.
Overall, it’s a film that will mean a lot to anybody from Plymouth. Very rarely are we able to see Plymouth on the big screen, and Remembrance puts it at the forefront. It can certainly be called a rare piece of British cinema history, and it’s well worth seeing in cinemas whilst you have the chance.
Remembrance is screening at Plymouth Arts Cinema from 27 September – 10 October with an introduction by scriptwriter Hugh Stoddart on 3 October.
By Noah Bridle
