Friday Night Movie number 100 – Under Milk Wood

 

Tonight’s Friday Night Movie needs very little introduction or comment from me and is, at least to my mind, one of the greatest ever products of 20th century literature.

‘Under Milk Wood’ is a poem by the Welsh writer Dylan Thomas. The poem tells the story of a day in the life of a small coastal town in Wales, called Llareggeb.

This is one of the best ever versions of the poem with Richard Burton playing the role of narrator (as he did on the original reading of the poem on vinyl), This movie matches well the various visuals and scenes to Dylan Thomas’ wonderful flowing words.

When I discovered this poem when I was a teenager it blew me away by the way its rich descriptive language so easily painted pictures of the village of Llareggeb and its curious and varied inhabitants.

Even if you don’t like poetry I’d urge you to give this one a go, you never know you just might like it.