Rent The Draughtsman's Contract (1982)
3.5 of 5 from 185 ratings
1h 44min
- General info
- Available formats
- Synopsis:
- Peter Greenaway became a director of international status with this witty, stylised, erotic country house murder mystery. In an apparently idyllic 17th century Wiltshire, an ambitious draughtsman is commissioned by the wife of an aristocrat to produce twelve drawings of her husband's estate, in return for which he will receive payment, board and bed - hers. Extravagant costumes, a twisting plot, elegantly barbed dialogue and a score by Michael Nyman make the film a treat for ear, eye and mind.
- Actors:
- Anthony Higgins, Janet Suzman, Anne-Louise Lambert, Hugh Fraser, Neil Cunningham, Dave Hill, David Gant, David Meyer, Tony Meyer, Nicholas Amer, Suzan Crowley, Lynda La Plante, Michael Feast, Alastair G. Cumming, Steve Ubels, Ben Kirby, Sylvia Rotter, Kate Doherty, David Joss Buckley, Michael Carter
- Directors:
- Peter Greenaway
- Producers:
- David Payne
- Writers:
- Peter Greenaway
- Others:
- Sue Blane
- Studio:
- BFI Video
- Genres:
- Comedy, Drama, Romance
- Collections:
- All the Twos: 1972-2012, That's All Fawkes! Top 10 Films Set in the Stuart Era, A Brief History of Film..., Top 100 BFI Films, Top Films
- BBFC:
- Release Date:
- 14/11/2022
- Run Time:
- 108 minutes
- Languages:
- Dubbed, English Audio Description, English LPCM Mono, German LPCM Mono
- Subtitles:
- English Hard of Hearing, German
- Formats:
- Pal
- Aspect Ratio:
- Widescreen 1.66:1
- Colour:
- Colour
- BLU-RAY Regions:
- B
- Bonus:
- Audio commentary by Peter Greenaway (2003)
- Introduction by Peter Greenaway (2003, 10 mins): the director discusses the genesis of 'The Draughtsman's Contract', his creative choices and the film's central themes
- Visions: A Film Comment by Angela Carter {1982, 21 mins): the novelist's contemporary TV review of 'The Draughtsman's Contract'
- The Guardian Interview: Michael Nyman (2002, audio only, 7 mins): the composer discusses his work on 'The Draughtsman's Contract'
- The Greenaway Alphabet (2017, 60 mins): Saskia Boddeke's deeply personal portrait of her husband Peter Greenaway, his art and his relationship with his daughter
- H is For House (1976, 9 mins): an early short film by Peter Greenaway
- A Walk Through H (1978, 42 mins): Greenaway's short depicting the symbolic journey of an ornithologist through a mysterious bird-filled country
- Insight: Zandra Rhodes (1981, 15 mins): Greenaway's profile of the fashion designer
- Interviews with Janet Suzman, Peter Greenaway and Anthony Higgins (1981, 5 mins)
- Behind the scenes footage (1981, 5 mins)
- Deleted scenes and outtakes (1981, 11 mins total)
- Original theatrical trailer
- Restoration trailer (2022)
- Image gallery
- Disc 1:
- This disc includes the main feature
- Disc 2:
- This disc includes special features
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Reviews (2) of The Draughtsman's Contract
unwatchable! - The Draughtsman's Contract review by CP Customer
Oddly creepy - we just couldn't see where this film was going, and only made it to the end of the first 45 minutes. If you're thinking of Restoration Comedy - broad humour, great costumes, political points, good dialogue - forget it! Just a series of unpleasant characters minceing about in hideous, surely exaggerated clothes and wigs, even for the age of excess. The premise was attractive - the film certainly wasn't.
2 out of 7 members found this review helpful.
English etchings escapade - The Draughtsman's Contract review by CH
Peter Greenaway’s bawdy Jacobean country house murder mystery romp. Mossy, mischievous garden statues come to life adding rude piquancy to the tableaux. A most singular and entertainingly confusing 5 star period drama.
0 out of 0 members found this review helpful.