The British Are Coming, But

[DB7]

The British are coming, but this time we'll be playing it for laughs



BBC boss wants domestic industry to turn away from 'miserabilist' drama



Vanessa Thorpe in Cannes

Sunday May 15, 2005

The Observer



Miserable, angst-ridden and full of characters that appear to approach life with a 'carrot up their bottom', British cinema has long been a byword for the seamy side of life. David Thompson, one of the country's leading film producers, thinks it should stop.

Speaking at the Cannes film festival this weekend, Thompson - the head of Britain's largest production and financing operation, BBC Films - said that British films were frightened to be 'upbeat', 'celebratory' or too openly emotional.



Dark and challenging films such as Mike Leigh's Vera Drake or Ken Loach's Ae Fond Kiss while of award-winning quality, should not become the only brand of entertainment associated with Britain, he said.

'There has been too much miserabilism and we have had to think seriously about that,' said Thompson, who is on the French Riviera this weekend to clinch deals on new British projects. 'We have been over worried about being gushy and wearing our hearts on our sleeves.'



Thompson said the British have tended to make works of gritty realism or films 'about buttoned-up people with carrots up their bottoms'.



'We tend to make films with ironic detachment and we should not be so self-conscious,' he added. 'There is a tendency to be worried and be pre-empting what critics might say.'



But this era of 'miserabilism' in British cinema has now been pronounced dead. Over the next few months audiences are promised a shift towards humorous film-making. Stars such as Rhys Ifans, Gillian Anderson, Martin Freeman, Jessica Stevenson and Steve Coogan are all to appear in a raft of new comedy productions just announced at the annual French film festival and Thompson believes they will play to the country's unconventional comedic strengths.



Thompson's views have been echoed in part by rival producer Peter Carlton, head of FilmFour Lab. 'Those Loach and Leigh films may have had their moment, I think,' he said. 'They are powerful filmmakers and I am sure they will go on making powerful films, but it is true they have become over-associated as the only kind of British film making there is.'



But Carlton also suspects Thompson is 'out of touch'. 'If what David says is a call to arms to British filmmakers about engaging with a new audience then I line up behind him, but I would not be so pessimistic about the current scene. There are plenty of great directors out there who have managed to get away from the historic clash between culture and commerce in British film and are doing their own thing - people like Shane Meadows.'



FilmFour is the only British company with three films in the festival and has a strong comedy line-up, too, with The League of Gentlemen feature film out soon. 'He is right that we should try to use our television talent, but we do need them to have real cinematic vision, too,' added Carlton.



So, as the production company Working Title pulls away from the romantic comedies that have made its name synonymous with those of Hugh Grant and Richard Curtis, BBC Films now plan to fill the mirth gap with a new brand of alternative-style British comedies. Many of the new projects will also experiment with improvisational techniques common in comedy writing but unusual in film making where a script is a sales tool.



Among these new projects is The Cult, a sexual comedy set in a religious community and being written by Julia Davis, the comedian and writer feted for the black humour of her BBC sitcom Nighty Night. Martin Freeman, star of The Office and The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, is to star with Jessica Stevenson, first praised for her supporting role in The Royle Family, in the story of a trio of couples competing for the chance to win the cost of their wedding day. The film, called Confetti, has already been shot by first-time feature director, Debbie Isitt.



The film sector, said Thompson, has until now found it difficult to reach the wealth of talent which regularly wins international awards for British television. 'The problem has been that it is hard to woo many of these stars away from television,' he said. 'People like Julia Davis, who is an absolutely brilliant writer, are just so tied up with their television work.



'British comedians also tend not to be very seduced by the film world. They are sceptical and think it is all phoney. There is also the possibility of high-profile failure. And we have to be prepared for that too, of course.'



Thompson believes the huge financial rewards from DVD sales of popular BBC2 shows such as Little Britain and The Office mean there is not much financial incentive to get involved with filmmaking either.



Also planned as part of the British film industry's newly prescribed course of comic injections is Four Last Songs, the story of the transforming effects of a holiday on Majorca. Stevenson is again in a starring role, this time alongside Ifans and the American star Stanley Tucci. The film, due to start filming on location in the Mediterranean next month, will be directed by Francesca Joseph, who recently scored a hit at Cannes with Tomorrow La Scala, again starring Stevenson.



The Davis film, The Cult, is being developed by Andrew Eaton and Michael Winterbottom's Revolution Films and director Winterbottom may well find himself in the vanguard of the British comedy charge on the box office with his next feature, Cock and Bull Story - his attempt to bring Laurence Stern's novel Tristram Shandy to the big screen.



Steve Coogan takes the lead role while Gillian Anderson will star as herself, and Little Britain star David Walliams will make an appearance. One of the characters is also rumoured to have the name Michael Winterbottom and Marion and Geoff star Rob Brydon will play someone described as 'closely linked' to his own personality.



Five of the gloomiest



Vera Drake, 2004



Searing portrayal of a 1950s backstreet abortionist who gets found out.



In This World, 2002



Refugee kids from Afghanistan attempt to make their way to Britain.



Iris, 2001



Biopic about the novelist Iris Murdoch and her descent into Alzheimer's.



Dirty Pretty Things, 2002



Stephen Frears' film about asylum-seekers trying to hold down (illegal) work in London.



Ae Fond Kiss, 2003



Dramatic account of what happens when a second generation Pakistani from Glasgow falls in love with a good Catholic girl.

[Rob Compton]

OMG the worst insult one media luvvie can throw at another, you're "out of touch"! [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/laugh.gif[/img]



rgds

Rob

[Marky B]

I agree. I am sure Vere Drake is a fine film,complimented with great acting and Mike Leigh is no doubt one of Britain's great directors of human drama,but I must admit I would not pay one penny to see a film about a back street abortionist (and I am not creating a debate about the issue of abortion). It seems the British film industry only want to make films that could easily be made for television to a wider,more appreciative audience. Even going back to films of the sixties,I hated the so-called kitchen sink dramas,because they were miserable and depressing.

Ta Ta

MArky B [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/thumbsup.gif[/img]

[Clinton Morgan]

Happy, Happy

Joy, Joy

Happy, Happy

Joy, Joy....ad infinitum.



Vera Drake is not a gloomy film by all means. It has a mixture of happiness and sadness, a bit like life.



What's wrong with making films about the miserable side of life apart from it makes you a bit sad? OK, let's list some recent 'upbeat' British films next to some recent 'downbeat' American films and tell me which is better.



BRITISH

Bridget Jones' Diary

Bridget Jones: The Edge Of Reason

Love Actually

Notting Hill

The Full Monty

Bride And Prejudice

Bend It Like Beckham



AMERICAN

Fight Club

21 Grams

Adaptation

Closer

Birth

The Aviator

Million Dollar Baby



Everybody else in the world is allowed to be artists BUT NOT US!!!! Why don't we just pension off Mike Leigh and Ken Loach? Hooray! We've got an industry!



We may knock Americans but let's be blunt, the British are exceedingly thick. So thick we end up in awe of Stephen Fry. Stop trying to please plebs.

[Steve Crook]

Originally posted by Clinton Morgan@May 16 2005, 07:03 PM

We may knock Americans but let's be blunt, the British are exceedingly thick. So thick we end up in awe of Stephen Fry. Stop trying to please plebs.

<div align="right">Quoted post</div>

What did Stephen do to upset you?



Steve

[DB7]

Originally posted by DB7@May 16 2005, 10:51 AM

The British are coming, but this time we'll be playing it for laughs



Miserable, angst-ridden and full of characters that appear to approach life with a 'carrot up their bottom', British cinema has long been a byword for the seamy side of life. David Thompson, one of the country's leading film producers, thinks it should stop.



In This World, 2002



Refugee kids from Afghanistan attempt to make their way to Britain.



Dirty Pretty Things, 2002



Stephen Frears' film about asylum-seekers trying to hold down (illegal) work in London.

Kind of ironic but I thought these were Beeb co-production's produced by the same David Thompson [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/blink.gif[/img]

[Clinton Morgan]

Stephen Fry? Oh granted he is a damn fine comedy writer and performer but he recently he's been whoring himself about, playing the intellectual court jester on chat shows plus narrating that Godawful Hitchhiker's movie. I'd rather he'd write another book or do more comedy with Hugh Laurie. Even QI is a big disappointment. If you want good Fry then pop over to BBC7's website and listen to 'Saturday Night Fry' on Listen Again. That is Stephen par excellence. The Stephen Fry of today is a turd. Even his Twining's commercials aren't as funny as "As recommended by your smooth talking bar steward."



I hope I don't come across as anti-intellectual. We live in such anti-intellectual times anyway that when Fry makes an appearance on Parkinson quoting GK Chesterton we end up in awe of him. His introductions to whoever is reading out the BAFTA nominations are scripted by other people anyway and always consist of Bob Monkhouse style linking of disparate films in a 'clever' way.



Stephen Fry doesn't owe me anything at all. Nevertheless he can do so much *better*. What makes me not totally dismiss him is this....



Lord help us all. "Pretentious drivel", "better off with a good walk rather than reading dusty books". What possible hope is there for a country which with such self-righteous philistinism scorns its own treasures? Ulysses is the greatest novel of the twentieth century. It is is wise, warm, witty, affirmative and beautiful. it is less pretentious than a baked bean. Read it. read it out loud to yourself. It won't bite. It wasn't written either to shock or to impress. Only pretentious barbarians believe artists set out shock: and how these philistines delight in revealing how unshocked they are. Those who attack it are afraid of it and rather than look foolish they prefer to heckle what they don't understand. Ignore all this childish, fear-filled criticism, Ulysses will be read when everything you see and touch around you has crumbled into dust.



Taken from....

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertain...ts/3810193.stm



However saying Stephen Fry is a turd is tantamount to insulting the Queen Mother in the nineteen eighties but I'm not shy of saying so.

[Steve Crook]

Originally posted by Clinton Morgan@May 16 2005, 11:03 PM

I hope I don't come across as anti-intellectual. We live in such anti-intellectual times anyway that when Fry makes an appearance on Parkinson quoting GK Chesterton we end up in awe of him. His introductions to whoever is reading out the BAFTA nominations are scripted by other people anyway and always consist of Bob Monkhouse style linking of disparate films in a 'clever' way.

<div align="right">Quoted post</div>

I'm not sure if you're anti-intellectual, I'm not sure what your point is. You seem to be praising him and condemning him for doing the same thing.



How do you know he didn't write his own links when he hosted the BAFTAs? He is a writer of comedy and, as you say, has quite a lot of talent.



Steve

[Clinton Morgan]

I'm praising him for his talent and what he has done in the past. 'Saturday Night Fry' and his collected writings in 'Paperweight' for example.



I'm condemning him for what he has become, Stephen Fry as a brand. And QI is a major disappointment, both in the first and second series and subsequent Christmas special.



I have no problem with praising and knocking people simultaneously, even myself. To go back on subject somebody might say, "Sweet Sixteen is an excellent film, albeit a bit depressing for my tastes." Criticism and praise in equal measure.



But why not criticise Stephen Fry? We're happy to do that with Ben Elton by saying, "We Will Rock You, anyone?" and ignoring his stand-up, The Young Ones, Blackadder and Happy Families. We also condemn David Baddiel outright as a comedian despite the fact that his performances on 'The Mary Whitehouse Experience' were as electrifying as Bill Hicks'. Let us remember that Baddiel was doing pro-pornography routines long before Hicks.



Maybe I'm being too picky. After all an artist's best work is (generally) in their early days and they tend to trail off a bit at the end.



Have Stephen Fry on Parkinson again, by all means, but make sure the other two guests are Jonathan Miller and Alan Bennett. Make him make some effort.



Lastly if you look at the end credits of the BAFTA film awards there is more than one writer credit. Ivor Baddiel is one of them.

[Steve Crook]

Originally posted by Clinton Morgan@May 17 2005, 01:12 PM

I'm praising him for his talent and what he has done in the past. 'Saturday Night Fry' and his collected writings in 'Paperweight' for example.



I'm condemning him for what he has become, Stephen Fry as a brand. And QI is a major disappointment, both in the first and second series and subsequent Christmas special.



I have no problem with praising and knocking people simultaneously, even myself. To go back on subject somebody might say, "Sweet Sixteen is an excellent film, albeit a bit depressing for my tastes." Criticism and praise in equal measure.



But why not criticise Stephen Fry? We're happy to do that with Ben Elton by saying, "We Will Rock You, anyone?" and ignoring his stand-up, The Young Ones, Blackadder and Happy Families. We also condemn David Baddiel outright as a comedian despite the fact that his performances on 'The Mary Whitehouse Experience' were as electrifying as Bill Hicks'. Let us remember that Baddiel was doing pro-pornography routines long before Hicks.



Maybe I'm being too picky. After all an artist's best work is (generally) in their early days and they tend to trail off a bit at the end.



Have Stephen Fry on Parkinson again, by all means, but make sure the other two guests are Jonathan Miller and Alan Bennett. Make him make some effort.



Lastly if you look at the end credits of the BAFTA film awards there is more than one writer credit. Ivor Baddiel is one of them.

<div align="right">Quoted post</div>

Maybe you are being too picky [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/wink.gif[/img]

Can he be blamed for the other guests on a chat show?

OK so maybe others wrote a few jokes for him at the BAFTAs, but I think most of it was his own work. The presentation certainly added a lot to the event.



Personally I really liked QI, tastes differ. I don't think I'd ever compare David Baddiel to Bill Hicks though, Baddiel doesn't come close to Hicks at his best (IMVHO)



Steve

[Clinton Morgan]

No, he cannot be blamed for other guests. That’s not what I am writing.

'QI' would be better if it was based on (oh, how I hate this term but I cannot think of no other) old school 'Call My Bluff' and 'My Music' style quiz programmes rather than yet another variation on 'Have I Got Buzzcock's All Over'.

[Jennie_Kermode]

Originally posted by DB7@May 16 2005, 09:51 AM

The British are coming, but this time we'll be playing it for laughs

Dark and challenging films such as Mike Leigh's Vera Drake or Ken Loach's Ae Fond Kiss while of award-winning quality, should not become the only brand of entertainment associated with Britain, he said.

<div align="right">Quoted post</div>

I have some sympathy with this, but I'm not sure why he's chosen to use 'Ae Fond Kiss' as an example. Whilst it may have challenging subject matter (or matter which the bulk of its audience seem to _think_ is challenging - I thought it rather cliched myself), it's full of lighthearted character observation and outright comedy, plus it has a happy ending. Just about any other Ken Loach film would have made the point better.



Jennie

[Clinton Morgan]

I couldn't watch 'Wimbledon' that looks really depressing.