John Shuttleworth - Southern Softies (2009 movie)

[Jackson K Pollock]

Does anyone know what the deal is with this 2009 John Shuttleworth film? It occurred to me last night that I'd never actually seen it, despite Fellows showing clips and a trailer for it at a screening for It's Nice Up North I attended.

However, I was looking on the Shuttleworth website and it seems to be the only thing of his that you can't purchase on there. Not only that, but it appears to have been deleted from Amazon, and the only version on eBay is currently going for £40, which I was half-tempted by, until my wife reminded me that we don't actually have a DVD player.

So what's the story with this movie?

Did it ever actually get released? Has anyone ever seen it? And why is it so hard to actually come by?

And more importantly, I suppose - is it any good?

[idunnosomename]

It's utterly awful. He tried to improv vox poppy stuff and it all fell flat. The trailer had all the best bits in. It is like a Best of the Worst film where it's endlessly padded out to reach a minimal runtime. In fact it is such a fascinating trainwreck it might be worth watch just to dissect what went wrong.


I think it was shown on Sky Arts or something like that, thats how I saw it.

[Jackson K Pollock]

Oh, that's a shame. I guess I'll save my £40, then (although I have to say, I am now morbidly fascinated with seeing just how bad it could be, after your description).

Perhaps it'll pop up on Now TV again at some point then, and I'll catch it that way.

[Avril Lavigne]

although I have to say, I am now morbidly fascinated with seeing just how bad it could be, after your description

I didn't find it to be quite as bad as that, just surprisingly low on laughs and a bit tedious so as to be ultimately pretty forgettable. The whole thing is on Youtube though if you do wanna see it.

[Jackson K Pollock]

So it is, thanks! For some reason it wasn't showing up when I searched for it last night. That's great, I'll check it out this week at some point, hopefully.

[Astronaut Omens]

Unfortunately I have to agree that it's very poor, and also completely lacks any 'so bad it's good' appeal. Mostly it feels like a compilation of out-takes, or something like that.

[idunnosomename]

Yeah I was going to say, it's more boring than terrible. And bad comedy is never entertaining.

Thing about 500 Bus Stops is, although it looks ramshackle and cheap on the surface, it's exceedingly well-made. There is some really funny stuff where Graham interacts with people who clearly have no idea what's going on and have very genuine responses to John's character. It handles Ken as an unseen character and the overdubbing of Graham's voice in post really well so you don't think about it. Also the locations are diverse and excellent, like, right down the bus journeys themselves.

It was directed by Willy Smax, who is largely a music doc maker, and also why you get the amusingly twee, but also very competent establishing montages of his little trip around Sheffield, Derbyshire, the north peaks and Manchester. Simply put, he's a proper video director. Smax also did Europigeon, he clearly wasn't interested in doing Nice Up North and Southern Softies, and why they are so incredibly poor in comparison. It's just basically "go to the beach and do the John character to people oh why isn't it funny oh well"

[Wet Blanket]

Yeah I was going to say, it's more boring than terrible. And bad comedy is never entertaining.

Thing about 500 Bus Stops is, although it looks ramshackle and cheap on the surface, it's exceedingly well-made. There is some really funny stuff where Graham interacts with people who clearly have no idea what's going on and have very genuine responses to John's character. It handles Ken as an unseen character and the overdubbing of Graham's voice in post really well so you don't think about it. Also the locations are diverse and excellent, like, right down the bus journeys themselves.

It was directed by Willy Smax, who is largely a music doc maker, and also why you get the amusingly twee, but also very competent establishing montages of his little trip around Sheffield, Derbyshire, the north peaks and Manchester. Simply put, he's a proper video director. Smax also did Europigeon, he clearly wasn't interested in doing Nice Up North and Southern Softies, and why they are so incredibly poor in comparison. It's just basically "go to the beach and do the John character to people oh why isn't it funny oh well"

This is a bit harsh on Martin Parr, who is pretty highly regarded in the art world as a photographer, film-maker and chronicler of everyday working class life in Britain.

[idunnosomename]

This is a bit harsh on Martin Parr, who is pretty highly regarded in the art world as a photographer, film-maker and chronicler of everyday working class life in Britain.

god i forgot he got Martin Parr. yes superb photographer but not really a director or cinematographer, at least judging by these. I seem to remember there are some good big vista shots, but not much of the scene-setting that makes 500 Bus Stops so good. the films arent completely inept, but they are very boring and not funny. will endeavour to watch them at some point

[ajsmith2]

I remember thinking Nice Up North was pretty good, but that Southern Softies was really disappointing and boring.

[Jittlebags]

I remember thinking Nice Up North was pretty good, but that Southern Softies was really disappointing and boring.

Ooof.

[Jackson K Pollock]

Well, I'm certainly glad I didn't pay £40 for it, but it passed a fairly pleasant evening. The first 30 mins or so were fairly excruciating but it did pick up quite a bit towards the end, and overall I'd say I fairly enjoyed it.

Now to make a start on the first two seasons of Little & Large - thanks, CaB![nb]ThCab[/nb]

[rilk]

not as good as its nice up north, which is a joy - went to a southern softies screening in the north east a few years ago and after the film he did some out of character songs, the one i remember was about him having a boiled egg with his son. not great, not the heights he's able to reach

[rilk]

aw man 500 bus stops is so good though

[Avril Lavigne]

It handles Ken as an unseen character and the overdubbing of Graham's voice in post really well so you don't think about it.

Speaking of which, I just rewatched over half of Southern Softies and Ken is mostly absent, which is a really odd choice given how his double-act with John is such a key part of other non-Live Shuttleworth stuff, and how much the runtime is padded out with scenes that have nothing to do with the vox pops and could have been replaced with scripted John & Ken interactions.

[jobotic]

Can I say that every time we discuss "gammons", or I see Tommy Robinson in the news I sing to myself

Eggs and gammon,
Poor Rhiannon
Ken had wind

?

Thanks

[Armin Meiwes]

Yeah Southern Softies was quite disappointing but far from terrible, imo. Not sure why anyone would be slagging off INuN tho.. it's brilliant! Haven't seen it in a v long time but immediately cracking up thinking about when John finds an adolescent in a cafe and asks him if he's a disaffected youth.

[Autopsy Turvey]

Yeah Southern Softies was quite disappointing but far from terrible, imo. Not sure why anyone would be slagging off INuN tho.. it's brilliant! Haven't seen it in a v long time but immediately cracking up thinking about when John finds an adolescent in a cafe and asks him if he's a disaffected youth.

Exactly this. SS was a bit of a nothing burger, but INUN had loads of joy to offer, especially the close up of the upholstery stitching, the bag stuck on thorns, and the fact that the nicest man John met up north announced he was from Devonshire - "now known as Devon".

[amputeeporn]

I stumbled upon this story recently, which I must admit has soured me on Fellows. Is this something that's widely known? I was reading about the writer rather than him, so was surprised when his name came up - and in such poor context.

https://www.standard.co.uk/showbiz/famous-lover-left-me-with-a-baby-6320095.html

[idunnosomename]

i dont remember that and I was a fan back then. she definitely met him though!

https://www.theguardian.com/theobserver/2001/apr/08/features.review87

[Geoffrey]

Fellows has mentioned his son in interviews over the years and that he looks forward to him coming to stay with him in Lincolnshire, as he really misses him as he lives down south. Also he has said he doesn't get along with either of his exes.

[Echo Valley 2-6809]

For what it's worth, Louis Barfe - whose latest book, "The Authorised Story of Derek Hobson's 'That's My Dog'", is published in June - has described Stephanie Merritt as a useless novelist and literary hack.

[amputeeporn]

For what it's worth, Louis Barfe - whose latest book, "The Authorised Story of Derek Hobson's 'That's My Dog'", is published in June - has described Stephanie Merritt as a useless novelist and literary hack.

I'd say that's pretty worthless in the context of what I was talking about, yeah.

[idunnosomename]

i mean her historical fiction novels are what they are. not terrible. and even if they were, doesn't excuse having an affair with someone and leaving them with a baby

[Echo Valley 2-6809]

I wasn't actually attacking her, but anyway...

I'd say that's pretty worthless in the context of what I was talking about, yeah.

Sorry for not taking your pointlessly dredged-up story from 20 years ago more seriously.