Director: Peter Medak
Screenplay: Peter Medak, Roger Lowry
Starring: Peter McEnery, Diane Cilento, Glenda Jackson
Country: UK
Running Time: 98 minutes
Year: 1968
BBFC Certificate: 15
British erotic psychological drama Negatives (1968) is an aptly cynical and lurid affair which meditates on themes of identity. More specifically, the existential nature in which one’s sense of identity can clash with reality and fantasy. This 60s throw-back, set mostly in a mundane London antique dealership, is presented with a dreamlike quality and spirals into a nightmare vision of modernity with vivid sequences of experimental filmmaking, enhanced with intimate unconventional camera work, isolated monatages and frenetic cross-cutting.
The film has been restored into crystal clear quality by Severin Films in High Definition, from the original camera negative, and released by the BFI. The colourful and dowdy 60s fashion and decor is a feast for the eyes.
It was an ambitious debut film for Hungarian-Brit director Peter Medak, who made it on a shoe-string budget. It was one of the first movies exhibited in America after the eradication of the Hays Code, a strict set of moral guidelines which had been inhibiting movies since the mid-1930s. While the film features frontal nudity, it was surprisingly advertised without any sort of Parental Guidance rating. It came out at a very interesting time during the sexual revolution and was a seminal work on a new wave of filmmakers.
Medak would go onto have a rich history in movies with an edge, such as The Ruling Class (1972), The Changeling (1980) and The Krays (1990). Although, his far more recent work on prestige TV shows Breaking Bad and The Wire is probably more well-known to modern audiences. He directed the memorable season two episode six of Breaking Bad, entitled Peekaboo, which involved Jesse holding up a junkie couple in their home, and a fatal ATM machine. And, episode three of The Wire’s first, most iconic season, called The Buys, which introduced the chess-in-the-projects metaphor.
The film is effectively a three-hander. It’s an intimate story which revolves around a couple and an alluring photographer who lodges in their home. The three stars are all so compelling to watch.
There’s a magnetic performance from Australian actress Diane Cilento as photographer Reingard, who infuses the film with a sense of the exotic mystery and has a great comic flair, all while performing with an exceptional German accent. She comes across like a Bond-girl who has been planted into this low budget gritty think-piece – which is apt as she had been married to Sean Connery for six years at the point of making this movie.
Then, there’s the married couple at the centre of this tale. Peter McEnery as Theo is a miserable emasculated git. And his wife, Vivien, played by the great Glenda Jackson, who went on to win the ‘Quadruple Crown of Acting’ picking up a Tony, Bafta, Emmy and a pair of Academy Awards during her illustrious career. Jackson performs her role with a fiery dynamism.
From the very beginning, we’re plunged into the couple’s twisted sexual fantasies. They role-play as real-life notorious uxoricide Dr. Crippen, his victim Cora and mistress Ethel, with Vivien switching between the latter two roles. It’s a sexual-game devised to liven up their long-dead, grown spiteful, romance. Until the reality of the setting is revealed, the viewer is met with a jarring disorientating atmosphere, unable to fathom the real or imaginary. This disturbing feeling returns it seems whenever Reingard’s camera shutter snaps, with a dismal flash, making a noise eerily similar to an air-raid siren.
The title ‘Negatives’ has a dual meaning, as it refers to the photographs Reingard takes and how these chronicle the downfall of the couple’s relationship. Its a spikey, evocative, and thought-provoking character-study with a delicious melodic score, enhancing the film’s eery dreamlike nature.
Film:
Special Features:
- Newly remastered from the original camera negative by Severin Films and presented in High Definition
- Audio commentary by Tim Lucas
- Audio interviews with Peter Medak (2024, 89 mins): two interviews with director Peter Medak, the first by the late author and film historian Lee Gambin, and the second with Severin’s David Gregory which was conducted at the director’s home
- False Positive (2025, 11 mins): a newly recorded interview with actor Peter McEnery
- Editing Negatives (2026, 31 mins): an interview with Barrie Vince, the award-winning editor of Negatives, Smashing Time and Deep End
- Positives From Negativeland: Scrapbook From a Grand Debut (2025, 16 mins): Peter Medak takes us through his production material for Negatives, as well as A Day in the Death of Joe Egg, recalling his memories of each experience
- The Doctor Will See You Now (2025, 24 mins): an interview with Dr Clare Smith, the historic collection curator at the Metropolitan Police Museum, who discusses the life and crime of Dr Hawley Harvey Crippen
- Image gallery
- **FIRST PRESSING ONLY** Illustrated booklet featuring new essays by Dr Josephine Botting and William Fowler; notes on the special features and credits
Audio commentary by Tim Lucas – Lucas provides a fascinating commentary which dissects elements of the movie and provides a lot of contextual information. He spoke about how it was released just few days after the Hays Code ended and the new MPAA rating system was being rolled out, and how there were no parental guidance on initial ads in US. He discusses the role-playing of the couple, claiming it was the first example of cos-playing on screen. He speaks about what the characters and metaphors in the film represent, even citing biblical allegory. And he touches on changes from the original novel, written by author Peter Everett. A wonderful listen.
Audio interviews with Peter Medak (89 minute commentary track) – These are fairly incoherent and rambling but contain some illuminating details about the movie and Medak’s career. He makes a juicy comment about how book author Peter Everett had wanted to direct the movie himself. He speaks about how the film was his big break and reveals how French New Wave royalty François Truffaut wanted to direct it. He also speaks about why he cast each actor and context behind the movie.
False Positive (2025, 11 mins) – Lead actor McEnery speaks about how he got involved with the project. He speaks about Sean Connery’s presence on the set. He felt the author Everett disapproved of his casting. Interestingly, he brands the film as “dated” or looking dated. Although, he suggests he hadn’t seen the restored version at the time he was interviewed.
Editing Negatives (2026, 31 mins) – Editor Barrie Vince breaks down the more stylistics scenes which combine picture and sound in an effective manner, like the photo shoot where Theo gropes Vivienne, when Reinguard sheers Theo’s hair, and the final sequence of Theo in the plane. He also talks about the origins of the lullaby-esque score.
Positives From Negativeland (2025, 16 mins) – Medak looks through his old scrapbook of the film with clippings related to the movie and behind the scenes photos. He talks about the context of making it. He speaks about the dynamic of the married couple in the movie, with ‘negatives’ representing the “negatives of people’s narratives”. I enjoyed seeing his peculiar home with its art-deco furnishings which felt reminiscent of the era Negatives was made.
The Doctor Will See You Now (2025, 24 mins) – Fantastic short documentary about real life serial killer Crippin. Dr Clare Smith does a wonderful job of explaining the history behind Crippin, and there are some incredible photos, along with footage of Dr Crippin (1963), to illustrate his story. Dr Smith seems to enjoy retelling the macabre and elaborate tale.
Illustrated booklet featuring new essays by Dr Josephine Botting and William Fowler – It’s good read that feels like a book-end to the film and special features. Dr Bottings provides context on the film’s production and analysis on the film. Fowler’s essay expands on the life of Medak.
Disc/package:
Negatives (1968) is being released on Bluray on 16 March, 2026.