Film

What's on at the cinema plus reviews of the latest movie and DVD releases

Search cinema listings

Browse cinemas A-Z

Search 20,000 reviews

 

The Draughtsman's Contract (1982)

Director: Peter Greenaway

Average user rating
No reviews

Movie review

From Time Out Film Guide

Although set in an English country house in 1694, this is essentially science fiction of the most dazzling kind, being a far more vivid exploration of an alien world than 99 per cent of big budget Hollywood films. The story about a painter who undertakes to draw an estate is as intriguing as the culture it displays. Greenaway's 17th century is a place of ribald honesty as well as unfathomable mystery, and it revels in the spoken word. Of course this is non-genre, low-budget cinema, and some people will be irritated by its singlemindedness; but for others it's proof that wit can sometimes carry a film to places special effects just don't reach.

Author: DP 0000-00-00 00:00:00

Time Out Film Guide


  • Print this page
  • Send to a friend

What do you think?
Post your review now

clear rating
Min 1 star. Zero stars will be treated as unrated.

*mandatory fields





Top Stories

Time Out's 50 greatest monster movies

Time Out's 50 greatest monster movies

As Joe Johnston’s long-awaited reinvention of Universal’s howl-at-the-moon classic ‘The Wolfman’ hits cinemas, Time Out lists our 50 favourite cinematic stalkers, growlers, slashers and biters.

Mark Kermode: A life in film

Mark Kermode: A life in film

Dave Calhoun chats to Britain's most outspoken film critic and pundit ahead of the release of his memoirs

Has Ricky Gervais gone all serious?

Has Ricky Gervais gone all serious?

The trailer to 'Cemetery Junction' suggests that its writer-director is suppressing his funny bone.

The genius of Roman Polanski

The genius of Roman Polanski

Ahead of his new film, 'The Ghost', we must forget the media circus and remember the artist pleads Wally Hammond

Oscars 2010: The nominees

Oscars 2010: The nominees

Tom Huddleston offers his acute analysis on the list of nominees for the 2010 Academy Awards

Rotterdam 2010: Geoff Andrew's report

Rotterdam 2010: Geoff Andrew's report

Geoff Andrew finds rich leftfield pickings at the 2010 Rotterdam Film Festival

Can Tom Ford cut it as a director?

Can Tom Ford cut it as a director?

After ten years as creative head of Gucci, Tom Ford has directed his first movie. Nina Caplan meets him

Time Out's 101 Films of the Decade

Time Out's 101 Films of the Decade

So here it is… Ten years, thousands of movies and millions of dollars in international box office, and it all boils down to this.

2009: The year in film

2009: The year in film

We look back at the best movies of 2009 and pick out some of our favourite lists, features and interviews.