Orlando

Orlando is a film that follows its titular character through nearly four hundred years of British history, becoming a touchstone for Tilda Swinton's ethereal and gender-bending mode. It was hailed as a monumental work of international art house cinema upon its release in 1992. This book argues that the film is as much an adaptation of Woolf's A Room of One's Own as it is of its eponymous novel.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 160 pages
Publication date: 11 November 2022
Publisher: McGill-Queen's University Press

Orlando is a film that defies time, following its titular character through nearly four hundred years of British history. The story begins with Orlando as a young man in the 1600s, and then, mid-film, he transitions into a woman in the 1800s. The film's plot, production, and performance have all contributed to its status as a touchstone for Tilda Swinton's ethereal and gender-bending mode.

Orlando is a Russian-French-Dutch-American-Italian-British co-production that was hailed as a monumental work of international art house cinema upon its release in 1992. Some viewers interpreted the film as moving away from the lesbian content of Virginia Woolf's novel. Russell Sheaffer, in his detailed analysis of screenplay drafts and more than three decades of reception, argues that while the film does not directly invest in same-sex relationships, Orlando's articulations of embodiment, desire, and time have made the film continually more queer in the years since its release.

Drawing from adaptation theory and gender studies, this book meticulously charts the distinct shift from lesbian feminist text to queer film classic. It argues that Orlando is as much an adaptation of Woolf's A Room of One's Own as it is of its eponymous novel. The book explores the ways in which the film subverts traditional gender roles, challenges heteronormative structures, and explores the complexities of identity and sexuality.

Through its meticulous analysis and compelling argument, Orlando: A Biography of a Film offers a fresh perspective on this iconic film and its enduring impact on queer cinema. It is a must-read for anyone interested in the history, theory, and aesthetics of film, as well as for those who appreciate the artistry and brilliance of Tilda Swinton's performance.

Weight: 222g
Dimension: 203 x 153 x 14 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780228014607