Brassed Off (1996)

Director:

Mark Herman

Writer:

Mark Herman (written by)

Release Date:

23 May 1997 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

Tagline:

Fed up with the system. Ticked off at the establishment. And mad about... each other.

Plot:

The coal mine in a northern English village may be closing, which would also mean the end of the miners' brass band.

Plot Keywords:

Band | Colliery | Brass Band | Miner | Competition

Awards:

Nominated for BAFTA Film Award. Another 10 wins & 6 nominations

Cast

Pete Postlethwaite	...	Danny
Tara Fitzgerald	...	Gloria
Ewan McGregor	...	Andy
Stephen Tompkinson	...	Phil
Jim Carter	...	Harry
Philip Jackson	...	Jim
Peter Martin	...	Ernie
Sue Johnston	...	Vera
Mary Healey	...	Ida
Melanie Hill	...	Sandra
Lill Roughley	...	Rita
Peter Gunn	...	Simmo
Stephen Moore	...	McKenzie
Kenneth Colley	...	Greasley (as Ken Colley)
Olga Grahame	...	Mrs. Foggan
Toni Galacki	...	Gary
Sky Ingram	...	Kylie
Luke McGann	...	Shane
Christopher Tetlow	...	Craig
Bernard Wrigley	...	Chapman
Ken Kitson	...	Heavy 1
Adrian Hood	...	Heavy 2
Sally Sheridan	...	Ward Sister (as Sally Adams)
Tubby Andrews	...	Bus Driver
Katherine Dow Blyton	...	Nurse
Adam Fogerty	...	Miner
Vanessa Knox-Mawer	...	Mother 2
Sally Ann Matthews	...	Waitress
Jacqueline Naylor	...	Mother 1
Bob Rodgers	...	Halifax Judge
Max Smith	...	Nightwatchman
Ronnie Stevens	...	Albert Hall Judge
Peter Wallis	...	Elderly Man
Robert Archer	...	Grimley Colliery Band
Andrew Armstrong	...	Grimley Colliery Band
David Arnold	...	Grimley Colliery Band
Mark Arnold	...	Grimley Colliery Band
David Barraclough	...	Grimley Colliery Band
Jonathan Beatty	...	Grimley Colliery Band
Roy Bowater	...	Grimley Colliery Band
Colin Brook	...	Grimley Colliery Band
Duncan Byers	...	Grimley Colliery Band
Malcolm Clegg	...	Grimley Colliery Band
Paul Davies	...	Grimley Colliery Band
David Essex	...	Grimley Colliery Band
Charles Faulkner	...	Grimley Colliery Band
Andrew Hirst	...	Grimley Colliery Band
Alan Hobbins	...	Grimley Colliery Band
Cliff Hopes	...	Grimley Colliery Band
Paul Hughes	...	Grimley Colliery Band
Michael Kennedy	...	Grimley Colliery Band
Paul McDonald	...	Grimley Colliery Band
Stephen Peacock	...	Grimley Colliery Band
Shaun Randall	...	Grimley Colliery Band
Jim Shepherd	...	Grimley Colliery Band
Robin Taylor	...	Grimley Colliery Band
Simon Willis	...	Grimley Colliery Band
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
William Atkinson	...	Chippy (uncredited)
Jonathan Bridge	...	Concert Extra (uncredited)
Martin L. Evans	...	Boy (uncredited)
Nick Owenford	...	Band Member (uncredited)
David Palfreyman	...	Miner (uncredited)
Irene Skillington	...	Passing Nurse (uncredited)

Directed by
Mark Herman

Writing credits
Mark Herman		(written by)

Produced by
Steve Abbott	....	producer
Olivia Stewart	....	co-producer

Original Music by
Trevor Jones

Cinematography by
Andy Collins

Film Editing by
Michael Ellis

Casting by
Julia Duff
Priscilla John

Production Design by
Don Taylor

Art Direction by
Felicity Joll

Set Decoration by
Brian Read

Costume Design by
Amy Roberts

Makeup Department
Tricia Cameron	....	chief hair stylist
Tricia Cameron	....	key makeup artist
Sallie Evans	....	makeup artist
Norma Webb	....	hair stylist
Norma Webb	....	makeup artist

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Clare Awdry	....	third assistant director
Jonathan Benson	....	assistant director
Antony Ford	....	second assistant director

Art Department
John Allenby	....	property master
Jo Graysmark	....	assistant art director
Robert Hill	....	stand-by props (as Rob Hill)
Derek Honeybun	....	painter
Ken Lupton	....	property runaround
Emma MacDevitt	....	art department runner
Steve Macdonald	....	stand-by prop (as Steve McDonald)
Barry Moll	....	construction manager
Roy O'Connor	....	dressing prop
Mark Reynolds	....	dressing prop
Mark Roberts	....	painter
Peter Skarratt	....	stand-by carpenter
Joe Willmott	....	carpenter (as Joe Wilmott)

Sound Department
Jason Adams	....	foley editor
Graham Daniel	....	sound re-recording mixer
Peter Elliott	....	dialogue editor
Steve Finn	....	boom operator
Julius Gladwell	....	assistant foley editor
Emily Lincoln	....	assistant sound editor
Peter Lindsay	....	sound recordist
Dennis McTaggart	....	sound editor
Ray Merrin	....	sound re-recording mixer
Mervyn Moore	....	boom operator
Lyle Scott-Darling	....	sound re-recordist
James Manning	....	assistant sound engineer (uncredited)
Keith Mason	....	dubbing assistant (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Steve Crawley	....	wireman
Tim Baxter	....	optical effects (uncredited)

Stunts
Sean McCabe	....	stunt coordinator
Julian Spencer	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
David Appleby	....	still photographer
Sophie Baker	....	still photographer
Mark Binnall	....	grip
Harry Bowers	....	clapper loader
Stuart Brereton	....	camera trainee
Ross Chapman	....	electrician
Sarah Fitzgerald	....	still photographer
Steve Griffiths	....	electrician
Ray Hall	....	grip
Gordon Hickie	....	camera operator: second unit
Peter Johnson	....	stand-by rigger
Mark Laidlaw	....	generator operator
Mark Milsome	....	focus puller
Ronnie Phillips	....	best boy (as Ron Phillips)
Chris Plevin	....	camera operator
Norman Smith	....	gaffer
Gavin Tookey	....	focus puller: second unit

Casting Department
Brendan Donnison	....	adr voice casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Mark Foster	....	wardrobe supervisor
Marion Lester-Card	....	wardrobe assistant
Elizabeth Wilson	....	wardrobe assistant

Editorial Department
Clive Barrett	....	associate editor
Emily Hunt	....	second assistant editor
Stephen Law	....	post-production coordinator

Music Department
Geoff Alexander	....	orchestrator
Isobel Griffiths	....	orchestral contractor
Trevor Jones	....	conductor
Trevor Jones	....	music producer: brass band
Trevor Jones	....	orchestrator
Emily Lodge	....	music clearances
Bill Lyon	....	musician
James Manning	....	assistant music engineer
Simon Rhodes	....	music mixer
Simon Rhodes	....	music mixer: brass band
Simon Rhodes	....	music recordist
Victoria Seale	....	music coordinator: Contemporary Media Music Productions
Mike Sheady	....	music recordist: brass band
Tony Stanton	....	music copying
Robert Archer	....	musician (uncredited)
Andrew Armstrong	....	musician (uncredited)
David Arnold	....	musician (uncredited)
David Barraclough	....	musician (uncredited)
Jonathan Beatty	....	musician (uncredited)
Roy Bowater	....	musician (uncredited)
Colin Brook	....	musician (uncredited)
Duncan Byers	....	musician (uncredited)
Malcolm Clegg	....	musician (uncredited)
Percy Grainger	....	music arranger: "Danny Boy (Londonderry Air ") (uncredited)
Simon Gresswell	....	musician (uncredited)
Alan Hobbins	....	musician (uncredited)
Stephen Peacock	....	musician (uncredited)
Kirsty Whalley	....	synthesizer programmer (uncredited)
Gavyn Wright	....	orchestra leader (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Brian Bassnett	....	driver: camera car
Paul Caputa	....	unit driver
Rodney Dodson	....	transport
Mark Featherstone	....	wardrobe bus driver
Les Quick	....	stand-by driver: props
Steve Timms	....	unit driver
Laurence Turner	....	unit driver
Nick Wilson	....	make-up bus driver
Laurence Turner	....	driver: minibus (uncredited)

Other crew
Bill Barringer	....	location manager
Dominic Barringer	....	rushes runner
Geraldine East	....	legal services
Marilla Elliott	....	location manager: London
Sarah Fleet	....	assistant: Steve and Mark
Howard Grace	....	floor runner
Howard Grace	....	stand-in
Roger Handley	....	band uniforms
Victoria Handley	....	band uniforms
Marriott Harrison	....	legal
Mark Herbert	....	assistant location manager
Synnøve Hørsdal	....	production runner
Zoe Johnson	....	stand-in: nurse
Sara Keene	....	publicist
Sheryl Leonardo	....	production accountant
Wendy Lilly	....	production coordinator
Vikki Luya	....	publicist
June McDonald	....	script supervisor
Ian Robinson	....	laboratory contact
Rebecca Sutton	....	floor runner
Jane Trower	....	assistant accountant
Jeannie Udall	....	unit nurse (as Jeanie Udall)
Joan Washington	....	dialect coach
Simon Dowling	....	title designer (uncredited)
Amanda Street	....	international sales: FilmFour (uncredited)

Thanks
Christopher Hall	....	thanks
Richard Whiteley	....	thanks

Production Companies

• Channel Four Films
• Miramax Films
• Prominent Features

Distributors

• Cinemien (1997) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Eurocine (1998) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Argentina Video Home (1998) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Atalanta Filmes (Portugal)
• Atlantic Film (2009) (Finland) (DVD)
• Atlantic Film (2009) (Sweden) (DVD)
• Channel Four Films
• Homescreen (1998) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• Homescreen (2003) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Kinowelt Filmverleih (Germany)
• Miramax Films (1997) (USA)
• Miramax Home Entertainment (USA) (video)
• Prime Films S.L. (Spain)

Other Companies

• AON/Albert G. Ruben Insurance Services  insurance
• ATC Loudspeaker Technology  studio monitoring
• Abbey Road Studios  brass band music recorded at
• Abbey Road Studios  orchestra recorded at
• CMMP Studios  synthesizers mixed at
• CMMP Studios  synthesizers recorded at
• Capital FX  titles
• Corbett & Keene  publicity (as corbett & keene)
• Film Finances  completion guarantor
• GT Caterers  catering: Yorkshire
• Goldcrest Post Production London  post-production facilities (as goldcreset)
• Joe Dunton & Company  camera equipment provided by
• Lee Lighting  grip and lighting equipment
• Marriott Harrison  legal services
• Movietech  camera equipment provided by
• Moving Picture Company (MPC)  digital optical effects
• R.J. Handley Ltd.  band uniforms
• RCA Victor  soundtrack
• Sapex Scripts  post-production services
• Set Meals  catering: london/birmingham
• Shepperton Studios  re-recording facilities
• Simon Jersey Uniforms  band uniforms
• Sylvia Wheeler Film Services  negative cutting

Also Known As:

"Brassed Off!" - USA (poster title)
"Brass!" - Japan (English title)

MPAA:

Rated R for language

Runtime:

107 min

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Certification:

Argentina:16 | Australia:M | Chile:14 | Finland:K-8 | Germany:12 | Portugal:M/12 | Spain:13 | Sweden:7 | UK:15 | USA:R | Singapore:PG | Iceland:L | Canada:14A (Ontario) | South Korea:15 | Italy:T

Filming Locations:

British Waterways Wharf, Friars Gate, Doncaster, South Yorkshire, England, UK

Company:

Channel Four Films

Trivia:

The advertising slogan on the back of the coach that the band use reads: "Arkwright Travel - New York, London, Paris & Grimley - But mainly Grimley".

Quotes:

[in the local shop]
Vera:Sorry, Sand, you're a bit short, love.
Sandra:How much?
Vera:One fifty? What's it to be?
[Sandra wonders what items to put back on the shelf]
Shane:What about them aeroplane things, mam?
Sandra:What?
[Shane points at Sandra's pack of sanitary towels]
Shane:Them things with wings on.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Long Way Round" (2004)

Soundtrack:

The Floral Dance

How can people watch this & miss the point entirely?

Why did I say that? Because most of the negative comments come from right wing liberal haters who have entirely missed the meaning behind the film. I even read one which announced "keep politics out of my entertainment"!!!

Sorry, but the story is based around real events & the politics of the miners & the times are an integral part of that story. One poster (from Scotland who should have known better) stated :

"I think the problem I have is this film really plays up to the clichéd northern stereotypes it's almost offensive , the male characters all work down the pit , play in a brass band etc that it's impossible to believe in them as real human beings."

It was a colliery band - of course all the male band members worked down the pit - that was the crux of the story. And why does working down a pit & playing in a brass band diminish you as a real human being?

According to a poster from Yorkshire, who lived through the pit closures, it was VERY true to the times. Mr Scotland is being a bit elitist I think. I'm an Australian who cringes (&, if comedy, laughs) at the depiction of the stereotypical Aussie (think "Kath & Kim" if you get it over there) but that's only because I'm not one. However, the country's filled with them!!

It was a magnificent & moving film which captured the essence of the Thatcher years of destruction. If your not familiar with the period then do yourself a favour & read a bit about the history behind the pit closures etc before you watch this film - you'll enjoy it a whole lot more.

For you fellow Greenies out there, yes, I agree coal mining must cease but you don't go and pull the safety net away from a community without having something else to take its place. BTW. the closures didn't lower the use of fossil fuels anyway - the UK just started to import coal instead.