Angels and Insects

The scientist William Adamson is broke when he returns to England from the jungles ofthe Amazon. He meets Alabaster, an old aristocrat with a peculiar hobby: insects. Alabaster is an amateur collector of insects, and he is fascinated by William's tales of his travels and discoveries and invites him to stay at his house in the country. There William meets Alabaster's eldest daughter Euginia, who captivates him with her mysterious beauty. Even though he has no money and does not belong to the aristocracy, Euginia agrees to marry him. The Alabaster family's existence is entirely governed by strict rules as a consequence of their ancestry and fortune. William's new life among them does not turn out as he expected. Despite his love for Euginia he cannot get close to her. She is passionate and sensuous, yet cold and distant. Matty, a family relation who is living in the house, is an intelligent and independent woman who also feels confined by the family name and ancestry. She finds a soul-mate and potential liberator in William. After having lost him to Euginia she tries to get close to him in other ways. With her encouragement William starts a detailed investigation of the local insect population. During his scientific research William discovers shocking, dark secrets below the polished surface of the upper class family. The seemingly perfect family are hiding traces of decadence, betrayal and unthinkable perversions. In Angels and Insects many different thoughts are tied together by an interest in, and research of insects. The analogy between society's class structure and the world of insects is obvious. While the characters in the film are studying the lives of insects and their strict rules, the audience gets the chance to do the same with the main characters of the film and the Victorians of the 19th century. The investigation of insects also contains the anxiety and insecurity which followed Darwin's new and bold theory about the origin of the species when it was first presented. Parallels are drawn between humans and insects all the way down to sexual impulses and driving forces. The film presents a shocking, carnal side to Victorian sexuality where the woman uses and manipulates the opposite sex in the same way as a queen bee.

Premiärstatus
Nordisk premiär: Medverkande
Mark Rylance, Kristin Scott Thomas, Patsy Kensit: Producent
Belinda Haas & Joyce Herlihy: Manus
Philip Haas & Belinda Haas, based on the novel ''Morpho Eugenia'' by A.S. Byatt: Foto
Bernard Zitzermann: Musik
Alexander Balanescu: Talat språk
English