Britcom Goes To The Movies

In 1999, writer-director Justin Kerrigan took a meagre budget and a cast of relative unknowns and made a cult film for the turn of the millennium. Sure, slice-of-life comedies were nothing new, even ones with the kind of absurd flights of fancy Kerrigan employed, but very little on the big screen this side of the Atlantic had shone a light on late-’90s club culture the way this did.Still endlessly memed today, Human Traffic gave big boosts to the careers of both John Simm and Danny Dyer, and as we’ll be looking at the latter in more depth later in the series (watch this space), we’ve made this episode all about Simm. His TV career had been steadily building, and he’d made his breakthrough in the BBC sitcom Men of the World, starring opposite David Threlfall, which is the paired TV show for this episode.Joining Guy and Rob to discuss Human Traffic is writer, producer, podcaster and the man with the best Christopher Walken impression in the business, Dan Thomas. Will Dan’s memories of an enjoyable romp hold up, or has it aged like one of Moff’s dodgy disco biscuits?Men of the World - series 1 episode 1https://youtu.be/79TddcShAJ4?si=PKcXYQBMetPOFpYlComic Strip Presents... - The Yobhttps://youtu.be/2-o9TV1AGdk?si=ZNMmCJ-WWq8zklU5John Simm in Spacedhttps://youtu.be/QBiXW-W_V1Y?si=8Ahp_ewQaSgG2gOMDaniel Peacock’s Cavegirlhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T1HL4cgoAcABill Hicks on Wacohttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P2EqZ4-enx8Human Traffic trailerhttps://youtu.be/PqY6eAro1QY?si=yZDfSzuHD-lTPf3uHuman Traffic - Nice one Bruvahttps://youtu.be/qksndNDMDOw?si=rQ4vtWGi1GM0wVreHuman Traffic - Got any Jungle?https://youtu.be/h5hnbUcJKP4?si=CnZpeisCYZgSzj3l

Now, we’ve dealt with small budgets in our time, but our film for episode two would give Powder Room a run for its money. In 2006, former stand-up comic Jamie Mathieson put pen to paper on his first film: a time-travel rom-com with nods to Alan Moore, Terry Pratchett and Back to the Future. But it took another three years for Frequently Asked Questions About Time Travel to make it to the big screen, and you can find out all about that journey in this episode.Going it alone this time, Rob and Guy link FAQ About Time Travel to mid-noughties cult sitcom The Smoking Room, as both share a director, Gareth Carrivick. The two are stylistically similar, with a bottle-episode feel. The Smoking Room ran for two series on BBC Three and featured some of the most lauded comic actors around, including Robert Webb and Jeremy Swift, as well as giving a fresh showcase to classic sitcom stars like Paula Wilcox.So join us as we jump back a decade from Fighting with My Family and do a conga in the toilet to “Total Eclipse of the Heart”!The League of Gentlemen's Apocalypse with Jeremy Dyson tickets https://www.scienceandmediamuseum.org.uk/cinema/league-gentlemens-apocalypse-15-jeremy-dysonAnna Faris in Just Friendshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOV48dDK0awDrop It Like Its Close to Mehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FsIVMAsQPL4Dame Edna on Cilla Black (This was meant for this ep, but I put it on the last one!)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CmLaIrjjS_IBjork - Bachelerottehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JNJv-Ebi67IAllstars - Land of Make Believehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2rtK8gyhrsThe Smoking Room - SE1 Ep1https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL0F8A0065462CF0DBThe Smoking Room - Barry’s Crosswordhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hF4k72uUf2kJohnny Briggs Themehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rq212jZi1ykFrequently Asked Questions About Time Travel - Trailerhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WBV340x3GcAFrequently Asked Questions About Time Travel - Morrisseyhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FOr28eNTw_Q

We’re into our SEVENTH SERIES! It is hard to believe we’ve made it this far, but just as well, really, given the number of films we're still yet to cover. We begin this series with the heartwarming tale of a family, some with dodgy pasts, but all with a lovable lust for life.The fighting Knights from Norfolk were the subject of a 2011 Channel 4 documentary when son Zak and daughter Saraya were on the cusp of hitting the big time as wrestlers, hoping to join the promised land of WWE. One made it; the other did not.This documentary inspired arguably the most famous wrestler of all time, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, to retell the tale. Armed with the clout of WWE backing, a cast of BritCom stars, up-and-coming acting starlets, and already-legendary TV comedy writer/director Stephen Merchant, he hoped to transfer this real-life story to the big screen.The last time we heard from Merchant on this podcast, things were beginning to become considerably less rosy with longtime collaborator Ricky Gervais, after their venture into the coming-of-age com Cemetery Junction was met with the lukest of lukewarm receptions in 2010. We pick up their tale again with their last TV stand as a partnership: the Warwick Davis vehicle Life’s Too Short, also from 2011.Joining Rob and Guy for this one, all the way from The House of Splain, is confessed wrestling fan and Gervais... anti-fan Ben Baker. He helps our hosts make a bit more sense of the wrestling aspect of Fighting with My Family, which is the first film ever to be covered on BritCom Goes to the Movies that was adapted from a documentary.We’ve had plenty of fun dissecting Mindhorn and Smashie and Nicey with fellow ’Splainer Ricardo Autobahn, so it seemed only fair to give his podcasting other half a crack at the whip!Gervais, Merchant and Davis as Gervais, Crouch and Rooneyhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FDH8RKhwCkcLife’s Too Short - Bookcase slapstickhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8OJiB2BGaocJack Lowden Irn Bru adhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e5ocaypgRHM Dame Edna Cilla Blackhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CmLaIrjjS_IThe Wrestlers: Fighting With My Family - Full Documentaryhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z2dlO_e_HhU&t=20sFighting With My Family Trailerhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WqF3VTv0cqU Fighting With My Family - My Dream Toohttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B_PPRNXd5yk

Finding funny stuff on ITV since the turn of the century has been an arduous task. So it was quite the surprise to the 19-year-old Rob and Guy that late night on a Wednesday, one of the new darlings of British comedy, Rob Brydon, could be found as alter ego Peter De Lane performing fake director’s commentary on such classic Granada TV shows as Flambards, Only When I Laugh, and Mr and Mrs! As well as, for some reason, the classic US western TV show Bonanza, for which Brydon’s production company owned the rights to 32 episodes. This is a forgotten Brydon Classic. Shortly after the success of Marion and Geoff and Human Remains, the BBC turned down the opportunity for Brydon’s latest venture with collaborator Paul Duddridge, so their loss was Granada’s gain, and it would serve the dual purpose of giving ITV a comedy vehicle with the man everyone wanted a piece of as well as reminding audiences of some of their back catalogue.So for our second Rob Brydon-related round table episode, we’ve enlisted the help of two of our favourite former guests to make up a classic De Lane Four. Alison Dennison and Nina Buckley returned to discuss their love (in one case) and disdain (in the other) for a show that neither had previously remembered.Join the four of us for a deep dive into the world of Peter De Lane, Denny Hall and Lord Cheggers of Oddbins, and we’ll also discuss our favourite real-life director's commentaries and lots more to boot. Thanks as always to our payingest Patreon, Andrew Greenwood!Eurovision 1977 - Stewart Morris Talkbackhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XTgCLfYdRo4Edgar Wright, Simon Pegg, Jessica Hynes and Quentin Tarantino director’s commentary on Spacedhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KWOQH76BZbQMike Scully calls John Schwartzwelder on the Simpsons commentaryhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MAWE0Kjn8ac&t=1sDirector’s Commentary - The Duchess of Duke Streethttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QXVB_tW_KXQDirector’s Commentary - Flambardshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H_Df03uATMMGrace Jones at the Golden Jubileehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kIicwZrkEhY&list=RDkIicwZrkEhY&start_radio=1The Staggering Stories of Ferdinand De Burgoshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v37TG6uG3c

Episode two of BritPOP Goes to the Movies sees Guy and Rob joined by Catrin Lowe to discuss Spice World: The Movie. Kim Fuller, brother of the mogul behind the Spice Girls, Simon Fuller, wanted to make a genuine homage to our previous film A Hard Day's Night, and to do that he wanted to make this just as cynical and rich with meta-textual, self-referential craziness. Cramming in celebrity cameos (too many for his script editor) and musical set-pieces.Spice World certainly had that and a whole lot more. The film was put in motion before the five-piece had properly blown up worldwide, but by the time shooting had wrapped, they were truly a worldwide sensation. This movie broke all kinds of box-office records; despite being critically panned, it now sits as the most financially successful film about a real pop group ever.To believe the critics' initial reaction would do this subversive, bonkers and surprisingly well-acted film a disservice. Yes, there's the odd "what the hell were you thinking?!" moment, but for every Michael Barrymore and Gary Glitter (yes, Gary Glitter!) there's an Alan Cumming and Bob Hoskins. Sit back and listen to the gang wax lyrical and get all nostalgic about the era of Spice. With clear dividing lines about what the Spice Girls meant to their teenage girl and teenage boy fan clubs! There's even a little inside scoop from a familiar voice who appeared in the movie. So Stop! Say you’ll be there with us for a cracking episode that hopefully you won’t find Too Much……..Goodbye! Spice Girls - Wannabehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJLIiF15wjQSpice Girls - Say You'll Be Therehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ro0FW9Qt-4Spice Girls - Too Much on Top of the Popshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1iyQBxSbvqgSpice World - Teaser Trailerhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q1Ne8oBpQQYSpice World - American Trailerhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BmSBtOHzGPMSpice World Alienshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yzxxc5KnBOESpice World - Boy in comahttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_8fYanJk88Peter Sissons on Ann Robinsonhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C7PuKPiTT_4Geri - A Film By Molly Dineenhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l8bnx0YcFBoSpice World - Gary Glitter deleted scenehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jYRHoQP75-gLoaded: Lads, Mags and Mayhemhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PbAWc_pQDjkAll Spice Girls Advertshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zw54uEniaZgWaynes World - Sponsorhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KjB6r-HDDI0

To round off our BritPop Goes to the Movies mini-series, we jump to 2006, a simpler time when fledgling British pop-rockers McFly and their management could force themselves on an unsuspecting Hollywood. Lindsay Lohan (at the height of her fame) and Chris Pine (who Rob would argue is the best of the Chrises) on the come-up, star in an all-American, by-the-numbers romcom, which was sold in this country largely based on the already successful McFly's appearance. However, in America, Tom, Dougie, Harry and Danny were complete unknowns, and this was their only shot to crack the US market.This film differs in many ways from the previous two in the series, not least because it is a fully American production, but also because the band is very much the B-plot to a high-concept convolution in which Lohan and Pine continue to switch luck and status. There's still plenty of British pop music in it, though. Lots of McFly tracks but a lot of repetition of Five Colours in Her Hair.Joining Guy and Rob is fellow Film Stories Podcast Network host Dev Elson of Chucky Vision and At The Movies in the Noughties. He did more than his fair share of superfluous research by listening to every McFly album. Is this film as bad as we are making it sound, though? Well, you’ll just have to finish the trilogy to find out. Five Colours In Her Hair - McFlyhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h76uVRSJ5bcObviously - McFlyhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JiyF3K7hFqMHarry Judd Wins Strictlyhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wb_s2RHVBdYChris Pine in Smokin' Aceshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-tGV96ceBM&t=148sChris Pine - The Otley Runhttps://x.com/CapitalOfficial/status/1641409178387324934Just My Luck Trailerhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ClDQ4SLDDOwJust My Luck - Central Park Scenehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xZz6l8MCFFY

As we eagerly await Series Seven in the autumn, how about treating ourselves to a mini-series during the bank holiday? What could be more fun than watching British pop groups trying to crack the movies? In our new mini-series, BritPop Goes To The Movies, Rob and Guy will be diving into exactly that over the next three days! We kick off our series with a huge first episode, featuring a returning friend of the show. Tyler Adams from Goon Pod is back for his third appearance, ready to help us explore a film that truly changed everything. Who better to guide us through how a business-savvy soundtrack tie-in became a cinematic masterpiece? Tyler helps us to start things off with A Hard Day’s Night. Originally commissioned by United Artists to get a Beatles soundtrack album, director Richard Lester and writer Alun Owen took a modest £189,000 budget and a tight schedule and turned it into something sharper, funnier, and more influential than anyone could have imagined. By moving away from the usual vehicles of Elvis and Cliff Richard, John, Paul, George, and Ringo really shine on screen, playing heightened versions of themselves. They are supported by a fantastic cast of British character actors, including Wilfred Bramble, Victor Spinetti, and Norman Rossington, who add a sharp edge to the film’s satire on age, class, and authority. Come along with us as we get stuck into Beatlemania and the birth of the modern music video as we explore A Hard Day’s Night! Running, Jumping, Standing Still film - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ScwV_yIGZ5Y It’s Trad Dad (trailer) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jk8ad0u0URw A Hard Days Night Press Conference - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m9VJ7GZYcWU George Harrison funny scene - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QREeweMWTZk

Is the art of parody the sole reserve of Americans? Well, us Brits have had a few jolly good cracks at it. Most recently, Fackham Hall. The star-studded Downton Abbey send-up from 2025, written by the Dawson brothers (one of whom is an Inman) and the Carr brothers (one of whom is the UK’s biggest stand-up of the 21st century).To round off the sixth series of BritCom Goes to the Movies, Rob and Guy tackle their most recent film to date and have paired it with the other most valiant BritCom ZAZ-style attempt, A Touch of Cloth. The gloriously silly spoof of the police procedural dramas of the BBC and ITV. A programme that started life in creator Charlie Brooker’s spoof TV listings website TV Go Home.Series six has had our most guests ever, so it's only right to finish it with the original lineup. For this one, Guy and Rob go it alone. There’s also the matter of the Series Six quiz champion to decide, as scores are all level at 24-24 going into this episode. Join us for the last in the series at Fackham Hall!TV Go Homehttp://www.ntk.net/tvgohome/190399.htmlA Touch of Cloth - It was 1996https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yrOnQG-ZYyMA Touch of Cloth - I cam As Soon As I Heardhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R4RKGels8Wo&pp=ygUQYSB0b3VjaCBvZiBjbG90aA%3D%3D&pbjreload=102Fackham Hall - Trailerhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PWrZCkL8KqsFackham Hall - Jimmy Carrhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_XhP-mmIPDY

At BritCom Goes to the Movies, we are dipping back into the world of Armando Iannucci. Last we heard of him on this show, he’d just adapted his hit sitcom The Thick of It into big screen success In The Loop, and eight years later was turning his attention to a farcical retelling of an actual moment in history with The Death of Stalin.Based on a French graphic novel telling of the Soviet dictator’s demise, Iannucci reassembled some of his most trusted writers and performers to tell this story in a very Thick of It way, without the need for comedy Russian accents. Ian Martin and David Schneider, longtime Iannucci collaborators, would help write, and while the cast had familiar Britcom faces, there would also be a sprinkling of Hollywood with Steve Buscemi and Jeffrey Tambor as well as the cream of theater in Simon Russell Beale as the terrifying Beria.We dip not only into this 2017 movie but also the critically acclaimed 2001 sketch show, The Armando Iannucci Shows, which was one of the few TV series that Armando wrote and produced, which he also took the lead in performing. This is a second episode in a row in which we feature a TV show written by Kevin Cecil and Andy Riley (amongst others), and (spoiler alert) we enjoyed their work here much more than we did Hyperdrive.Joining Guy and Rob is the brilliant comedian, writer, and historian Eleanor Morton, who jumped at the chance to talk about one of her favourite films of the 2010s. But would Rob and Guy be quite so effusive? This episode would also represent Guy’s chance to put the quiz competition to bed with one episode remaining. Going into episode nine, Guy had a two-point lead. If he could extend this into episode ten, it would surely be curtains for Rob.Armando Iannucci - OJ Simpson on the Saturday Night Armisticehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IKfEtYYqSl4The Armando Iannucci Shows - Hello Hughhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eqmjWCk36C8The Armando Iannucci Shows - Chronic fatigue syndromehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BDhoM_vhIeoDeath of Stalin - Trailerhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E9eAshaPvYwDeath of Stalin - Rupert Friendhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EN-mq2RPAtoDeath of Stalin - Best of Zhukovhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jNbvepjd46A