CLOSE MY EYES

A forbidden attraction begins to grow between the siblings. As the domineering Sinclair, Rickman captivated audiences with a performance that combines authority and eccentricity, while wryly exposing the intellectual pretensions of a member of the business elite.

Filming took place in the summer of 1990, during one of the most severe heatwaves southern England had ever experienced. The filmmakers carefully temper the film’s provocative subject matter by setting it against images of striking beauty. Much of the credit goes to Polish cinematographer Witold Stok, who emigrated to Britain in the 1980s and brought to the film the sensitive eye of a documentary filmmaker, honed earlier through work with, among others, Krzysztof Kieślowski.

The warm palette and the contrast between modern architecture and nature in full bloom capture both the film’s delicate mood and the inner conflict of the brother and sister, who retreat from the outside world into historic interiors, luxury flats and secluded spots along the Thames. At the same time, this visual contrast laid the groundwork for readings of the film as a metaphor for the waning years of Margaret Thatcher’s rule and the displacement of tradition, echoed in the film’s depiction of the regeneration of London’s Docklands.

There is also a significant social undercurrent, shaped by the intensified campaigns around sex education and HIV prevention at the turn of the decade. A scene in which Richard’s boss, who has AIDS, shares a sandwich with him in full view of a group of ignorant men in suits remains one of the film’s most powerful challenges to damaging stereotypes.

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Text: Paula Apanowicz