Press Release: An Englishman in New York

BAFTA Award winner John Hurt (Alien, Outlander, V for Vendetta) delivers an outstanding, award-winning performance as he transforms himself once again to portray the outrageous and flamboyant Quentin Crisp in
AN ENGLISHMAN IN NEW YORK, released on DVD by Momentum Pictures on 28 December.

Picking up where the BAFTA Award winning classic The Naked Civil Servant left off, AN ENGLISHMAN IN NEW YORK tells the compelling and moving story of the latter part of Crisp’s life dealing with the fame and notoriety that the aforementioned film brought. The musician Sting was inspired by Crisp to write a song about his life in America resulting in the hit single An Englishman in New York and thus the title for the film. 

Special features on the DVD include a „behind the scenes‟ look at the making of the film and an interview with „John Hurt discussing playing Quentin‟.


John Hurt won the Special Teddy award at this years' Berlin International Film Festival for his outstanding performance. Alongside Hurt the excellent cast includes Sex and the City’s Cynthia Nixon almost unrecognisable as a New York performance artist, Swoosie Kurtz (Dangerous Liaisons, Liar Liar), Dennis O’Hare (Milk, Duplicity) and Jonathan Tucker (Hostage, The Ruins).

As a young man Quentin Crisp cultivated an outlandish and effeminate appearance that shocked Londoners and transformed him into a gay icon. Set in the early eighties, AN ENGLISHMAN IN NEW YORK shows Crisp in his 70‟s as he sets off on the journey of a lifetime to New York where his eccentricity is welcomed and celebrated following the international success of The Naked Civil Servant.

Soon after his arrival he is signed up by talent agent Connie Clausen (Kurtz) and launches a career as a raconteur in an off-Broadway one-man show, becomes a film reviewer for a magazine and a talk show regular. Crisp earns himself a high place in the gay community with regular media appearances until one of his comments gets him into trouble – “AIDS is just a fad”.

The shock of the gay community makes Crisp a social and media pariah and is consequently dropped by his agent and editor. His eyes are only opened when he befriends the young artist Patrick Angus (Tucker), who reveals he is dying of AIDS in an incredibly moving scene. Having been shut out Crisp‟s career is rescued by performance artist Penny Arcade (Nixon), who puts him back on stage and once again he wins over the public.

AN ENGLISHMAN IN NEW YORK will be televised later this year on ITV and will be available to buy on DVD from 28 December, so don‟t miss out your chance to see this powerful and moving film,

PRODUCT DETAILS
Release Date: 28 December 2009
Format: DVD
Distributed By: Momentum Pictures
Certificate: UK & Eire: 15
RRP: £15.99
Running Time 84 minutes approx

Special Features: 

• Behind the Scenes 
• John Hurt on Playing Quentin

Look out for our review of this long awaited sequal to a television masterpiece later this week.