PANDAEMONIUM

UK, 2001, 124 minutes, Colour.
Linus Roche, John Hannah, Samantha Morton, Emily Woof, Emma Fielding, Andy Serkis, Samuel West, Dexter Fletcher.
Directed by Julien Temple.

We usually associate the word 'pandemonium' with loud, crowded chaotic, situations. However, it refers, in a literary context, to the home of the devil. It is the latter image that suggests how we are to interpret this portrait/study of the poets Samuel Taylor Coleridge and William Wordsworth. Coleridge, a celebrity in his day, became an opium addict. This heightened his visionary poetic inspiration, but it was destructive to him, physically and psychologically.

In the 60s and 70s flamboyant director, Ken Russell, made a number of television portraits of a number of music composers. When he moved into films, he created elaborate pop fantasies, extraordinary in their evocative imagining of the lives and art of Tchaikovsky, Mahler, Liszt. These startling 'biopics' set an expectation that the story of significant artists was not to be a recital of facts, nor a dignified and respectful biographical study like many costume dramas from the BBC.

Director, Julien Temple, has had his Russell-like moments in documentaries on The Sex Pistols and his musical, Absolute Beginners. Pandaemonium is more restrained, despite its dealing with Coleridge's addiction, yet there are some unexpectedly arresting visuals to accompany the Rime of the Ancient Mariner and Kublai Kahn - and, during the final credits, to the accompaniment of the pop song Xanadu, images of Coleridge looking out over today's London, the Eye, the Dome and Piccadilly Circus.

The period is 1795 (when Coleridge is famous as a poet, lecturer and social revolutionary and Wordsworth unknown) to 1816 when Wordsworth expected to be named as Poet Laureate (but the position went to Robert Southey). In films, this is better known as the period of Jane Austen's novels - or that of Napoleon, Lord Nelson and the decline of George III. But Temple and his writer, Frank Cottrell Boyce, want to make comparisons with our own times, the end of a century and the beginning of another, the opening up of science and technology as well as the place of celebrities, especially those with drug problems. They suggest that Coleridge was the first celebrity to have his addiction made public. The two poets also moved in a world which is experimenting with electricity and gas propulsions.

The formalities of the 18th century in manners and dress are coming to an end. The poets are caught up in the spirit of the French Revolution. They want a more sensing and personalised poetry written in ordinary language. Wordsworth tried to offer Coleridge discipline while he, and his sister Dorothy who was more influential on his poetry than Wordsworth Dorothy who was more influential on his poetry than Wordsworth cared to admit, were stimulated by Coleridge's vision.

Coleridge is the hero of the film. He is played with great energy by Linus Roache who also recites a substantial amount of his poetry. Wordsworth is the villain of the piece, envious of Coleridge, stealing his credits and abandoning him. John Hannah seems an unlikely choice for Wordsworth. He plays him as humourless, unconsciously vain, perfectly at home with his prim and protective wife, Mary.

Not an obvious choice of subject for a popular film. However, it offers an opportunity to connect with a period of English history and of English literature.

1. A portrait of a period? Of a spirit of the romantic period and revival of British poetry? Portrait of Coleridge and Wordsworth?

2. The re-creation of the period, the careful attention to costumes and décor, to the beauties of the British landscape and countryside, the coast and the Lakes District? The re-creation of Regency London, the interiors, the mansions? The contrast with the poor housing in the countryside, the commune? The strong feeling communicated to the audience about this period? The musical score?

3. The special effects for fantasies, especially Coleridge's fantasies with the opium, the re-creation of atmosphere for The Ancient Mariner, for Xanadu? The stylistic effects of camerawork - for the drug hallucinations, the upside-down camera etc?

4. The scenes in the estuary - filmed with 21st century nuclear facility backgrounds? The significance of the sequence during the final credits, Coleridge in his costume dress wandering London, the scenes of modern London, the London Eye, Piccadilly Circus with the advertisements for Coca-Cola? and McDonald's? The irony of the song, 'Xanadu' and its lyrics borrowed from Coleridge, made very popular, commenting on Britain at the beginning of the 21st century?

5. The structure of the film: the opening with Coleridge and his taking of opium, his physical state and addiction, his family wanting him to go out, the expectations in London that he would not arrive, Byron and Wordsworth, Southey, the expectation of the announcement of the Poet Laureate, Coleridge's arrival, his behaviour, people being scandalised, Byron offering him a hundred guineas to publish Kublai Khan? Coleridge's collapse, sending the claret glasses flying? His getting up, apology, reference to Darwin? His wanting to make a speech, his going out of the building and returning (in?) ten years?

6. Coleridge and his impassioned speech, the reference to the French Revolution and liberty, not declaring war against France? The use of socialist language - an anticipation of communism? Urging freedom, the chant of his listeners? The military arriving, Mr Walsh as the spy? Wordsworth in the audience, his coming to the aid of Coleridge and of Thelwall, with Sarah, the escape? Thelwall's suspicions of Wordsworth and Coleridge's defence of him?

7. The use of Coleridge's poetry, the recitation by Linus Roche as a voice-over, the visualising of Frost at Midnight when he took his baby out into the snow, the meeting with the old sailor on the estuary and the creation of the Ancient Mariner, the recitation of Kublai Khan, the mad Dorothy Wordsworth reciting it, Coleridge and its being the climax of the film? The quality of Coleridge's poetry, language, imagination - and the influence of his addiction to opium and the trance states in which he found himself?

8. Coleridge, the dream of the commune, his relationship with Sarah, the child, his amazement at the birth? His living in community, the neighbours and their support, the friend with the library? The arrival of Dorothy and William Wordsworth, his fear that it was Mr Walsh coming to raid the house and burn the books? The welcoming of the Wordsworths?

9. Dorothy Wordsworth and her devotion to her brother, her attraction towards Coleridge, her speech about sublimating it and allowing him to be with his wife while she had the secrets of his soul? Her presence, encouragement to inspiration? Trying to elicit poetry from her brother? The families living together, their picnics, walks in the countryside, listening to the underground waterfall, surveying the beauty of nature? The dream of a new kind of poetry, poetry that everybody could read? The beginning of the 19th century and a romantic revolution, especially in poetry and literature? The ambitions to write together, Wordsworth's suggestion to publish anonymously? Nothing happening, Sarah's criticism, Wordsworth being nothing but a gatepost? Coleridge and his ever-enthusiasm, vision? His outburst to pulp all his own poetry and start a new poetry, and reassuring Sarah that this would not happen? The decision to spend the night writing poetry, Wordsworth and his writer's block? Coleridge and the opium, the writing of the poem all night? The eventual publication of the lyrical ballads, the anonymity, Londoners guessing and making bets on the authorship? The praise of Coleridge? Wordsworth having quantity rather than quality? Yet Coleridge always in support of him?

10. The character of Coleridge, creative genius, social concern, the attempt at the Utopia? The family man yet his attraction to Dorothy Wordsworth? Love for Sarah and the child? The welcoming back of Thelwall, his sufferings in the Tower of London? Wordsworth and his jealousy, wanting to be rid of Thelwall, forcing Coleridge to send him away? The failure of their collaboration - and yet Coleridge seeing Wordsworth as a genius, firing him with inspiration? Wordsworth seeing Coleridge as the same - but the gradual change?

11. Wordsworth and his growing jealousy, his decision to leave? His disdain of Kublai Khan? His return north, Dorothy and her return, his spurning her? The engagement to Mary, Mary and her adulation of her husband, encouraging him in his poetry? Going for walks - and the cool reception to Coleridge, yet their continuing their walk? Coleridge and his feeling unwelcome, Sarah and her not wanting to go? The return home?

12. Coleridge and his inspiration, the visit to the estuary, the old sailor and his story, the albatross, the curse, standing in the Elvers? Coleridge and his being inspired, the development of the story, Sarah and her listening and encouraging him, Wordsworth not, his plain and unimaginative understanding of the story? Dorothy and her providing the freedom for Coleridge to finish the poem? His nightmares and torment, seeing himself as the Ancient Mariner on the icy mast? The completion of the poem - but unfulfilled, the arrival of Wordsworth, his loss of inspiration? His keeping the poem in his pocket? Wordsworth and his contempt, Coleridge persuaded to burn the poem? Byron and his anger at Wordsworth's behaviour, his mockery and recitation of Daffodils? Dorothy Wordsworth and her remembering the poem - and the possibility of its being published?

13. The contrast between the lives of Coleridge and Wordsworth? Wordsworth and his not taking drugs, his wanting to be a poet, the rhetoric of his poetry and his dissatisfaction, walking on the cliff with Dorothy, his tribute to her? His eventual publication of poetry? Not getting the job of Poet Laureate, his being in league with Mr Walsh? His being the Administrator of Stamps for Westmoreland? Coleridge's reaction, remembering the past and seeing both Wordsworth and Walsh at his rousing speech? His disillusionment with Wordsworth?

14. Southey, his sympathy with Coleridge, admiration for him, bringing him into the household, paying the rent, Sarah instructing the children? Coleridge and his descent into the addiction, Southey trying to get him to withdraw? Sarah telling the story of The Three Bears and his hallucination of the bears?

15. 1813, the gathering, the poets, high society, Coleridge's behaviour? The shock announcement that Southey was to be Poet Laureate, Wordsworth's disgust, Mary following him, Southey being moved, Coleridge being amazed?

16. The quality of the film in dramatising the lives of the two poets, drawing their characters, suggesting their inspiration, dramatising the processes of creativity? A contribution to the understanding of English history, English poetry?

17. The beginning of the 19th century, the advances in science, Sir Humphrey Davey and his moving in that circle, the presentation of the experiments about electricity, Dorothy Wordsworth and her amazement at the creation of life, no need for God? The overtones of the experience of Mary Shelley with the Frankenstein story? The brave new world of the 19th century in both science and literature?