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Sightseers: The Success Story

11 May
© Rook Films / Big Talk / Studio Canal / Film 4

© Rook Films / Big Talk / Studio Canal / Film 4

Five years in the making, Alice Lowe and Steve Oram’s grisly black comedy Sightseers has wowed the critics, won awards aplenty and is set to launch them and director Ben Wheatley towards international acclaim.

Now released in US cinemas, the love for the film is continuing across the pond, too!

TVO spoke to most of the cast and some key crew members late last year upon the film’s UK release, and to celebrate it’s American unveiling, we’ve collected up some of the juiciest quotes from those talks below…

Several years ago, a couple of seasoned comedians pitched up in the swanky offices of just about every television production company and broadcaster in the land, armed with a short film they’d made with an old friend. It told the tale of two nerdy caravanners, enjoying the English countryside, whilst simultaneously murdering innocent hitchhikers. For whatever reason, it just wasn’t what the executives were looking for.

Cut to 2013, and the motion picture that pilot spun off into has since faced standing ovations at Cannes, graced the cover of Sight And Sound, and trumped Skyfall and Les Miserables to the title of Best British Film at the Empire Film Awards. Now, American film critics and savvy audiences are frothing at the mouth in anticipation of the film’s forthcoming release across the pond.

For stars Steve Oram and Alice Lowe, who play the venomous Chris and put-upon Tina, it has been one hell of a ride.

“This is all really, really mad,” Alice tells TVO. “I guess we’re just trying to enjoy every bit of it. Though, you do sort of wonder how many more good dresses you can find to attend all these screenings and awards ceremonies.”

“Maybe we should turn up at the next one looking like Chris & Tina and go: ‘Hi everyone. I’m not actually a film star. I don’t have the wardrobe for this.’”

Such an idea appeals to Steve Oram, who deadpans the suggestion that the pair would potentially look quite glamorous in their character’s thick cagoules. “We’d look so beautiful…”, he notes, “…like Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman.” Continue reading →

Forged Hope

10 May

The latest installment in the gloriously silly web series The Day They Came To Suck Out Our Brains has emerged online.

This week’s episode from the minds of Bob Pipe, James Wren and Phil Whelans features the return of the latter and Richard Glover, with more brain sucking victims including a Blackpool cabaret singer, played by Waen Shepherd and Wren’s chain smoking live wire surgeon.  Meanwhile, Mason Philips minister is not so lucky…

If you’re enjoying …Brains, don’t forget that the team behind it are staging two cult comedy nights in the coming weeks.

Bob Pipe is bringing back his wonderful on-off club night The Forgery Club on Friday, May 17th at The Udderbelly, Southbank.  The 80s special will see the return of swash-buckling time travelers Umbrage Swain & Burton Latimer (played by Wren & Glover), on a mission to solve the Mystery of the Missing Giant Purple Upside Down Cow.

They’ll be accompanied by the mighty Gary Le Strange, along with Dave McNeill, Modern Dreams, Terry Alderton and some surprises, so grab your tickets whilst you can over yonder!

James Wren is also reviving his own popular club-night, Spank in June and July at the same venue, with the show on June 7th featuring Isy Suttie, Vicki Stone, David Armand, Rhys Mathewson and No Son Of Mine – aka Rufus Jones and Alex Kirk.  The following show on July 5th features Tony Law, Hot Brew, Phil Nichol and Anil Desai, and more info and ticket links can be found over there.

Stateside Love For Sightseers

10 May

© Big Talk Pictures

Ben Wheatley‘s subverted caravanning movie Sightseers, written by and starring Alice Lowe and Steve Oram arrives in the US today, 10th May. By way of a star-spangled fanfare, here’s a round up of the buzz  the film has been generating over the pond:

The movie was the subject of a piece in the New York Times earlier this week, which included comments and contributions from Ben, Steve and Alice. We particularly liked this comment about the film by the reporter: “The particular alchemy of Sightseers relies on its stars and co-creators: Ms. Lowe, who brings a sweet stubbornness and homebody naïveté to her character, and Mr. Oram, an anoraked heap of righteousness and bullied discontent.” To read the article in full click here.

© Big Talk Pictures

Director Wheatley was also interviewed by Film Journal International. In the interview he talks about the timing of the first murder in the movie, his next film, A Field In England, and why DIY movie-making is a good thing. To read it in full take a look at this.

The LA Times gives the film a glowing (if spoiler-full) review, saying of the two stars: “Oram and Lowe have lived so long in Chris’ and Tina’s skins, they are such a good combo. Lowe has one of those wonderfully elastic faces that can take expressions to extremes, while Oram has mastered the art of the deadpan.”

Time Out LA also loves it, whilst one Chicago-based reviewer can’t get enough of it, and gives the film a top 4-star review.

JoBlo Move Network also pulled out all the superlatives in anticipation of the film; Indiewire made it number 4 in its list of Top 10 Indie films to see this month  and also included it in its list of 15 Most Anticipated Indie films to watch this summer.

If you’re in the US and that little lot has whetted your appetite, your best bet is to check local press for showtimes and tickets starting from today. Enjoy!

The End Is Nigh…

8 May

The first teaser trailer for The World’s End premiered today.

The film reunites the creative trio behind the enormously brilliant Shaun Of The Dead and the somehow even better Hot Fuzz for the third and final film in their infamous Cornetto trilogy.  Stars Simon Pegg & Nick Frost are back, with Edgar Wright once more directing, and they’ve brought along a number of old friends… see the results below.

Alongside Pegg & Frost on their pub crawl through a seemingly alien invasion, are The Hobbit and Sherlock star Martin Freeman, Tyrannosaurus and Submarine actor Paddy Considine, and star of Warhorse and V For Vendetta, Eddie Marsan.

Also along for the ride is former Bond villain Rosamund Pike, and a whole cavalcade of comedic guest stars: reuiniting Pegg with his former Hippies co-star Darren Boyd, Spaced stars Mark Heap, Michael Smiley and Reece Shearsmith, and Hot Fuzz actor David Bradley.

© Focus Features

We can also confirm something we’ve known for a long, long time, but had to keep quiet - our very own Alice Lowe will be appearing in the film.  We thought we had a world exclusive there, and kept it quiet out of respect for the team behind this blockbuster-in-waiting, but it seems the co-star of her cameo, fellow Hot Fuzz star Rafe Spall, blew the lid quietly a few months ago and we didn’t even notice.  Sorry, peelers.

To find out the nature of her cameo, you’ll have to go and see the film.  And frankly, you’d be insane if you didn’t want to anyway.  The World’s End will be released in UK cinemas on July 19th.   For more info, visit it’s official website.

Spank Some TVO Talent

3 May

Comedy fans in the London area can start getting excited now with two forthcoming shows from Spank! at Udderbelly Southbank which feature artists who we cover at The Velvet Onion.

© Spank!

On Friday, 7th June the Spank! line-up features performaces from Rufus Jones and Alex Kirk, along with sets from Isy Suttie, Vikki Stone, David Armand and Rhys Mathewson.

Then on 5th July the show features Tony Law and Hot Brew (the magnificent Alice Lowe and Antony Elvin), plus Phil Nichol and Anil Desai.

If a further TVO conenction were needed, these shows are the latest output from new wave comedy legend James Wren (of Hen & Chickens fame and 2012′s TVO Live!) - so you know you’re going to be in for a good night. What’s more, there’s also a show tonight which is also worth seeing (for a reduced ticket price no less!)

All dates take place at Udderbelly Southbank and tickets cost £15.50 (shows start at 22:45). For more information and to buy tickets click here.

Sunday Highs & Lowes

26 Apr

© Dave Brown/Afrikids

This Sunday you can see Alice Lowe as part of a panel which will be battling to establish whether the UK or US is funnier when it comes to comedy.

The event is part of the Sundance Festival, currently taking place in London (25-28th April). In a debate to establish who is funnier and why, a group of UK and US actors, comedians and filmmakers unpeel the layers and explore what’s behind the American and British approaches to of humour.

The panel features comedian, author and filmmaker Mike Birbiglia (Sleepwalk With Me), writer, director and actress Lake Bell (In A World…), and our very own Alice Lowe.

Entitled ‘Senses of Humor/Humour’ the event takes place at 3pm this Sunday. For more information and tickets click here.

On a slightly different, but related, note DJ/singer Peaches will be performing live as part of the festival TODAY (26th April). Some of you may recall her as one of the highlights of the Boosh Festival in 2008, so she deserves a shout-out here. For more information and to purchase tickets for Peaches’ show head on over  here.

For more information about Sundance and the festival schedule take a look at this. 

Stateseers

3 Apr
© IFC Films via Entertainment Weekly

© IFC Films via Entertainment Weekly

That glorious, Best British Film Award winning smash hit Sightseers is making its way to America next month.

Top dog US website Entertainment Weekly revealed the epic new theatrical poster exclusively today, and revealed the film will be in cinemas from May 10th, and – in an interesting move – will also be available via on demand services three days later.

There’s currently no news on a dvd or blu-release Stateside, so if you want to see this glorious film from the minds of Alice Lowe, Steve Oram and Ben Wheatley, and finally see what we Brits have been raving about for months on end, get down to your local theatres on May 10th.

If you’re still not sure, we interviewed most of the cast and select crew members as part of our Sightseers Takeover back in November, so mooch around the links at the top of the page for our archives, and take a look at the trailer below.

Nods & Nominations

26 Mar

© Queenonline

The Oscars may seem like a distant memory already, but Awards Season continues apace, and TVO regulars are, as always, in the offering.

The BAFTA Craft Awards were announced this weekend, and comedy legend Rhys Thomas is up for the highly prestigious Breakthrough Talent award for his documentary Freddie Mercury: The Great Pretender, which shone a candid light on the period between Freddie’s debut solo album in 1985, and his premature death in 1991.

He’s up against stiff competition from Mike Bartlett for The Town, Julie Gearey for Prisoners’ Wives and Tim Whitnall for Best Possible Taste: The Kenny Everett Story.

Elsewhere, in the comedy department, Julia Davis has been nominated for “Writer (Comedy)” due to her gloriously funny period piece Hunderby.  She’s up against Armando Iannucci, Tony Roche and Simon Blackwell for the final run of The Thick Of It (which featured Justin Edwards), as well as John Morton for Twenty Twelve and Jo Brand, Vicki Pepperdine and Joanna Scanlan for Getting On.  For the full list of nominations, check out Digital Spy’s rundown over yonder.

Last week saw the Royal Television Society Programme Awards take place in London, and again, there were TVO connections on show.  Horrible Histories was pipped to the post as Children’s Programme by Room On The Broom, but Sherlock - the last episode of which featured Katherine Parkinson and Tony Way – won the award for Drama Series ahead of Call The Midwife and Line Of Duty.  Sherlock also picked up an award for “Writer – Drama”, given to its showrunner Steven Moffat.

© RTS

However, the big TVO win belonged to BabyCow for Alan Partridge: Welcome To The Places Of My Life - which picked up the nod for Scripted Comedy – so congrats to Steve Coogan, Dave Lambert and the rest of the team!  For more info, pop here.

Lastly, and by no means leastly, the delightful Tony Law won Best Club Comic and Best Show for Maximum Nonsense at this weekend’s Chortle Awards, with Stewart Lee & Richard Herring also scoring double wins.

And of course, as we told you this weekend, Sightseers picked up yet another gong – this time for Best British Film at the Empire Awards.  All in all, a glorious time for the stars of TVO – and we’re over the moon for everyone winning things!

Hey Globe

24 Mar

© Jimmy Crippen

A brand new song by Hot Brew has emerged online.

Those mystical root-lovers Oona & Crispin Wheatflake, famously captured on film by Alice Lowe & Jacqueline Wright‘s Jackal Films (and TVO!), have passed their latest opus – Hey Globe - on to their good friend Antony Elvin, who unleashed it onto the interwebs via Soundcloud.

In it, they sing a song to their baby ‘Globe’.  As Elvin explains: Globe has been raised genderless to avoid streaming and is probably the most important baby since Moses. Baskets went on sale at John Lewis in 1995. On a diet of flax oil and hummus, Globe thrives and will probably be the next president of Kenilworth.

Well, exactly.  You can hear the song yourselves below, and as soon as we know more about any further brews, we’ll let you know, so stay peeled.

Sightseers On Disc

24 Mar

With Sightseers winning Best British Film at the Empire Awards, and being released on dvd and blu-ray this week, TVO thought it would be as good a time as any to reflect on the film once more.

© Studio Canal

Back in August 2012, TVO teased you all with a spoiler-free preview.  Then in November, as the film’s release drew nearer, we had planned a more in-depth review, but such plans got lost in amongst our blitz of competitions, interviews, location guides and profile pieces.

At that point, we simply didn’t have the time to do it justice, and frankly, we wanted to let the dust settle and help the film’s jolts remain spoiler-free for as long as possible.  Now it feels like an opportune moment to sit down and revisit the film, and tease at the extras available on the dvd and blu-ray releases available now via The Velvet Onion Amazon Store.

CLICK HERE TO ORDER THE DVD

or

CLICK HERE TO ORDER THE BLU-RAY!

So with a BIG SPOILER WARNING before we continue, we have to admit, it’s time for a confession…  Continue reading →

Sightseers: BEST BRITISH FILM Available On DVD & Blu-Ray!

24 Mar
© Empire

© Empire

Sightseers took home the Jameson Empire Award 2013 for Best British Film – and it’s yours to own on dvd and blu-ray on Monday.

The film fought off stiff competition from Dredd, The Woman In Black, Les Miserables and Skyfall.  Yep – the biggest British film of all time at cinemas worldwide was pipped to the post by TVO’s finest, knocking off ramblers, tourists and brides-to-be in a caravan.

Stars Alice Lowe, Steve Oram and Richard Glover were joined by director Ben Wheatley and producer Claire Jones at the prestigious event, with Empire snapping Ben post win, as seen here, and Jones delightedly discovering copies of the film were included in the official goodie-bag all the stars were given.

The quartet took to the stage with executive producer Nira Park to receive their award, and Ben announced: “I’m having a meltdown. Someone else do it.”  This forced Steve into action, commenting: ”Thanks to the people who work in my local Sainsburys. And Empire, who came to the set a year ago.”  Alice then added a reference to Ideal star Johnny Vegas, who had riotously accepted an award on behalf of Ted earlier in the evening, saying: “I wish Johnny Vegas were here to accept our award; he’d have done it brilliantly.”

© Nick Gillespie

© Nick Gillespie

TVO would like to congratulate the whole team for their just deserved win, and this seems like as good an opportunity as ever to point back to our interview archive with the team from November and December.  If you missed them back then, you can read our interviews with Ben Wheatley,  Steve Oram, Alice Lowe, Richard Glover, Claire Jones, Laurie Rose, Rachel Austin, Tom Meeten & Tony Way by clicking on their respective names in this sentence, and there’s still chance for you to download your exclusive door hangers and Banjo posters over yonder too.

If all this hasn’t been enough to convince you to check the film out, then the imminent release of the film on dvd and blu-ray this week should be the final bit of persuasion necessary.

© Studio Canal

With two audio commentaries, behind the scenes materials and a blooper reel, the film can now play on a loop in your own homes, and if you don’t want to trek out to find one of the few remaining shops that sell movies, you can get both versions from The Velvet Onion Amazon Store now!

CLICK HERE TO ORDER THE DVD

or

CLICK HERE TO ORDER THE BLU-RAY!

Film buffs and collectors should be aware that Sainsburys are stocking a limited edition two-disc version of the dvd (sadly not the blu-ray) featuring additional extras:  interviews with the cast and crew, a B-roll, premiere footage, and TV spots.

For a more detailed breakdown of the extra material on the standard release, and a more in-depth review of the film than we previously offered, stay peeled.

Last week we offered five peelers a chance to win a copy of either format thanks to the good folk at StudioCanal.
We had hundreds of entries, but our five randomly assigned winners were Nicola Ryall, Peter Cleasby, John Taggart, Cherie Nute and Janet Haste.
Thanks to everyone who entered! Sorry we couldn’t have more winners, but there’s always the links above.

Own Sightseers Original Artwork

24 Mar

Fancy owning some bona fide Sightseers memorabilia? Now’s your chance!

© Kenn Goodall

Illustrator, Kenn Goodall, is making available the original artwork that was used on the sleeve design of Music Control Experiment Vol:1 – Jim Williams: The Sightseers Sessions - the ultra limited edition (150 copies) red vinyl copy of the original score to the film. Sadly the albums are completely sold out now, but for the princely sum of £120 or £140, an ink drawing artwork from the album could be yours!

Goodall created the images under the moniker of Twins of Evil, his partnership with fellow artist, Luke Insect. For more information and to purchase one of the pieces visit Kenn Goodall’s website.

Alice’s Mini Masterclass

15 Mar

© Jackal Films

The lovely and talented Alice Lowe appears in a short BAFTA Masterclass to share what she and Jacqueline Wright learned from their year-long one-short-a-month project they embarked on in 2010.

During the Mini Masterclass which was recorded at BAFTA 195 Piccadilly on 5 January 2013, Alice talks about how she was nervous about making films, as it seemed like a completely different world to television and live shows, and why they decided to put the films on the internet instead of taking them to festivals.

You can see the whole interview here.

If you didn’t see the films from the project at the time, or want to see them again, you can go to the Jackal Films Website.

You could also read our interview with Alice and Jacqueline, which took place when they were half way through the year of the project.

Hot Brew For A Cold Climate

12 Mar

© Becky Johnson

TVO’s favourite folk duo will be performing this week at The Invisible Dot.  You can catch the wonderful Hot Brew on Thursday 14th March in London N1.

Alice Lowe and Antony Elvin will be bringing Oona & Cripsin Wheatflake back to life to warm our cockles during a chilly wintery week, and a ticket could be yours for only £8. Also featured on the bill are Daniel Simonsen, Sheeps, Mike Wozniak, Two Episodes Of MASH, Oscar Jenkyn-Jones, Ellie White and MC Tom Basden.

The show takes place at The Invisible Dot (click on the link for details of where that is) and runs from 7.45-9.45pm. Details of how to procure tickets are a tad sketchy on the venue’s website, so we suggest you contact the venue direct if you’re thinking of popping along on T. (0)20 7424 8918.

Special Sightseers

12 Mar

© Studio Canal

As from the 25th of March those of you wanting a deeper look into the world of Sightseers can pick up a 2 disk special edition DVD at your local Sainsbury’s.

The exclusive disk will contain interviews with the cast and crew, B-roll, premiere footage, and TV spots. This is in addition to the standard release that hosts behind the scenes footage, out-takes, the theatrical trailer, two audio commentaries, and of course the hilarious feature length film.

Most of you shouldn’t need any introduction to the film, but just in case you’ve been living under a rock: Sightseers, directed by Ben Wheatley, tells the story of two nerdy caravanners on a seemingly accidental killing spree. A whole host of TVO faces appear through the multi-award winning black comedy written by Alice Lowe and Steve Oram.

Don’t forget, you still have exactly one week to enter TVO’s very own competition to win a copy of the fantastic film on DVD or Blu-Ray! Click on the word caravanning to find out how!

If you can’t wait, and don’t want to leave it to chance, you can pre-order the Blu-Ray or the DVD from the TVO Amazon UK Store.

COMPETITION: Win Sightseers On DVD & Blu-Ray!

11 Mar

March 25th sees the long awaited release of Sightseers on dvd and blu-ray, and to celebrate, we’ve teamed up with the good folk at STUDIOCANAL to offer you – yes, that’s right, YOU – the chance to win a copy on dvd or blu-ray.

© Studio Canal

© Studio Canal

For those not in the know, Sightseers is a delicious horror comedy directed by Ben Wheatley, executive produced by Edgar Wright (Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz) and starring Alice Lowe and Steve Oram (who also co-wrote the film) and Richard Glover.  

It tells the story of two caravanners out of touch with society in the most deadly of ways.  Chris (Oram) wants to show Tina (Lowe) his world and he wants to do it his way – on a journey through the British Isles in his beloved Abbey Oxford Caravan.  Tina’s led a sheltered life and there are things that Chris needs her to see – the Crich Tramway Museum, the Ribblehead Viaduct, the Keswick Pencil Museum and the rolling countryside that accompanies these wonders in his life.  But it doesn’t take long for the dream to fade.  Litterbugs, noisy teenagers and pre-booked caravan sites, not to mention Tina’s meddling mother, soon conspire to shatter Chris’s dreams and send him, and anyone who rubs him up the wrong way, over a very jagged edge…

Both the dvd and blu-ray feature behind the scenes footage, out-takes, the theatrical trailer and two audio commentaries: one by Ben Wheatley & cinematographer Laurie Rose; the other by Wheatley and stars Alice Lowe, Steve Oram and Richard Glover.

We have FIVE copies of either the DVD edition or the BLU-RAY edition to give away, and there’s only one way to do it fairly and squarely – pot luck!  All you have to do is tell us the answer to this question:

What was the name of the 2009 BBC3 Pilot written by Alice Lowe, and co-starring Steve Oram & Richard Glover?

Simply answer this slice of TVO Trivia, and email us the correct answer to submit@thevelvetonion.com, specifying which disc you’d like.  It’s one or the other, peelers, so do be specific or we can’t include your entry!

The closing date for entries is at 11:59pm on Tuesday 19th March 2013.

Five lucky winners will be selected and we’ll announce the winners next week.

For full T&C, see below.  Due to the nature of this competition, and the fact that the film’s international release is still pending in some countries, we regret to tell our lovely readers oversees that this particular competition will be for UK entrants only.  We’ll aim to bring you more international content soon, so stay peeled!

If you can’t enter, or don’t win, it’s not too late to add the film to your collection.  Both formats can be pre-ordered now from The Velvet Onion Amazon UK Store, with the dvd a measly £13.49 and the blu-ray only £16.09.  We’ll even be able to ship orders internationally, so as Chris would say… “Get in!”

Terms & Conditions
This competition offers 1 x dvd or blu-ray copies of Sightseers to five UK residents.  The winners will be picked randomly from emails containing the correct answer to the question above, as well as a specification for preferred disc format, and will be contacted via the email address they use to enter.  Contact details will not be shared with any additional third parties beyond Studio Canal and their promotional team.  Only entries made to the correct email address will be accepted.  The Velvet Onion will not accept entries as replies to our Facebook/Twitter pages, comments to this or any other posts in error or emails to any email address in our domain except the one stated above, nor any entries received after this time-frame.  This competition is being run entirely by The Velvet Onion, with prizes organised by Studio Canal.  One entry per person.  Any entrants found making multiple entries from the same IP address will be disqualified, and banned from entering further competitions run by The Velvet Onion.  All entries must be received via email by 11.59pm GMT on 19th March 2013.  The judge’s decision is final.  There is no monetary value to this competition and no cash alternative will be offered. The Velvet Onion and Studio Canal reserve the right to withdraw this competition if any overriding issues arise.

Empire Sights

2 Mar

Sightseers is up for four nods at the prestigious Empire Awards.

© Jules Heath / Rook Films / Big Talk / Studio Canal / Film 4

Ahead of its UK release on dvd and blu-ray on March 25th, the popular film magazine has seen fit to do what BAFTA failed to do, and recognise the enormous talents behind the dark comedy with four nominations.  These include tips for its two stars and writers, Alice Lowe and Steve Oram, as well as the film being up for Best Film in two specific categories.

Alice is in the running for Best Female Newcomer, with the category also featuring Alicia Vikander for Anna Kerenia, Holliday Grainger for Great Expectations, Quvenzhane Wallis for Beasts Of The Southern Wild and Samantha Banks for Ls Miserables.  Ten years into her tv career, it feels odd to see Alice nominated in this category, but with Sightseers her first major film role, it’s a deserved tip.

Steve, on the other hand, is nominated for Best Male Newcomer, against Domhnall Gleeson for Anna Karenina, Suraj Sharma Life Of Pi, Tom Holland The Impossible, and Rafe Spall for Life Of Pi.  As with Alice, it seems a strange category – particularly as Rafe Spall has been starring in great movies for years – but we’ll let them off for giving Steve a salute.

The movie is also up for Best Horror – against Dark Shadows, Sinister, The Cabin In The Woods and The Woman In Black.  With the latter two gaining particular media attention, this is going to be a tough one, but we’re confident which film is the best of the bunch, and hope the voters are too!

© Rook Films / Big Talk / Studio Canal / Film 4

Finally, the biggie – Best British Film – with the biggest competition yet.  The Woman In Black and Les Miserables put in another appearance, alongside Dredd 3D and the biggest British film of all time, Skyfall.  We’d be over the moon if the underdog won out here, but to even be in this category with films of that calibre is seriously impressive, and will do the film’s reputation a whole world of good ahead of it’s US theatrical release on May 10th, and just in time for it’s French cinema release which is happening right now!

You can vote for the awards yourselves right now – and we urge each and every one of you to put your clicks firmly in Sightseers boxes. GO HERE TO VOTE!

Award & US Release For Sightseers

24 Feb

© BBC

While it may not feature too heavily at tonight’s Oscars, the awards continue to pile up for Sightseers!

Most recently this took the form of a ‘Kermode’ for Best Screenplay, presented by the the Culture Show’s resident film buff, Mark Kermode.

These awards are based on his personal favourites of the year, and they offer an interesting counterpoint  to the Hollywood shortlists.

You can see Alice Lowe and Steve Oram accepting their award (and giggling a lot) on BBC iPlayer by clicking here.

US fans won’t have long to wait before they can catch the movie in cinemas; a release date of 10th May has now been confirmed. Get in!

Editor’s Note: Thanks to Kimberley Walker for the information about the US release.

Missing Scene Unleashed

21 Feb

A long long time ago – just shy of three years ago, in fact – we reported on a sketch show pilot entitled Missing Scene featuring TVO’s very own Alice Lowe and comedy legend Kevin Eldon.

© Fletcherwilson

The results were for a non-broadcast taster episode which, in these starved times for alternatively comedy, sadly wasn’t commissioned.  Now at last, the team behind it have uploaded the results for all to see.

Created and written by Matthew Stott, David Bussell & Ben Ricketts, the show also features the likes of Steve Furst, Isabel Fay and Sam Cullingworth.  Purporting to be an eclectic collection of archive materials found in the vaults, the madcap 12 minutes features aliens with crab hands, cars that drive on bacon, flirty quasars and scientific time hats.  Fun times.

Catch the results below.

Discseers

20 Feb

TVO has recieved details of the forthcoming dvd and blu-ray release of Sightseers.

© Studio Canal

© Studio Canal

The smash hit cult comedy from the minds of Steve Oram, Alice Lowe and Ben Wheatley about caravanning multiple murderers Chris & Tina comes to disc on March 25th, with a bundle of extra material to savour.

Both the dvd and blu-ray releases come complete with Behind The Scenes footage, out-takes and the trailer.  They’ll also come with not one, but TWO audio commentaries.  The first is bound to be utterly hilarious – featuring Oram, Lowe & Wheatley, alongside co-star Richard Glover.   We can already imagine the madness of those 88 minutes!

The second commentary will be more technical, but by no means less interesting, as it will feature Wheatley alongside his delightful cinematographer of choice, Laurie Rose.

For those of you into your techy specs, the film will be presented in its original 2.35:1 aspect ratio, with the dvd boasting Dolby Digital 5.1 and 2.0 audio formats, replaced for the blu-ray by DTS-HD 5.1 and PCM 2.0 tracks.  Audio will be in English only, and the discs will be region locked, unfortunately – Region 2 for dvd and Region B for blu-ray.  As soon as we hear about international releases, we’ll be sure to keep you peeled.

Both formats can be pre-ordered now from The Velvet Onion Amazon UK Store, with the dvd a measly £13.49 and the blu-ray only £16.09.  As Chris would say… “Get in!”

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