Three people are mysteriously brought to a forest glade, where they are helped to confront the misery of their everyday lives and then introduced to a new world and a new way of thinking.
With a running time of 85 minutes and an outline that suggests a more mainstream drama running along a standard narrative path (which at times it is), Spirit of Albion is a shock to the system – in a good way.
It begins musically, with Damh the Bard performing a song in the open air, before beginning the drama. At first, the dialogue and story appear clunky and heavy-handed, belying its theatrical origins. However, it soon becomes apparent that this is not a standard slice of drama. The set speeches and over-acting serve the story by moving it quickly on, very much in the manner of a mummers' play. Interspersed with the songs of Damh the Bard which inspired the original play, the film explores the human condition and interconnects it with Nature and the old Gods.
This is not a standard film. For a small independent work it can boast impressive photography and production values, memorable images, as well some good acting and pleasant singing.
But what really makes this film special is the spiritual inspiration it gives. The music and the atmosphere echo the religious plays and pageants of bygone times: linear, accessible, entertaining, and uplifting.
Truly Pagan films are rare (The Wicker Man is, at its heart, ambivalent) and as such, The Spirit of Albion deserves to be seen. I highly recommend this DVD, and further viewings do not diminish its power.
With a running time of 85 minutes and an outline that suggests a more mainstream drama running along a standard narrative path (which at times it is), Spirit of Albion is a shock to the system – in a good way.
It begins musically, with Damh the Bard performing a song in the open air, before beginning the drama. At first, the dialogue and story appear clunky and heavy-handed, belying its theatrical origins. However, it soon becomes apparent that this is not a standard slice of drama. The set speeches and over-acting serve the story by moving it quickly on, very much in the manner of a mummers' play. Interspersed with the songs of Damh the Bard which inspired the original play, the film explores the human condition and interconnects it with Nature and the old Gods.
This is not a standard film. For a small independent work it can boast impressive photography and production values, memorable images, as well some good acting and pleasant singing.
But what really makes this film special is the spiritual inspiration it gives. The music and the atmosphere echo the religious plays and pageants of bygone times: linear, accessible, entertaining, and uplifting.
Truly Pagan films are rare (The Wicker Man is, at its heart, ambivalent) and as such, The Spirit of Albion deserves to be seen. I highly recommend this DVD, and further viewings do not diminish its power.
