The Life and Death of Peter Sellers (2004) - Britmovie

David Challinor · 10-02-2005, 12:47 PM

To The Screen at Reigate this afternoon to see The Life and Death of Peter Sellers (2004) ....any views on this film?
['Bit dark in 'ere, innit?]

Merton Park · 10-02-2005, 06:22 PM

As a huge Seller's fan I enjoyed it. Geoffrey Rush in certain scenes was eerily virtually identical to the late star. Uncanny. Charlize Theron was also excellent as Britt Eckland. Strangely enough in America it was only shown on TV, I think.

For anyone who liked PS it's a must.

DB7 · 10-02-2005, 09:27 PM

I'll probably wait til it appears on the box.

Wasn't it a HBO film? If so does it feel like a 'tv film' rather than feature?

JOHN BLACK · 12-08-2005, 10:54 PM

I WORKED ON THIS FILM AS A SUPPORTING ARTIST IN THE DR.STRANGELOVE/GENERALS ROUND THE WAR TABLE SCENE. IT WAS AMAZING TO SEE RUSH AS SELLERS.IT WAS AS IF SELLERS WAS REALLY THERE.

Harbottle · 13-08-2005, 12:15 PM

Agreed with the comments praising Rush's performance, I was not at all taken with the gimmicky device of having Rush/Sellers "transformed" into other characters. This jarred and spoiled the film in my view, still well worth catching for any Sellers fans though.

Marky B · 15-08-2005, 07:09 PM

Didn't the BBC have a hand in this film as well?
Ta Ta
Marky B [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/thumbsup.gif[/img]

Nita St. James · 09-02-2008, 03:52 AM

I finally saw this, just tonight. I am a huge Peter Sellers fan. And it was very uncannny, Geoffrey Rush was Peter Sellers. He did a brilliant job. Man, Sellers was really a sad troubled man, how somebody who had so much talent and seemed to have the world on a string could have such a crappy life is just sad.

I always thought he finally found himself in Being There. How unfortunate, he died so young, 54 is hardly being there at all.

It was an HBO film, but I thought it was really well done.

stevie boy · 09-02-2008, 05:55 PM

Rush is a fine actor and he was great in this film.

moonfleet · 11-05-2008, 02:41 PM

............Peter Sellers
Seen it ?

moonfleet · 11-05-2008, 03:16 PM

Geoffrey Rush is one of the best, E.Watson and S.Fry were excellent too, and also the actor who played B.E (Blake Edwards, not Britt Ekland !), I don't know his name...
G.Rush was also great in Tailor of Panama, Quills, Lantana....

Chevyman · 11-05-2008, 04:06 PM

I really enjoyed it. Thought Geoffrey Rush gave an inspired performance. Like Moonfleet I thought he gave a great performance in the Tailor Of Panama.

Blake Edwards..............John Lithgow?

moonfleet · 11-05-2008, 04:32 PM

Hello Chevyman
Yes, it's John Lightgow, and also in Taylor of Panama, I can't remember the name of the actor who played his south-american friend (...who also is "The General"in Boorman's )....
Very good performance too.
M.

christoph404 · 11-05-2008, 04:52 PM

This film was on TV a few months ago and was followed by a documentary featuring the 16mm home movies and photography by Sellers himself. Can't remember which channel, must have been a freeview one.
Anyway, Rush is brilliant as Sellers and the film is very well done considering the scope it covers. Sellers was indeed a troubled man, the film does touch on his desire to be a serious romantic lead, I think that led to his concern about remaining slim as he was naturally well padded as seen in his very early films. I guess his fondness for cocaine and slimming pills (amphetemines?) would not have helped his heart condition. He seemed to regard his success as a comedy actor as a compromise, he really wanted to be James Bond and got his chance in Casino Royale but even then he couldn't escape his "funny" persona no matter how hard he tried.

moonfleet · 11-05-2008, 05:34 PM

Peter Sellers wanted to be J.Bond ?.....He realy was scyzophrenic, wasn't he ?
Anyway, I just love the scene in -Life and... when he welcomes S.Loren with responding: "...like in a backery, early in the morning."
M.

batman · 11-05-2008, 05:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by moonfleet

Peter Sellers wanted to be J.Bond ?.....He realy was scyzophrenic, wasn't he ?
M.

He wanted to 'play' James Bond or a similar character, but his comic persona was so strong that producers never gave him the chance to play a 'real' hero.

It is more likely that Sellers suffered from bi-polar disorder, not schizophrenia.

10-02-2005, 12:47 PM	#1
David Challinor Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Reigate Posts: 186 Country: iTrader: (0)	The Life and Death of Peter Sellers (2004) To The Screen at Reigate this afternoon to see The Life and Death of Peter Sellers (2004) ....any views on this film? ['Bit dark in 'ere, innit?]

15-08-2005, 07:09 PM	#6
Marky B Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Billingham,Cleveland Posts: 3,331 My Mood: Country: iTrader: (0)	Didn't the BBC have a hand in this film as well? Ta Ta Marky B [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/thumbsup.gif[/img] __________________ I once shot an elephant in my pyjamas - how he got in my pyjamas,I'll never know

09-02-2008, 03:52 AM	#7
Nita St. James Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Pacific Northwest Posts: 105 Country: iTrader: (0)	I finally saw this, just tonight. I am a huge Peter Sellers fan. And it was very uncannny, Geoffrey Rush was Peter Sellers. He did a brilliant job. Man, Sellers was really a sad troubled man, how somebody who had so much talent and seemed to have the world on a string could have such a crappy life is just sad. I always thought he finally found himself in Being There. How unfortunate, he died so young, 54 is hardly being there at all. It was an HBO film, but I thought it was really well done. __________________ I never knew that when the machine broke that things would turn out like this!

11-05-2008, 02:41 PM	#9
moonfleet Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Pau- France Posts: 67 Country: iTrader: (0)	The Life and Death of .... ............Peter Sellers Seen it ? __________________ "Very dificult !" "Craazy!"

11-05-2008, 03:16 PM	#10
moonfleet Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Pau- France Posts: 67 Country: iTrader: (0)	On the Rush Geoffrey Rush is one of the best, E.Watson and S.Fry were excellent too, and also the actor who played B.E (Blake Edwards, not Britt Ekland !), I don't know his name... G.Rush was also great in Tailor of Panama, Quills, Lantana....

10-02-2005, 06:22 PM	#2
Merton Park Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: London Posts: 318 Country: iTrader: (1)	As a huge Seller's fan I enjoyed it. Geoffrey Rush in certain scenes was eerily virtually identical to the late star. Uncanny. Charlize Theron was also excellent as Britt Eckland. Strangely enough in America it was only shown on TV, I think. For anyone who liked PS it's a must.

10-02-2005, 09:27 PM	#3
DB7 Administrator Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Shrops Posts: 5,761 My Mood: Country: iTrader: (10)	I'll probably wait til it appears on the box. Wasn't it a HBO film? If so does it feel like a 'tv film' rather than feature?

12-08-2005, 10:54 PM	#4
JOHN BLACK Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 3 iTrader: (0)	I WORKED ON THIS FILM AS A SUPPORTING ARTIST IN THE DR.STRANGELOVE/GENERALS ROUND THE WAR TABLE SCENE. IT WAS AMAZING TO SEE RUSH AS SELLERS.IT WAS AS IF SELLERS WAS REALLY THERE.

13-08-2005, 12:15 PM	#5
Harbottle Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Hampshire Posts: 1,100 Country: iTrader: (14)	Agreed with the comments praising Rush's performance, I was not at all taken with the gimmicky device of having Rush/Sellers "transformed" into other characters. This jarred and spoiled the film in my view, still well worth catching for any Sellers fans though.

09-02-2008, 05:55 PM	#8
stevie boy Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Coventry Posts: 1,529 My Mood: Country: iTrader: (0)	Rush is a fine actor and he was great in this film.

11-05-2008, 04:06 PM	#11
Chevyman Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Midlands Posts: 110 My Mood: Country: iTrader: (0)	I really enjoyed it. Thought Geoffrey Rush gave an inspired performance. Like Moonfleet I thought he gave a great performance in the Tailor Of Panama. Blake Edwards..............John Lithgow?

11-05-2008, 04:32 PM	#12
moonfleet Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Pau- France Posts: 67 Country: iTrader: (0)	Hello Chevyman Yes, it's John Lightgow, and also in Taylor of Panama, I can't remember the name of the actor who played his south-american friend (...who also is "The General"in Boorman's ).... Very good performance too. M.

11-05-2008, 04:52 PM	#13
christoph404 Moderator Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: London Posts: 1,383 Country: iTrader: (0)	This film was on TV a few months ago and was followed by a documentary featuring the 16mm home movies and photography by Sellers himself. Can't remember which channel, must have been a freeview one. Anyway, Rush is brilliant as Sellers and the film is very well done considering the scope it covers. Sellers was indeed a troubled man, the film does touch on his desire to be a serious romantic lead, I think that led to his concern about remaining slim as he was naturally well padded as seen in his very early films. I guess his fondness for cocaine and slimming pills (amphetemines?) would not have helped his heart condition. He seemed to regard his success as a comedy actor as a compromise, he really wanted to be James Bond and got his chance in Casino Royale but even then he couldn't escape his "funny" persona no matter how hard he tried.

11-05-2008, 05:34 PM	#14
moonfleet Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Pau- France Posts: 67 Country: iTrader: (0)	Peter Sellers wanted to be J.Bond ?.....He realy was scyzophrenic, wasn't he ? Anyway, I just love the scene in -Life and... when he welcomes S.Loren with responding: "...like in a backery, early in the morning." M.

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