A Quiet Passion - film

Along with Edna St Vincent Millay, Emily Dickinson is my favourite American poet. Oxymoronic title aside, this film is a beautifully crafted life story of the elusive poet. 

There're two kinds of poetry in the film. Her poems are well selected and cleverly used. Dialogue itself sounds like reading expertly constructed long verses in English. I love listening to these. 

The other one is the director Terence Davies' meticulous visual poetry. Every single shot is framed with exquisite care. 

I'm not familiar with any of the cast, but, they're all superb. 

Palace Cinema in Westgarth is a lovely place, particularly on a sunny Monday afternoon. Very quiet. I like it a lot. 

Towards the end, it features one of my favourites, This World is not Conclusion. 

This World is not Conclusion. 

A Species stands beyond - 

Invisible, as Music -

But positive, as Sound -

It beckons, and it baffles - 

Philosophy, dont know - 

And through a Riddle, at the last - 

Sagacity, must go -

To guess it, puzzles scholars -

To gain it, Men have borne 

Contempt of Generations 

And Crucifixion, shown -

Faith slips - and laughs, and rallies - 

Blushes, if any see - 

Plucks at a twig of Evidence - 

And asks a Vane, the way - 

Much Gesture, from the Pulpit -

Strong Hallelujahs roll - 

Narcotics cannot still the Tooth 

That nibbles at the soul -