Neil Jordan Retrospectives
One of the most important and substantial document collections held by the IFI Irish Film Archive is that of director Neil Jordan. In 2006, Jordan began the process of transferring his papers to the Archive, on a film-by-film basis. In 2018 the collection was donated to the State via the National Library of Ireland. The materials are now held across both organisations and are accessible to researchers wishing to study Jordan’s career.
The material held for each film is broad and comprehensive. It includes background research, production files, stills, draft scripts, set design and storyboards, all of which give a fascinating insight into the creative process of one of Ireland’s most acclaimed directors.
The Crying Game (1992)
The Crying Game is a 1992 thriller film written and directed by Neil Jordan, produced by Stephen Woolley, and starring Stephen Rea, Miranda Richardson, Jaye Davidson, Adrian Dunbar, Ralph Brown and Forest Whitaker.
The film explores themes of race, gender, nationality, and sexuality against the backdrop of the Troubles in Northern Ireland.
Interview with the Vampire (1994)
Interview with the Vampire is a 1994 American gothic horror film directed by Neil Jordan, based on Anne Rice’s 1976 novel of the same name, and starring Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt.
Michael Collins (1996)
Michael Collins is a 1996 biographical period drama film written and directed by Neil Jordan and starring Liam Neeson as the Irish revolutionary, soldier, and politician Michael Collins, who was a leading figure in the early-20th-century Irish struggle for independence.
The Butcher Boy (1997)
The Butcher Boy is a 1997 Irish black comedy adapted to film by Neil Jordan and Patrick McCabe from McCabe’s 1992 novel of the same name.
Set in the early 1960s, The Butcher Boy is about Francie Brady (Eamonn Owens), a 12-year-old boy who retreats into a violent fantasy world to escape the reality of his dysfunctional family.
In Dreams (1999)
In Dreams is a 1999 American psychological horror film directed by Neil Jordan.
It stars Annette Bening as a New England illustrator who begins experiencing visions of a missing child, and psychic connections to a serial killer responsible for the murders of several local children.