Project Detail

Delia Derbyshire: The Myths and the Legendary Tapes

Synopsis

A psycho-acoustic exploration of electronic music pioneer Delia Derbyshire.
"Radio was the most important thing in my life and music, music, music!" A true pioneer in audio exploration and psycho-acoustics, Delia Derbyshire conceived one of the most familiar compositions in science fiction, the Doctor Who theme, while working in a BBC basement. Her soundscapes felt like they connected to another realm. Kicking off with the discovery of 267 tapes in an attic, along with a treasure trove of journals hidden in her childhood bedroom, this film tunes in to Derbyshire’s frequency; that of a life-long non-conformist, whose peals of laughter in an archive interview tickle with delight and eccentricity. Featuring a rich archive, interviews, fictional embodiment and Cosey Fanni Tutti’s psycho-sonic channelling, director Caroline Catz traces acoustic pathways on her archeological dig into Derbyshire’s resonant life. (LFF brochure copy)
Official Selection BFI London Film Festival 2020 - World premiere

Details

Year
2020
Type of film
Features
Running time
98 min
Director
Caroline Catz 1st Feature
Producer
Andy Starke
Editor
Luke Thompson
Screenwriter
Caroline Catz
Director of Photography
Nick Gillespie
Production Designer
Felicity Hickson
Sound
Sound Design/ Sound Re-recording Mixer: Martin Pavey
Music
Luke Haines
Principal cast
Caroline Catz, Cosey Fanni Tutti

Categories

Production Status

Production Company

A Rook Films production

Caroline Catz

Page updates

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