You may not remember a film called Madagascar Skin. It came out in 1995 and is the sort of film contemporary British cinema does very well; quirky and well-constructed, it stars John Hannah as a young gay man marked with a birth mark the shape of said Indian Ocean island.
Director Ashley Horner's feature brilliantlove shares with Madagascar Skin many positives, including Sean Conway's tidy script, which investigates sexual love against a provocative backdrop. brilliantlove also has a nice sense of humour and never tries to outstrip itself: ambition is great only if you succeed.
Nancy Trotter Landry stands out as the focus of photographer Manchester's obsession; their sex scenes are uninhibited and enjoyable. (Manchester has a penchant for having his lover record her fantasies on a second-hand Dictaphone.) Though the couple's innocence grates, brilliantlove offers one way forward for the British film industry since the demise of the UK Film Council. It's out on DVD on 10 January.
PS I love this poster image for the film by illustrator Hattie Stewart, a really unusual and eyecatching take!
PPS When I started this blog, I aimed to complete 20 entries by Christmas 2010. I've done that so I'm going to take a break, though I may post intermittently. (I didn't get to Last Tango in Paris!) In the meantime, you may enjoy my other blog, which tackles film, as well as books, music and photography. Have a very good 2011!
