Day 6: The League of Gentleman’s Apocalypse.

Day 6: The League of Gentleman’s Apocalypse (2005, Dir. Steve Bendelack)

Just in case you’re wondering, the Royston Vasey one, not the crap Sean Connery one.

There has been a long history of British comedy programmes making the jump to the big screen, everything has had a go; from Dads Army and Are You Being Served to Kevin & Perry and Ali G. Here there is more in common with the likes of the Monty Python films than On the Buses, and obviously it works all the better for it.

However this film seems to be one which splits fans, critics and casual viewers alike. Whilst utilising many of the classic characters the jump to the big screen didn’t seem to be one that worked for everyone, but it does work.

It’s not perfect but it is very funny, and not just a simple copy and paste plot either, avoiding relying on characters simply spouting their catchphrases in quick succession. The film itself plays with ideas of pushing the post modern buttons and it does so with dazzling precision. The real world writer elements work particularly well portraying them as arrogant and egocentric idiots, seeming more interested in obscure film references than with their impending doom. The characters themselves would seem to prefer being in a story where they all go on holiday but thankfully the film never doubts its audiences intelligence by giving in to this. And Apocalypse does all of this whilst keeping up an entertaining and fast moving plot but not forgetting to be funny too!

The stop-motion monsters work so amazingly well here, fitting in perfectly to the Gentleman’s style that it is easy to forget about the questionable CGI goblins and 17th Century mis-steps.

For every problem in the film there are twice as many surreal or outrageously funny moments, ranging from the fantastic Jeremy Dyson opening to Herr Lips breakdown! Not only a very funny film but a very unique one!

6.5

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0435687/

Extra: I’m in the process of making a short film at University at the minute, however due to the awful weather today we got about 8 seconds worth of footage… ah well!