The Storms of Jeremy Thomas, 2021.
Directed by Mark Cousins.
Featuring Jeremy Thomas, Mark Cousins, Debra Winger, Tilda Swinton, and Rebecca O’Brien.
SYNOPSIS:
Film historian Mark Cousins takes a look back at the life and work of film producer Jeremy Thomas, a driving force in movies for over thirty years.
There is no denying the influence of Jeremy Thomas on film. With movies including The Naked Lunch, Blood and Wine and Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence to his name, it is a career which speaks for itself. By name checking past associations including Nicolas Roeg and David Cronenberg over the course of his film, Mark Cousins is attempting to illustrate how important this producer remains to cinema.
In a documentary which relies heavily on revisiting past glories through narrated clips and talking heads, The Storms of Jeremy Thomas remains engaging stuff. Mark Cousins interlinks creative choices with conversations they share on a road trip to Cannes. In person Jeremy Thomas is laid back, pragmatic and able to converse on a career which most industry heavyweights would kill for.
As well as touching on successes including Bernardo Bertolucci’s The Last Emperor, he recalls his involvement with films like Don Hemingway and Young Adam. There seems to be no plan which links projects together, apart from an abundant curiosity in storytelling. This means that the huckster element of his persona, which goes out to get distribution deals or finance future projects is never far from the surface. For that reason, as an examination of what it takes to get something made anywhere, The Storms of Jeremy Thomas is invaluable.
Mark Cousins taps into his vast knowledge of film bringing up impromptu examples, that seamlessly provide context either visually or otherwise. There is a genuine friendship and respect which comes through in their exchanges on the road to Cannes, while talking heads from both Debra Winger and Tilda Swinton speak to his generosity and resourcefulness. In the latter stages this film also addresses a time of personal crisis, where this force of nature had to confront his own mortality.
In those moments he is candid in his assessment of the road ahead. To a certain extent that revelation pulls everything into sharper focus, giving his achievements perspective in light of such dire revelations. What it also provides is an adrenaline shot, that makes him grab any second chances with both hands and forge ahead. As a result, in the years that followed he was key to financing projects from both Ben Wheatley and Terry Gilliam, two filmmakers at seemingly opposite ends of the spectrum creatively.
However, what comes through most strongly, aside from his genuine passion for cinema, is an innate love of underdog projects. Films that address important social issues, tackle prevalent contemporary moments in time, or are simply just great scripts in need of a backer. That being said, audiences are likely to get the impression that these Storms of Jeremy Thomas, are more often than not, weather fronts of his own making.
Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★ ★
Martin Carr
Originally published October 19, 2021. Updated October 18, 2021.
