Ian Dury biopic-starts January 8th.

[yellowcakeuf6]

Heard Andy Circus, (sp?....best guess...) on what used to be the Simon Mayo show on Radio 5 talking about this yesterday. Blockheads involved, and original fans, and original venues, (even Chaz Jankel), on every level and loving it apparantley.

Yer man Circuit Kiss worked out on the right side of his body and left the left side alone as well, to resemble the results of Ian's polio condition contracted at the age of 8.



Any news on the Stranglers film yet anyone?

[Bobinblack]

A good mate of mine reckons it's a great film, though with some surprises in it. His judgement has been great in the past and he recommends it big time :D

[zontar]

Always enjoy his bit on Hugh's "Wrong Way Round." Sounded a bit sloshed on the STRANGLERS & FRIENDS cd.

[Rodney Blackstaff]

Going to see this on friday so hopefully it will live up to expectations!!

Rodders

[Bobinblack]

Watched it this afternoon. The time flew by, even if it is nearly 2 hours long.

Serkis is superb as Dury, and the lad (Bill Milner?) as son Baxter is very good too. Serkis should get a BAFTA for this. Well he should get an Oscar but there's as much chance as that as there is me playing for Leeds.

I'm not a good reviewer, so bear with this... this film to me is a bit like Dury's own recording career. When he wrote good lyrics, they were superb, when he made good melody, it was excellent - there was never any glamour in ID and the B's, and there's none in this flick either. I suspect Dury was an even pricklier character in real life than the film portrays, but it is genuinely, imho, one of the best biopics ever made, here or the US. And as well as Serkis being amazingly good as ID, his central performance is supported by actors with completely believable performances too.

One criticism - we don't see as much of his pop career - we're only told he gets to no.1 in the charts, we see v little of the pop world ie TOTP appearances. At nearly 2 hours long, it's surprisingly jammed with incident and drama, so I bet they've cut a fair bit too.

Special mention for Ralph Ineson who plays the Sulphate Strangler - he's a Leeds lad and fan :D - the wig wasn't great but the performance was spot on.

You don't have to love his music to love the film, though 'liking' it would help and might make it less a disconcerting view.

Fucking bravo, bravo I tell ya!

[Ian9331]

Great review Bob. Looking forward to this.

I don't do cinemas anymore but it shouldn't be too long before a dvd version pops through my letterbox...

[Frank Castle]

Just back from seeing it in a word........stunning! Andy Serkis was born to play this role,he must have studied every single minute naunce of Ian's mannerisms.He certainly nailed the role to perfection....go see it even if your not a huge fan of Ian's music.I thought the lads might have got a small mention-coming from the same Pub Rock roots as The Kilburns.I thought I might have even spotted a flyer on one of the pub walls......oh well!

And I still think Andy would make a great Hugh if a Stranglers biopic was ever made....we can but dream....

[NMH1965]

I'm going tomorrow.........really looking forward to it especially after some of the excellent reviews!!

[Rodney Blackstaff]

Just have to echo both Bob and Frank’s words about this film. Saw it last night having heard mixed reviews so went with an open mind, but came out thoroughly impressed by what I had seen. Andy Serkis totally immersed himself in the role and gives a fantastic and totally convincing performance as Ian Dury.
Thought the editing of the film worked very well, with the flashback scenes to Ian’s early life and the whole film flowed very well in my opinion. A great biog of a great man!

Well worth a visit to the cinema

Rodders

[Bobinblack]

Great reviews back at you people!

I can only think that those people who have criticised it more than praised it probably went in hoping for a more 'filmic' biopic without knowing much about Ian Dury. I've only just thought about this but as a reviewer, your job's to give an objective but informed opinion on films right? So, you go to a horror film to be scared and if it doesn't work that way then you write it like that. With a biopic though, don't you go to be informed/educated and entertained by the film's main character? Honestly, how anyone can NOT praise this film and Andy Serkis to high heaven is fecking beyond me. It isn't pretty, it isn't glamorous and it isn't polished or twee. And neither is Ian Dury's music, there is classic stuff in there but there is plenty of rougher stuff too.

An honest film, brutal at times, and if someone who gets paid to review films doesn't give this massive credit then they shouldn't have gone in the first place. Reviewers eh, failed artists most of em, and 'arseh*les, bastards, f*cking c*nts and pr*cks' to nearly quote a quite famous spasticus autisticus

[anthonyallen]

I saw this film last week and thoroughly enjoyed it. I don't really know many of Dury's songs apart from the obvious ones but i've got to say you don't need to, to enjoy the film. I totally recommend it.

Tony

[Bobinblack]

Just listening to Radio 6's biog on ID, first on last Saturday night. It's a good listen, hosted by Serkis.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b0 ... lockheads/