Pink Floyd The Wall (1982)

Director:

Alan Parker

Writers:

Roger Waters (album "The Wall")
Roger Waters (screenplay)

Release Date:

13 August 1982 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Music

Tagline:

Pink Floyd The Wall. Now The Film.

Plot:

A troubled rock star descends into madness in the midst of his physical and social isolation from everyone.

Plot Keywords:

Wall | Drugs | Rock Star | WWII | Teacher

Awards:

Won 2 BAFTA Film Awards. Another 1 nomination

Cast

Bob Geldof	...	Pink
Christine Hargreaves	...	Pink's Mother
James Laurenson	...	J.A. Pinkerton (Pink's Father)
Eleanor David	...	Pink's Wife
Kevin McKeon	...	Young Pink
Bob Hoskins	...	Rock and Roll Manager
David Bingham	...	Little Pink
Jenny Wright	...	American Groupie
Alex McAvoy	...	Teacher
Ellis Dale	...	English Doctor
James Hazeldine	...	Lover
Ray Mort	...	Playground Father
Margery Mason	...	Teacher's Wife (as Marjorie Mason)
Robert Bridges	...	American Doctor
Michael Ensign	...	Hotel Manager

Also Known As:

The Wall

Runtime:

95 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.20 : 1

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) | Dolby (35 mm prints)

Certification:

Singapore:M18 | France:-16 (original rating) | Argentina:16 (re-rating) | Peru:18 | Argentina:18 (original rating) | Netherlands:AL | Australia:M | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:14A (VHS rating) | Canada:18A (original rating) | Chile:18 | Finland:K-16 | France:U | Israel:PG | New Zealand:R16 (DVD rating) (2003) | Portugal:M/18 | South Korea:(Banned) (1982-1991) | South Korea:18 (re-rating) (1999) (uncut) | South Korea:18 (video rating) (1991) (cut) | Spain:13 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:R | West Germany:16

Filming Locations:

London, England, UK

Company:

Goldcrest Films International

Trivia:

Jenny Wright wasn't told that Geldof would be throwing that bottle at her, so her reaction of ducking was totally spontaneous.

Goofs:

Continuity: The direction of the merry-go-round changes just before young Pink is put on it.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Pink: [singing] So ya, thought ya might like to, go to the show. To feel the warm thrill of confusing that space cadet glow. Tell me is something eluding you sunshine? Is this not what you expected to see? If you wanna find out what's behind these cold eyes, you'll just have to crawl your way through this disguise!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "The Simpsons: Make Room for Lisa (#10.16)" (1999)

Soundtrack:

Young Lust

A fascinating story about fascism - WARNING! Psychoanalytic content

The opening tracking shot of a hotel hallway that resembles a prison should clue you in as to what awaits. There are so many things to like and be fascinated by in this movie. And for all of its avant-garde leanings, this is actually a very classically designed story. An iconoclastic music star, Pink Floyd, tries/tries not to think about his past and how he got to where he is, which is borderline psychotic. And because he's so disturbed, he can't even think in a linear way, so the journey we take into his mind is necessarily whacked-out.

We also get to see how fascism is born from misdirected hate and idolatry. As a rock star, Floyd has seen the adulation of his audiences, so he's familiar with the phenomenon. But at the same time, he detests them for buying into his act. It's like the old Groucho Marx joke about refusing membership to any group who would let you in. He knows he's a fake (his teachers and people like his wife have told him so), so everyone else who thinks he's real must be fakes also. It's a big cyclic game. So he can't let any of them in, behind his wall, because they are, by definition, phony.

It's interesting, also, to think about how he has turned full circle into fascism. It's just part of his dream and how he deals with his anger, but it's also an interesting reaction to the absent father. Had there been no homosexuals or Jews etc., there would have been no need for a Hitler, and therefore there would have been no need for his father to die. But instead of hating Nazis, he hates the people that "provoked" the Nazis. (I could go on for days with stuff like this, but I'll stop here.)

Just watch the movie and be impressed with the way it works on so many levels.