Ricky Gervais plans David Brent: The Movie

[Queneau]

it's almost like what he says has all the credibility of a walking, rattling bucket of dry dog-dirts. Almost, but not.

Coming soon: Ricky Gervais seen out holding hands with God.

[Replies From View]

I know he couldn't think of anything to say, but it's not a question of why he didn't say something.  He never says anything of worth anyway.

It's a question of why he decided to present specific bits of old material rather than other bits of old material.  The Brent dance and Freelove Freeway were famous pieces and I can understand why he did them even if it made it obvious he was desperate.  But then he suddenly starting singing about being a filthy little fat pugboy tosser or whatever.  It was just very very strange - stranger than all the rest of it.

[Queneau]

If he never has anything of worth to say, why are you assuming there must be some logic to what he chose to do?

[BritishHobo]

While we're on the subject of Gervais undermining past proclamations of integrity with regards to art, that quote about not pandering to the lowest common denominator is interesting in the light of that recent interview/article where talked about deliberately making Derek broad and obvious. If anyone could find that for me, that'd be great. I'd really appreciate it. You're such a good friend; why can't I find a boyfriend like you?

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If he never has anything of worth to say, why are you assuming there must be some logic to what he chose to do?

I don't really see the connection between these; sorry.

[BritishHobo]

I know he couldn't think of anything to say, but it's not a question of why he didn't say something.  He never says anything of worth anyway.

It's a question of why he decided to present specific bits of old material rather than other bits of old material.  The Brent dance and Freelove Freeway were famous pieces and I can understand why he did them even if it made it obvious he was desperate.  But then he suddenly starting singing about being a filthy little fat pugboy tosser or whatever.  It was just very very strange - stranger than all the rest of it.

I really think it's literally just the first thing to come into his head. He thought 'Fuck, two more minutes, what's another song- OH! Just wrote that pug-nosed face thing for Extras, that'll do."

[SexPestsAreMagic]

"Even if we wanted to, we mustn't. I'd be too embarrassed to go back on my word. I think it would look desperate. And it would spoil the completeness of the 12 episodes and the special. I'm more interested in the legacy than wringing out the towel a bit more."
- Ricky Gervais, 2004

"As you may know I've stopped with Twitter," he wrote on his blog. "I just don't get it I'm afraid. I'm sure it's fun as a networking device for teenagers but there's something a bit undignified about adults using it. Particularly celebrities who seem to be showing off by talking to each other in public.

"If I want to tell a friend, famous or otherwise what I had to eat this morning, I'll text them. And since I don't need to make new virtual friends, it seemed a bit pointless to be honest."

[Pit-Pat]

God, I wish we were getting an actual Derek film instead of this. This Brent thing just sounds like it'll be pretty predictable and dull with a handful of amusing moments, but the thought of the sheer heights of fucking mental insanity that a feature-length Derek outing would reach just makes my head spin.

At this point though I actually wouldn't be that surprised if Gervais worked a Derek cameo into this film. It could be like that bit in Ali G Indahouse where Ali G meets Borat, but with more kindness and headlocks.

God, I wish we could just have Derek In Da House, where he becomes Prime Minister and makes the world a better place through kindness and not thinking critically about anything because he's incapable.

[Replies From View]

Gervais is going to make a fine washed-up alcoholic has-been, isn't he.

His celebrity friends are playing along with it by doing supportive mong faces for the laughs of Gervais' only remaining fans, but they must already sense where he's going.  He's a drug and alcohol burn-out in the making.

[emmett85]

craig from big brother is looking rough these days

[Replies From View]

I'd like to see a The Pink Panther films remade with Derek as Inspector Clouseau and Bath-Face as Cato.

Bath-Face being entirely bath-bound, of course, and having to be Cato like that.

[Queneau]

RG: It's hard to give Brent a happy ending as he's not sure himself what he really wants. We'll have fun trying to watch him find out though. Basically, He's been sold a lie. That fame will sort everything out. He's not a bad person. He just confuses popularity for respect. As viewers we're laughing at his blind spot. We're laughing at the huge difference between how he sees himself and the actual harsh reality of how he really is. This is what is both tragic and funny. If he was real we would have to be ashamed of ourselves for loving his struggle. But he's not so laugh away. And there's songs!

Source: http://gervaistwonks.blogspot.co.uk/2014/08/ricky-gervais-was-kind-enough-to-answer.html

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Basically, He's been sold a lie. That fame will sort everything out. He's not a bad person.

Just make the autobiographical film you're clearly dying to make, Gervais.  You don't seem any less of a narcissist by deflecting everything to Brent.

[Sexton Brackets Drugbust]

I will definitely pay to see this fantastic concept translated to the big screen, provided Gervais uses the tagline, "Get Brent!"

[MuteBanana]

Source: http://gervaistwonks.blogspot.co.uk/2014/08/ricky-gervais-was-kind-enough-to-answer.html

I hope he doesn't die before he has a chance to enjoy the praise he'll get for this Ricky Gervais character.

[toetoe]

RG:Basically, He's been sold a lie. That fame will sort everything out. He's not a bad person. He just confuses popularity for respect.

Hehe.

Hehehehehe

[the science eel]

Well it makes sense. I mean, remember how John Cleese did that Basil Fawlty film twelve years after Fawlty Towers finished.

No. What's this?

[BritishHobo]

Argh, but the great thing (to me) about the ending to the Christmas Special is that he finally, in a small way, figures out that being liked isn't as important as being a good person; it doesn't matter that his response to Finch's jokes aren't witty and cutting, because he's finally standing up for a friend and potential lover of his. It's a tiny development, but it's important. To regress him is just lazy.

[Steven]

No. What's this?

May have been a joke but he did do :

[Queneau]

I liked Clockwise. Admittedly it's years since I saw it.

[Steven]

But it is basically Basil Fawlty the movie, I wonder if it was dreamed up in an attempt at that, through a process of talks to get a Fawlty movie going and Cleese wouldn't do it so a compromise was had by morphing the character into an uptight headmaster.

It's no Splitting Heirs.

[BritishHobo]

Then in Rat Race he got to play Donald Sinclair, inspiration for Fawlty; although it was really just in name only, since he was more of a demented power-crazed business tycoon than a crap hotelier.

[Neil]

Been trying to find the requested "its just telly, people dont want much, just to chill out" interview requested a page or two back. No joy yet, but it seems the first Brent film rumours may have been April this year, and were accompanied by backtracking ""I dont care about my legacy" press releases.

[MuteBanana]

Do you mean this bit from his blog, Neil?

The emotional response to the show grew steadily each week and the reaction to the finale is still going on. I've never had a reaction like it to be honest.

Not even The Office Xmas Special seemed to have people declaring that they cried their eyes out for the whole episode. Also, what's amazing about the response to Derek is all the admissions like, "I hated it at first and now it's my favourite thing you've done."

I think this may be a reflection of social media too, obviously. People know they are telling me what they feel directly so they want to be honest about a personal response as opposed to a colder critique. I must admit I am most proud of the emotional response to the characters and themes of the show as that was by far the most difficult thing about it.

It was nearly impossible to try to cram as much depth of character and story as The Office or Extras into 7 minutes less each week. I had to use broader brush strokes and cut to the chase. I did this by concentrating on one plot line and one main theme each week. I think the people who liked the show the most, understood this the most.

At the end of the day though, the average person doesn't sit and analyse if, and then why, they liked something or not. I liked it. I laughed. I cried. And that's the end of it for most. And why not? It's entertainment when all is said and done; not philosophy or religion. It filled half an hour and then I watched something else. That's good enough for me.

[BritishHobo]

That's exactly the one, perfect!

Talking about never pandering, never compromising his vision, and then giving that weak shit about it being 'just' entertainment; 'it filled half an hour and then I watched something else'. What an ambitious sentiment towards your own project.

[HappyTree]

"I hated it at first and now it's my favourite thing you've done," said the little voices in his head. What a loon :-D

Gervais is actually, genuinely, doing that scene with Brent in the night club imagining an argument with someone who ends up in this ego fantasy admitting "Yes actually you were right all along."

Double-you, tee, eff.

[Geoffrey]

Argh, but the great thing (to me) about the ending to the Christmas Special is that he finally, in a small way, figures out that being liked isn't as important as being a good person; it doesn't matter that his response to Finch's jokes aren't witty and cutting, because he's finally standing up for a friend and potential lover of his. It's a tiny development, but it's important. To regress him is just lazy.

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/features/3673061/We-look-at-The-Office-10-years-on.html I think it was in this article from 2011 (most of which is behind a paywall), where he dressed up again as Brent to celebrate 10 years since 'The Office' in which when asked about bringing him back, he said something along the lines of "Once Brent told Finchy to "Fuck off" and got that self awareness after meeting Carol, the character as he used to be was destroyed."

So yes it is lazy, and a shame for me as I was a big fan of 'The Office', to bring him back and regress him like this.

[the science eel]

Double-you, tee, eff.

No, no. This is awful and worse than anything RG has ever done.

Please please don't do it again. It's not even 7 am here and you have absolutely ruined my day with this.

[HappyTree]

Elle oh elle, soz.

[The Boston Crab]

I feel sorry for the guy. He probably doesn't mean to be a dick and he hasn't done anything that bad anyway, he's just contradictory, like everyone else. I wish he had someone trusted to step in and put a hand on his shoulder.