Enter writer, director, producer Stuart Urban, Woolf's friend of seventeen years, whose credits include the BAFTA award-winning television dramas An Ungentlemanly Act and Our Friends in the North and his feature film debut, Preaching to the Perverted. Woolf continues, 'I'd just worked with Stuart on a BAFTA memorial to my father. Prior to that, my father had asked Stuart to write a drama about Neville Chamberlain and appeasement for Anglia, the television company Romulus owned. That didn't work out and nor did our next intended collaboration. My father owned the rights to the long running West End stage hit The Mousetrap by Agatha Christie but contractually could not make a film version until the play closed. Stuart updated the creaky script darkly and brilliantly but then things went wrong on the legal side and the play continues to run. But I knew all along how talented a writer Stuart was'.
Stuart Urban says, 'Jonathan gave me the Falco screenplay and I thought it had a fascinating central premise - a sacred box travelling through time and an immortal trying to get hold of it. It was a great concept for a fantasy film but it was written on too small a canvas and had a comedy thriller slant that really didn't deliver the full potential of the idea. Jonathan invited me to rewrite it and I felt I could invest the property with contemporary rationales about where mankind stands today on the subjects of technology, biochemistry, ethics and occult symbolism. When I delved further - I read every book I could on alchemy, scared geometry, the Knights Templar and mysticism - I realised to my surprise that a whole wealth of amazing material and an occult dimension were available that had never been used in movies before. All of these strands seemed ripe to peg onto the main strong idea and make it even more provocative and compelling. In many ways Revelation is a typical supernatural horror thriller with many high tone shocks. But using the elements of mysticism, elements of historical alchemy and the potential of modern genetic engineering made it rise above the narrow limits of what's perceived as a genre movie. Rarely does the genre explore the hidden aspects of religion and the genuine occult and I wanted to do that to make them thought provoking in truly unique ways'.
He adds, 'Obviously Revelation is a work of fiction yet, apart from the Loculus box everything is based on known myths, historical and recent conspiracies and heresies, and speculation inspired by historical fact (e.g. Newton's preoccupation with alchemy and sacred geometry). Furthermore everything is coded and symbolised throughout so audiences can work out the jigsaw puzzle of clues if they try. The mythical Mary Magdalen and Jesus bloodline is explored too - a myth that was believed by the mediaeval Cathar heresy which was brutally suppressed by Rome. All the symbols on the Loculus are real, using - for example - codes from the earliest known Christian pictograms denoting the true cross. Newton believed the Apocalypse could be invoked rather than be waited for in helpless anticipation and his belief is a vital part of the story here. The Knights of St. John order were heavily infiltrated by alchemists, as is evidenced by the graves in St John's Cathedral. Alchemy was, if you like, the ancient biotechnology as it held all life to be comprised of, and attributable to, four essences, these essences being constituted in pairs - like chromosomes. The essences were the key to human identity. The fifth and vital essence was what linked the mortal and the divine, and today's genetic engineers may be about to straddle that divide. Alchemists strove for a divinity that they, rather than God, manufactured, they believed experience was more important than faith and that to achieve experience you had to have courage that might involve sacrifice (echoed in Mira and Magnus's dinner conversation in the film). One can relate this to the pioneers of the atom bomb or human organ cloning. The opening ritual of putting a man and a snake in a bag made of raw ox hide and throwing them off a cliff was an actual Roman death sentence reserved for someone who had murdered their father - and Christians, by denying the divine authority of the emperor, were guilty of parricide. The goal of my research was to invite audiences to picture the world through an alternate reality where modern formalised religion is fragmenting and where modern man or woman is struggling to find divinity in themselves - the Age of Aquarius. If the audience not only are entertained but look, question and think about the topics raised, then I'll have achieved my aim'.
Four months after Woolf asked Urban for a rewrite, the producer felt the screenplay was in perfect shape. He adds, 'The original concept was still very much to the fore but Stuart broadened it out and made it international with the additional texturing of ancient beliefs, the Knights Templar and sacred geometry. Traditional religion seems to have had its day and people all over the world are reaching out for something else, something to fire their spiritual enthusiasm anew. Stuart had done the impossible as far as I was concerned. He had taken a routine chiller, brought it out into a wider world and given it an extraordinary connection to all our lives today. Revelation is unusual because one of our lead characters dies and there is no clichéd hand-to-hand final combat in which the champion of good vanquishes the champion of evil. However, the big themes it deals with, like the meaning of life and death and the shades of light and dark, give it a resonance beyond most genre movies. Plus I felt he provided a strong hook for women to respond to with the pivotal character of Mira. Certain kinds of genre movies don't often appeal to women, but Stuart managed to bridge that audience gap'.
With the script completed to everyone's satisfaction, Woolf and Urban turned their attention to getting the right cast to enhance the unique storyline. Urban says, 'Terence Stamp was always our first choice to play billionaire Magnus Martel. I wanted to create an outward impression of Magnus as a James Bond-style villain who happens to have been ennobled by the British Prime Minister. But then you find he is deeply enmeshed in the real occult (as opposed to boring ideas of devil worship and possession propagated by Hollywood and Hammer), a spiritual quest and metaphysics. And who better than Terence for the role? He was an archetypal British success in the Sixties and personally explored Eastern philosophies when he lived in India. A media star, but an actor with gravitas at the top of his chosen profession, having an interest in alternative spirituality and beliefs - well, Terence couldn't have been more ideal casting'.
"The main motive in my career is to tackle roles that contain something new, something I haven't done before', remarks Academy Award nominee Terence Stamp, star of The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert. 'I thought Magnus was an interesting part because, although he's a villain, he had both positive and negative sides to his character. The secret organisation he joined propelled him into great wealth and power and he was entrusted with a sacred relic that, as the film opens, he's only realised embodies an astonishing power for great good or great evil. On his own volition he has decided to return it to its rightful resting place or destroy it. Most of his life Magnus has behaved like a selfish reptile, but then he has an epiphany because what he's ultimately commanded to do is further than he's prepared to go. Revelation is unusual in that it frames its Gothic and macabre subject matter in a metaphysical structure. Unlike such movies as The Omen or The Sixth Sense, it takes ancient philosophy and esoteric teachings and uses them as a tent pole to support the horror. And that basis in truth makes it even more horrifying'.
Apart from the juicy role on offer for him in Revelation, there was another more personal reason why Stamp accepted the part as he explains. 'After I had my initial break in 1962 with Billy Budd (the role he was Oscar nominated for) I made a black-and-white rape drama titled Term of Trial. It was for Romulus Films and was produced by James Woolf who was a wonderful and highly intelligent movie mandarin. He was the second person, after Peter Ustinov, to show an interest in my career and I really appreciated his advice. When I was offered Revelation, the script came with a little note saying 'Need you for a short time, Jonathan Woolf, nephew of Jimmy'. I found that charming. It has been nice to visit with another generation of Woolfs'.
The next actor to be cast in Revelation was Udo Kier, star of the Andy Warhol produced duo Flesh for Frankenstein and Blood for Dracula, Breaking the Waves, Dancer in the Dark and Shadow of the Vampire. Stuart Urban remarks, 'Udo is an exciting actor because he straddles both the art house and mainstream movie worlds. He always brings a special exoticism to his unusual parts and I couldn't think of anyone better to highlight the magic or menace of Praenuntius. I've never known an actor to be so full of beans, always eager to please and so focused on getting everything right. His suggestions have been spot on too and Revelation is a better film for having him on board'.
"I had long transatlantic telephone conversations with Stuart about Revelation', says Hollywood-based Udo Kier. 'And then he sent me a video of Preaching to the Perverted. That combination of religion and sadomasochism really appealed to me and then when I read the script I thought it was absolutely brilliant. I wondered why nobody had ever had the idea of bringing the Church and genetic engineering together before. I truly believe that if Jesus Christ was reincarnated today, he'd use the Internet because he'd quickly realise it was the most effective way to spread his gospel in the modern era. Plus Praenuntius makes an appearance in numerous time periods including the Crucifixion and the Middle Ages. And how could any actor turn down the chance to play a character responsible for giving the order to kill Jesus?'
Another incentive for Kier to play the immortal role was the chance to meet Terence Stamp. He explains, 'When I first started acting in the Sixties, I was always being compared to Terence. Every magazine feature at the time called me 'The New Stamp'. I suppose we did vaguely look alike - fluffy blond hair, classic chiselled features - but our acting styles are totally different. We only have one scene together in Revelation, but I was thrilled to finally meet him and compare notes'.
With Liam Cunningham (Jude), Heathcote Williams (The Legend of 1900), Celia Imrie (The Borrowers) and Derek Jacobi (Love is the Devil) added to the stellar line-up, attention turned to casting the lead roles of Jake and Mira. Woolf continues, 'I felt it was important the two main leads be virtual unknowns. It would have been totally wrong to have cast stars as these two relatively ordinary people who must confront major life challenges'. Stuart Urban adds, 'Using unknowns provided the perfect counterbalance to our main headliners. Too many films are constrained by star names but who aren't usually the best actors for the roles. Jake has been in prison for three years as the film opens and Mira is a mysterious woman who seems to spring from nowhere. It seemed the correct decision to make that both parts should be played by unfamiliar names'.
James D'Arcy had just completed the two high profile television series - Nicholas Nickleby and the BBC's controversial Rebel Heart - when he was offered the role of Jake Martel. He says, 'I'd gone on holiday after Nicholas Nickleby because I was so exhausted and I literally stepped off the aeroplane to a frantic phone call from my agent. He said, 'There's this script that you must read tonight as we have a meeting first thing in the morning'. I was still in holiday mode and wasn't that interested but I started reluctantly reading the Revelation screenplay and within three pages I was gripped. I couldn't stop turning the pages because it was packed with interesting ideas, bizarre facts and amazing twists. I immediately met up with Stuart Urban, found out Terence Stamp would be playing my father - much to the delight of my own mother who is an enormous fan - and said, let's go'.
He adds, 'Jake is a troubled young man, messed up emotionally and completely unsure of his next move in life. When his estranged father needs help in breaking these ancient codes, he does it mainly because the subject links in with something Jake has a clear affinity for. He certainly isn't motivated by any misguided parental feelings. Then he's drawn in further by something he doesn't fully understand and, as the story unfolds, we realise why he hasn't understood the bigger implications. When he first meets Mira, Jake isn't sure if he can trust her or if he even likes her. But he's inexorably drawn to her too for other strange reasons so Jake embarks on a richly rewarding personal quest that has been exciting to play. Jake is the eyes of the audience and he asks the questions they want to know because the character doesn't understand alchemy, the occult or the Knights Templar either'.
Newcomer Natasha Wightman plays Mira in Revelation. It marks Wightman's first major film acting work and the former stage actress was suggested to Woolf and Urban by Debbie McWilliams, the casting director responsible for discovering James Bond girl Famke Janssen in Goldeneye. Wightman says, 'There were a lot of things I could relate to in the script as I am interested in mysticism and the occult. My boyfriend studied alchemy and, just before the audition, I'd taken up equine holistic medicine. I was sort of going through the same journey of discovery as Mira so the timing was perfect. I'm a bit scared by horror movies in general. I tend to sit transfixed as my imagination goes on overdrive and I do get really frightened by them. But Revelation had a depth you don't normally find in the genre and I thought it really opened up hidden layers and important subjects for discussion'.
She continues, 'Mira knows who she is and is a very strong character. She can really cut through the crap. Then she's introduced to Jake who she immediately categorises as an upstart English snob. He's rude and keeps questioning her professionalism. Jake tries to undermine her at the start and then grudgingly backs her up as their relationship develops on another plane. It's the rigid Man of Reason pitted against the airy-fairy flake and those grating qualities have been great fun to play with. James was so supportive when we auditioned together. It was a love scene but he was so relaxed and that put me at ease instantly. I was slightly worried about playing opposite such experienced actors but everyone was so kind and considerate. I thought I'd run away in terror when I first met Terence Stamp. However, he couldn't have done more to make me welcome'. James D'Arcy adds, 'The chemistry between Natasha and myself was instant from the moment we met. I knew she'd be perfect as Mira in the audition. Both of us are relative newcomers and it was a treat to learn more about the acting craft together'.
Terence Stamp found both newcomers a delight to work with as he explains. 'I rather enjoyed donning my Showbiz University hat and making myself available if either Jake or Natasha needed advice. I found Natasha charming and it was easy to be lucid with her about things that have taken me years to learn. She's bright and open and it was effortless to give her tips on how to hit her mark and not worry about it. Magnus is drawn to Mira's essential innocence, modesty and goodness and that was simple to do with Natasha because she embodies those fine qualities anyway. You'd never know Revelation was her first major movie because she's very adept. My relationship with James was more difficult because our characters are at loggerheads. Magnus is trying to make amends with his son - like all ambitious men he hasn't had too much time for him in the past - and is trying to heal the rift. Jake is very wary of his father and isn't sure if he wants to get emotionally wound up by him again. It was clear from the start James was quite capable of giving a multi-faceted performance without any help from me'.
