Tip jar

If you like CaB and wish to support it, you can use PayPal or KoFi. Thank you, and I hope you continue to enjoy the site - Neil.

Buy Me a Coffee at ko-fi.com

Support CaB

Recent

Welcome to Cook'd and Bomb'd. Please login or sign up.

March 28, 2024, 09:30:21 AM

Login with username, password and session length

TDT DVD details, and Armando Iannucci Hot Press interview

Started by Neil, March 18, 2004, 08:57:21 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

Neil

First up, we've got a couple of new additions to the Collab page of the site.  Back in October, forum member Paul Nolan interviewed Armando Iannucci for Hot Press magazine, and he's very kindly let us stick the tape of the interview online!  It's a 45-minute phone interview, and is fascinating stuff...they cover a hell of a lot of topics: I'm Alan Partridge 2, Gash, Tube Tales, Chris Morris...  It's a great little rarity, many thanks to Paul Nolan and Hot Press for letting us stick it on the site!  Also on the Collab page, we've got a compilation of all Peter Baynham's contributions to the radio version of Fist Of Fun, big thanks to Darrell from the forums for all the effort that went into compiling that.

Before the Brass Eye DVD was released, we were very lucky to have been contacted by a nice chap who had the check discs, and kindly told us exactly what was on the discs before the actual release.  Well, he's back, and he sent us a load of info last week which I'll quote below.  Oh, the discussion about the extras has mostly been taking place in this monster of a thread, so you may want to check the end of it every now and again for new details (although I'll try and be quicker at getting the next lot of info on the front page!)

Quote from: "The anonymous chap with the DVD details"
Exciting news first - I stumbled across an easter egg on the preview disc. Leave the main menu running for ages and you get a new conversation between Chris Morris and Steve Coogan in character, discussing conspiracy theories, including Princess Diana's death (with David Dickinson name-checked) JFK's assassination and more - don't want to give too much away! It starts with the line "A lot's happened since we last met....times have truly changed..."

Elsewhere the pilot is included in its entirety - all 35 mins of it. I won't describe what's in it as you already know. But it's facscinating to watch early, raw versions of segments from the proper series - and see what parts they used in the proper series. Also, Morris's hair is hilarious!

The main extras menu features a series of globes with the characters' faces in them, quoting lines from the programme. It lets you pick 'Mini News', 'Pilot Material', 'Extended Scenes' and 'Po Faced Analysis'.

The Pilot Material submenu contains the pilot and another option called 'Post Programme Update'. It's not available on the disc but sounds exciting! The 'Select An Episode' menus are hilarious, using the overblown graphs they use in the show (like the fox heads on sticks menu from Brass Eye). The Mini News submenu uses the Newsdancer in the background -

Overall, it's a superbly presented disc. That's it really, except that I can't wait to see the whole thing.

Now although that sounds fantastic, and the double-disc TDT DVD should really be an exceptional package, there's a few minor quibbles!  It's great that they've put the pilot on there, this is bloody brilliant news, however, it does seem that the "Additional Material" stuff won't be included!  If you want to see what this is then SOTCAA have got a full transcript of all the pilot pieces.  It's in three parts, the pilot itself, then the "post-programme update" and the "additional material."  To see a full transcript of the last two parts, including timings and screenshots, visit this part of the SOTCAA transcript.  

Adam Tandy has said that the post-programme update will be on the DVD (minus the "This Is Our War" section seemingly because of clearance issues. Again, refer to the SOTCAA transcript  to see the changes that were made in the final transmitted version.) however, the 11 and a half minute "Additional Material" section won't be!  Tandy says that it's unsuitable for release as it 'wasn't properly edited, is very rough and ready, and wasn't part of the actual pilot anyway', but that seems like a perfect reason to include it!   How could embryonic "work-in-progress" TDT footage be anything other than absolutely bloody perfect for the DVD release?!  It'll be a damn shame if it doesn't get put on there, hopefully some of the footage will at least be included as easter eggs.  

That's all we know so far...we'll let you know when we hear what's happening with the commentaries.  The TDT DVD will be out on the 26th of April, you can preorder it at all the usual sites.

Timmay

Excellent stuff! Going to pre-order it now...

In fact TDT is the only reason we've still got those old video player things around the house. Be able to chuck em out soon!!

Peking O

Quote from: "Neil"How could embryonic "work-in-progress" TDT footage be anything other than absolutely bloody perfect for the DVD release?!  It'll be a damn shame if it doesn't get put on there, hopefully some of the footage will at least be included as easter eggs.  

Thanks for all the updates, info, interviews etc. Personally I can see exactly why Morris wouldn't want this 'embryonic' stuff included, although as we've discovered from the 'Mini-news' thread a lot of others can't. Before you ask, no, it's nothing to do with him being a 'genius' or anything like that. For example, I would hate to have my embarrasing band demo's full suddenly thrust upon the world, but I'd be happy for people to hear the final product. I think that's the train of thought with the Day To Day DVD release, and I don't have any objections to it.

Neil

QuoteFor example, I would hate to have my embarrasing band demo's full suddenly thrust upon the world, but I'd be happy for people to hear the final product. I think that's the train of thought with the Day To Day DVD release, and I don't have any objections to it.

The pilot and the post-programme update is going on though!   As ELWT says in the Mininews thread, the pilot itself is "a demo" so what's the difference?

Peking O

I thought I read somewhere that the pilot contains a lot of stuff that was used in the final shows anyway? I could be wrong about that, but the 'mininews' thread is too big for me to go back and check for sure!

butnut

Thanks once more Neil. I'm just enjoying the Iannucci interview - a lovely find. It reminds me of that Radio 4 interview he did, but without that annoying cunt interviewing.

Ohh, he's just talked about Reggie Perrin.

EDIT - Is it me would the interviewer would rather be interviewing Morris? I think AI is getting a bit annoyed with all this Chris questions. Interesting though.

Neil

I should have given his name on here actually, it's 12 Storey Crisis doing the interview.  He comes across well, knows his stuff!  I found it a very interesting interview, especially AI talking about Gash :"I fully expected the first few to be...shite"

Bilko

One of the best Updates yet Neil!!!!!. Just come into work and of course I go onto CaB before I start doing any work, and I'm bombarded by this brilliant news.

The Pilot show not in full is a fucker, although I can see why the War bit wouldn't be in when it was in the Full Series. Yet having not read the SOTCCA transcript in full lately they were other things that appeared in the full series that are also going to be in the pilot weren't there. The production (explosions and other pyrotechnics) must have bee really bad in the War bit for it not to be on. But like other people I'm such a big Morris fan that I want EVERYTHING he has done, good or bad.

As I posted in Darrell's Jam Easter Egg thread in Comedy Forum, having got myself a new job with the threat of redundancy hanging over my present on, I can spend the  money I have to get a DVD player. Yippee. Brass Eye, Jam and Pre-ordering TDT have to be the first DVD's I get.

I'll download the Iannucci Interview tonight and Baynham's stuff from Fist of Fun. Is that site ever going to get back up and have download stuff available?

Purple Tentacle

Re: This Is Our War:

Was this on the VHS version? And if so, why the difficulty / difference clearing it for the DVD?

Anonymous

Iannucci interview is great. Thanks for this - very interesting.

Is it me would the interviewer would rather be interviewing Morris? I think AI is getting a bit annoyed with all this Chris questions. Interesting though.
Quote

He comes across well, knows his stuff!
Quote

This is true... the guy knows his shit. However:

Is it me would the interviewer would rather be interviewing Morris? I think AI is getting a bit annoyed with all this Chris questions. Interesting though.
Quote

This is also true. It's interesting, but I think it's a little rude on  the part of the interviewer. You can almost see the uber-fanboy cogs working, scraping around for small Chris Morris info-bites...

In one way, I'm pleased he did, 'cos there's some interesting stuff there, but I didn't think it was really fair on Iannucci - a little insulting, in my opinion.

Nevertheless, excellent stuff.

Bellscab

Iannucci interview is great. Thanks for this - very interesting.

Is it me would the interviewer would rather be interviewing Morris? I think AI is getting a bit annoyed with all this Chris questions. Interesting though.

QuoteHe comes across well, knows his stuff!

This is true... the guy knows his shit. However:

QuoteIs it me would the interviewer would rather be interviewing Morris? I think AI is getting a bit annoyed with all this Chris questions. Interesting though.

This is also true. It's interesting, but I think it's a little rude on the part of the interviewer. You can almost see the uber-fanboy cogs working, scraping around for small Chris Morris info-bites...

In one way, I'm pleased he did, 'cos there's some interesting stuff there, but I didn't think it was really fair on Iannucci - a little insulting, in my opinion.

Nevertheless, excellent stuff.

Bilko

Quote from: "Bellscab"Iannucci interview is great. Thanks for this - very interesting.

Is it me would the interviewer would rather be interviewing Morris? I think AI is getting a bit annoyed with all this Chris questions. Interesting though.

No disrespect to AI but wouldn't we all rather be interviewing Morris, or at least have the opportunity to.

Neil

Quote from: "Purple Tentacle"Re: This Is Our War:

Was this on the VHS version? And if so, why the difficulty / difference clearing it for the DVD?

Judging by the SOTCAA transcript it must be the different music that is causing the problem?!

Neil

Quote from: "Bellscab"
This is also true. It's interesting, but I think it's a little rude on the part of the interviewer. You can almost see the uber-fanboy cogs working, scraping around for small Chris Morris info-bites...

In one way, I'm pleased he did, 'cos there's some interesting stuff there, but I didn't think it was really fair on Iannucci - a little insulting, in my opinion.

I think you're being a little unfair here really, anyone who works with Morris is going to get asked about him.  While it's not true that "Morris doesn't do interviews", he certainly doesn't do as many as he could.  It's perfectly understandable that people are going to try and get info on him through others.  From what I hear, Brooker is getting hounded these days for info on Morris...  Iannucci can't have minded, or he'd have made his excuses and rang off long before the 45-minute mark.

TJ

Quote from: "Neil"
Quote from: "Purple Tentacle"Re: This Is Our War:

Was this on the VHS version? And if so, why the difficulty / difference clearing it for the DVD?

The Bruce Springsteen song, I'd wager. I have to say that as much as I'd like to see the full pilot on there, the clip with Bruce Springsteen doesn't really 'work' anyway; it plays over footage of a burning effigy that looks on first glance as though it might be a real body, and the shot (which closes the section) is strangely haunting in a way that jars with the rest of TDT.

Incidentally, Peking O's assertion that the Additional Material is a 'rough demo' is a bit wide of the mark; basically, it's stuff that was recorded in the pilot session but shaved from the final edit, possibly for reasons of timing more than anythhing else. Some of the stray Partridge bits would certainly have fitted well onto the DVD as deleted scenes.

gazzyk1ns

The only thing I would have done differently with that interview is not offer Armando so many answers, there are lots of good questions asked and Armando seems to have his cogs grinding for a good answer, and then our man comes in and offers an easy one which Iannucci just repeats.

But it was a very professional interview, I admire the way Crisis there kept the whole thing flowing like a proper conversation, that's where I always think I'd fuck up if I had the opportunity to do anything like this. I'd lose the attention of the guy completely, and I think it would remind the celeb in question that it was "work" a little too often, here it sounds at times just like two comedy fans discussing a show and I assume Iannucci gave more because of that.

wavey

is there any more information about the book armando mentions in the interview?

'A language that you have to pay for if you want to speak it'

Neil

Quote from: "wavey"is there any more information about the book armando mentions in the interview?

'A language that you have to pay for if you want to speak it'

When he mentioned that in the interview it brought to mind the Nob Americano in Clinton: His Struggle With Dirt.  Great!  Anyway to quote from this site: http://www.totalcress.co.uk/armando/

Quote
Tongue International (2001)
This has not yet been published, but here is the summary as released by the publishers.
A satirical fantasy about a new language invented by a small company, which people are charged for the privilege of speaking and writing. Through skilful marketing, the language becomes a dominant idiom of international communication, even though it has several basic design weaknesses.

NobodyGetsOutAlive

Just listened to the interview now and think it's great. This, twinned with my reading of Facts and Fancies the other day, I have to conclude that AI is my favourite person ever. He really is just brilliant.


Haven't listened to the OTH pilot though,but when I do I'll post my thoughts.

Purple Tentacle

I'm enjoying this interview immensely, I wish I had Armando Iannucci as my friend.

Sob.


Strangely unrepentant about Gash though.....


edit: I don't think that the helium-voiced interviewer is being rude at all! He saved the Morris-heavy questions until the very end when the interview was over, and Iannucci really doesn't seem to mind. Fair enough, I say. What a nice man Iannucci is.

Lumiere

I can't wait to get TDT on DVD. It's £15 on play.com, so I'll wait for some cash and then order that and Pork Soda by Primus.

Darrell

Quote from: "Lumiere"I can't wait to get TDT on DVD. It's £15 on play.com, so I'll wait for some cash and then order that and Pork Soda by Primus.

Well I'm glad you shared that with us.