Jubilee

Jubilee

Year: 1979

Runtime: 106 min

Director: Derek Jarman

DramaFantasyComedyMusic

A dedicated protector and a charming corgi find themselves on an extraordinary quest through London. Their mission: to retrieve the Queen’s crown, which has gone missing. The journey blends elements of drama, fantasy, comedy, and music, creating a heartwarming story about the power of friendship and the importance of determination in overcoming challenges.

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Timeline & Setting – Jubilee (1979)

Explore the full timeline and setting of Jubilee (1979). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

1970s

The bulk of the action takes place in a shattered 1970s Britain, a period of social unrest and urban decay. The film juxtaposes the grim city streets with pop-cultural spectacles and anarchic acts. Toward the end, there is a surreal, nostalgic return to the sixteenth century, framing the present-day chaos with Elizabethan echoes.

Location

Britain (1970s), Westminster Cathedral, Buckingham Palace, Dorset, a London squat

The story unfolds in a decaying Britain during the 1970s, moving through derelict city streets, squats, and damaged landmarks. Westminster Cathedral and Buckingham Palace are repurposed as venues, reflecting a collapse of tradition and authority. The journey also traces a pastoral return to Dorset, offering a brief contrast to the urban chaos.

🗺️ Decay 🏚️ Post-industrial 🏰 Iconic landmarks

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 08:15

Main Characters – Jubilee (1979)

Meet the key characters of Jubilee (1979), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Amyl Nitrate (Toyah Willcox)

A fearless ringleader within the group, Amyl Nitrate lectures others about history and channels it into violent, anarchic acts. She wields charisma to mobilize the group and revels in a rebellious femininity. Her presence anchors the group’s ideological extremes and performative chaos.

🎭 Charismatic 🧨 Rebellious 💃 Performer

Bod

A sex-hating anarchist who escalates violence within the circle. Bod revels in cruelty, strangling a monarch-like symbol and driving the gang’s most brutal actions. Her impulsiveness and ferocity push the group toward increasingly dangerous acts.

🧨 Violent 🧭 Anarchist 💀 Ruthless

Sphinx (Jack Birkett)

One of the incestuous brothers, Sphinx is flamboyant and enigmatic, contributing to the group’s provocative dynamic. His presence adds a layer of theatrical perversity and subversive charm to the unfolding chaos.

🎭 Enigmatic 🌀 Provocative 🔥 Dramatic

Angel (Ian Charleson)

The other incestuous brother, Angel participates in the group’s complex relationship web and volatile interactions. His role emphasizes themes of sexuality, performance, and boundary-pushing behavior within the subculture.

🎭 Contested 🧪 Fluid 🔗 Complex

Kid (Jordan)

A young musician drawn into the scene, Kid embodies the lure of fame and the lure of commercial opportunities. His band’s discovery by a promoter marks the intersection of art and exploitation within the countercultural milieu.

🎶 Aspiring 🕯️ Naive 💡 Influenced

Viv (Jenny Runacre)

A former artist who becomes entwined with the male and female members of the group. Viv represents the artistic impulse within the chaos and participates in exchanges that reveal the era’s entanglement of art, sexuality, and power.

🎨 Artistic 🔗 Connected 🌗 Ambiguous

Max (Karl Johnson)

An ex-soldier who navigates the violent world around the group. Max’s experiences in the violent public sphere echo the film’s meditation on war, authority, and the erosion of social order.

🪖 Ex-soldier ⚔️ Turbulent 🧭 Grounded

Elizabeth II

The reigning monarch who becomes a symbol of the old order. Bod’s brutal act of killing Elizabeth II and stealing the crown serves as a stark turn in the film’s critique of power and spectacle.

👑 Monarchical ⚠️ Violent 🌀 Iconic

Queen Elizabeth I

A figure who appears only through the Elizabethan frame of reference and the film’s mythic past, underscoring the collision of eras that drives the ending’s nostalgia-filled return.

👑 Historical 🗺️ Timeless 🎭 Theatrical

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 08:15

Major Themes – Jubilee (1979)

Explore the central themes of Jubilee (1979), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

🌀 Nihilism

A group of aimless young women embody a nihilistic impulse, drifting through a world where rules are meaningless and violence becomes a form of expression. Amoral thrill-seeking, impulsive acts, and a shrug at authority define their way of life. The film uses this nihilism to critique societal collapse and the hunger for sensation.

🏚️ Commercialization

Authority and spaces are commodified as Westminster Cathedral and Buckingham Palace are turned into music venues by impresarios like Ginz. The film satirizes how power and property are exploited for entertainment and profit, eroding symbols of tradition. This shift intensifies the sense of chaos and moral ambiguity that drives the plot.

⏳ Time Juxtaposition

Elizabethan imagery and figures intermittently intrude into a modern, anarchic Britain, creating a tension between past grandeur and present decay. The narrative threads a surreal dialogue between eras, highlighting how history lingers while societal structures crumble. The ending’s return to a past era reinforces the cycle of nostalgia and disillusionment.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 08:15

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Jubilee Summary

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Jubilee Summary

Jubilee Timeline

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Jubilee Timeline

More About Jubilee

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