Cold Lazarus (1996– )

Dr. Emma Porlock and her colleagues, attempting to unlock the secrets of human memory for the Masdon drug empire, get a cryogenically stored 400-year-old human head to project its memories ... See full summary »

Stars:

Albert Finney, Ciarán Hinds, Frances de la Tour

2 nominations.

Cast

Series cast summary:
Albert Finney	...	Daniel Feeld (4 episodes, 1996)
Ciarán Hinds	...	Fyodor (4 episodes, 1996)
Frances de la Tour	...	Emma Porlock (4 episodes, 1996)
Grant Masters	...	Tony Watson (4 episodes, 1996)
Ganiat Kasumu	...	Luanda (4 episodes, 1996)
Carmen Ejogo	...	Blinda (4 episodes, 1996)
Henry Goodman	...	David Siltz (4 episodes, 1996)
Saffron Burrows	...	Sandra Sollars (4 episodes, 1996)
Diane Ladd	...	Martina Masdon (3 episodes, 1996)
Joe Roberts	...	Chris (3 episodes, 1996)
Tara Woodward	...	Beth (3 episodes, 1996)
Rob Brydon	...	Karl (3 episodes, 1996)
Anna Chancellor	...	Anna Griffiths (3 episodes, 1996)
Claudia Malkovich	...	Kaya (2 episodes, 1996)
David Foxxe	...	Andrew Milton (2 episodes, 1996)
James Peck	...	Fyodor's Apartment Guard (2 episodes, 1996)
John Light	...	Student Daniel (2 episodes, 1996)
Terence Maynard	...	1st MSC Guard (2 episodes, 1996)
Guy Masterson	...	Police Chief (2 episodes, 1996)
Jonathan Cake	...	Nat (2 episodes, 1996)
Adam Bareham	...	Daniel's Father (2 episodes, 1996)
Rupert Penry-Jones	...	Militiaman (2 episodes, 1996)
Malcolm Rogers	...	Preacher (2 episodes, 1996)
Harry Ditson	...	Harry Schumpet (2 episodes, 1996)
Silas Carson	...	1st Sentry (2 episodes, 1996)
Jason Salkey	...	2nd Sentry (2 episodes, 1996)
Donald Sumpter	...	Dr. Rawl (2 episodes, 1996)
Roy Hudd	...	Ben Baglin (2 episodes, 1996)
Richard E. Grant	...	Nick Balmer (2 episodes, 1996)
Natascha McElhone	...	Angie (2 episodes, 1996)
Katy Carmichael	...	2nd Hostess (2 episodes, 1996)

Storyline

Dr. Emma Porlock and her colleagues, attempting to unlock the secrets of human memory for the Masdon drug empire, get a cryogenically stored 400-year-old human head to project its memories through virtual reality displays. But Porlock and her team are chronically under-funded, and she may have to go around Masdon to a media sleaze merchant to get the money she needs to maintain the project. But an even more complex world of secret police, RON (Reality-Or-Nothing) riots, and murder is going on outside the lab. And the deeper Porlock goes into the frozen memories of the writer Daniel Feeld, the more twisted the labyrinth of intrigue becomes.

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Plot Keywords:

virtual reality | edited from tv series | tv mini series | laboratory | futuristic

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Genres:

Drama | Sci-Fi | Thriller

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Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

4 June 1997 (USA)

Also Known As:

Kylmä Lasarus

Filming Locations:

Gloucestershire, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), Channel 4 Television Corporation, Whistling Gypsy Production

Technical Specs

Runtime:

300 min 300 min (4 parts)

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Trivia

In the interview "Seeing the Blossom", Dennis Potter comments that he wrote "Cold Lazarus" and its prequel "Karaoke" based on the simple writer's premise: "If you wanted to make the world a better place, who would you kill?"

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Goofs

When Dr. Glazunov destroys Daniel Feeld's frozen head at the end, the wall screen still displays his voyage through the tunnel of light to heaven, despite not being plugged into anything any more.

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Quotes

David Siltz: Harry, do you have to be so fucking vulgar all the time?

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Connections

Follows Karaoke (1996)

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Soundtracks

"WILL THERE BE ANY STARS IN MY CROWN"
by The pupils of the Barbara Speake School

User Reviews

An amazing accomplishment by Dennis Potter.

I consider Dennis Potter's "The Singing Detective" the best thing ever to appear on TV. "Karaoke-Cold Lazarus" are contenders for second place. It is vital to see Karaoke first because Dennis Potter wrote them as a part of a whole.

Potter racing against the clock to finish Lazarus before he died. They are funny, weird, mysterious and profound -- a rare combination for any medium. It helps to know a bit of Potter's bio to fully appreciate the depth of this accomplishment.

My favorite moment came when slimy TV producer Siltz exults in the opportunity to own a writer's mind (literally) in order to exploit it. I can imagine the smile on Potter's face when he first conceived that scene, seeing it as a metaphor for his showbiz struggles with the Siltzes of the world.

Anyone who appreciates great writing will love this. Dennis Potter wrote a brilliant script about his own death. I doubt anyone will top his feat for a long time.