Still Crazy (1998)

Director:

Brian Gibson

Writers:

Dick Clement (written by) &
Ian La Frenais (written by)

Release Date:

22 January 1999 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance | Music

Tagline:

They were "Strange Fruit". Some called them the greatest rock band of the '70s. They haven't played together for 20 years. No wonder they're worried about their performance.

Plot:

"Strange Fruit" had everything that makes a legendary rockband: Money, Fame, Success, Groupies, a Singer who died of drugs and even a divine ending...

Plot Keywords:

Reunion | Tour | Concert Film | Reference To Jimi Hendrix | Fictional Band

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Golden Globes. Another 2 wins & 3 nominations

Cast

Stephen Rea	...	Tony Costello
Billy Connolly	...	Hughie
Jimmy Nail	...	Les Wickes
Timothy Spall	...	David 'Beano' Baggot
Bill Nighy	...	Ray Simms
Juliet Aubrey	...	Karen Knowles
Helena Bergström	...	Astrid Simms
Bruce Robinson	...	Brian Lovell
Hans Matheson	...	Luke Shand
Rachael Stirling	...	Clare Knowles
Phil Daniels	...	Neil Gaydon
Philip Davis	...	Limo Driver (as Phil Davis)
Frances Barber	...	Lady in Black
Zoë Ball	...	Zoë
Virginia Clay	...	Young Karen
Luke Garrett	...	Young Hughie
Sean McKenzie	...	Young Beano
Rupert Penry-Jones	...	Young Ray
Matthew Finney	...	Young Brian
Alex Palmer	...	Young Les
Gavin Kennedy	...	Young Tony
Lee Williams	...	Young Keith
Andy Nichol	...	Gary
Francis Magee	...	Hockney
Justin Grattan	...	Not Morrissey
Delroy Atkinson	...	Jason
Julian Sims	...	Steve Greenblatt
Peter Baynham	...	Kevin
Margaret Blakemore	...	Waitress 1
Candida Gubbins	...	Waitress 2
Alphonsia Emmanuel	...	Camille
Mikayla Jones	...	Natasha
Jason Green	...	Adam
Christopher Wild	...	Apprentice
Dean Lennox Kelly	...	Pizza Boy
Mackenzie Crook	...	Dutch Kid
Donna Air	...	Dutch Hitch-Hiker
Ralph Van Dijk	...	Club 4 Owner
Sabina Michael	...	Dutch Receptionist
Steve Ubels	...	Dutch Local
Danny Webb	...	Clive
Anita Carey	...	Tax Woman
David Henry	...	Tax Inspector
Daisy Donovan	...	Female Reporter
Bruce Byron	...	Snotty Reporter
Jeffrey Harmer	...	Dutch Policeman
Sheila Reid	...	Mrs. Baggot
Leelo Ross	...	Dutch Lady
Brian Capron	...	Senior Executive
Luke D'Silva	...	Spanish Bar Man
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Eric Jorrin	...	Dutch Citizen (uncredited)
Taylor Murphy	...	Yeahman (uncredited)
Rebecca Promitzer	...	Bar Girl (uncredited)
Anneka Svenska	...	Hugh's Dutch Girlfriend (uncredited)

Directed by
Brian Gibson

Writing credits
Dick Clement		(written by) &
Ian La Frenais		(written by)

Produced by
Steve Clark-Hall	....	line producer
Dick Clement	....	executive producer
Tarquin Gotch	....	associate producer
Ian La Frenais	....	executive producer
Amanda Marmot	....	producer

Original Music by
Clive Langer

Cinematography by
Ashley Rowe

Film Editing by
Peter Boyle

Casting by
Gail Stevens

Production Design by
Max Gottlieb

Art Direction by
Sarah Jane Cornish

Set Decoration by
Rebecca Alleway

Costume Design by
Caroline Harris

Makeup Department
Anita Burger	....	hair stylist
Sarah Love	....	hair stylist
Morag Ross	....	makeup department head
Jemma Scott-Knox-Gore	....	contact lens technician

Production Management
Stephen Law	....	post-production supervisor
Duncan Muggoch	....	unit manager
Waldo Roeg	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Ben Burt	....	third assistant director
Sallie Anne Hard	....	second assistant director
Simon Moseley	....	assistant director
Mari Roberts	....	crowd assistant director
Chris 'Kit' Ryan	....	third assistant director
Adrian Sibley	....	second unit director

Art Department
Paul Cheesman	....	stand-by props

Sound Department
Nina Hartstone	....	assistant sound editor
John Ireland	....	adr supervisor
Robert Ireland	....	assistant sound editor
Michael Miller	....	adr recordist
Nigel Mills	....	dialogue editor
Colin Nicolson	....	sound
Robin O'Donoghue	....	sound re-recording mixer
Richard Street	....	sound re-recording mixer
Ruth Sullivan	....	foley artist
Andy Thompson	....	adr mixer
Nick Watson	....	sound consultant: Dolby

Special Effects by
Stuart Brisdon	....	special effects
Dave Crownshaw	....	snow effects supervisor
Mark Haddenham	....	special effects senior technician
Ian Lowe	....	special effects technician

Visual Effects by
Jeanette Brill	....	visual effects producer (as Jeanette Volturno)
Tim Burke	....	digital effects compositor
Mike Connolly	....	digital effects compositor: Mill Film
Robin Griffin	....	visual effects producer
Rob Harvey	....	visual effects supervisor
Laurent Hugueniot	....	3D artist
Charlie Lovett	....	3D artist
Dominic Sidoli	....	visual effects accounts assistant: mill film
Steve Barnes	....	technical assistant (uncredited)

Stunts
Theo Kypri	....	utility stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Alex Bailey	....	still photographer
Julian Bucknall	....	focus puller: second unit
Ian Clark	....	focus puller
John Donoghue	....	gaffer
Matt Gray	....	director of photography: second unit
Paul Jarvis	....	gaffer: second unit
Steve Lawes	....	focus puller: additional photography
William Tracey	....	best boy
David Wall	....	electrician
Edward Wright	....	camera trainee

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Katherine Burchill	....	costume assistant

Editorial Department
Niven Howie	....	additional editor

Music Department
Mark Bishop	....	score recording engineer
John Bundrick	....	musician: Hammond organ (as Rabbit)
Paul Carrack	....	musician: hammond organ
Billy Connolly	....	composer: song "Stealin'"
Steve Dagger	....	music supervisor
Steve Donnelly	....	band musician
Steve Donnelly	....	musician: bass
Tim Dorney	....	musician: drum programmer
Alan Dunn	....	musician: accordion
Dina Eaton	....	music editor
Mike Fewtrell	....	band musician
Tarquin Gotch	....	music supervisor
Matt Gregory	....	music recording engineer
Brian Gulland	....	musician: tuba
Simon Hale	....	music arranger: songs
Kim Halliday	....	music programmer
Martin Hughes	....	musician: drums
Chris Johnson	....	musician: drums
Clive Langer	....	music arranger: songs
Clive Langer	....	musician: guitar
Michael Lee	....	band musician
Bob Loveday	....	musician: mandolin and violin
Ralph McTell	....	musician: guitar
Steve Nieve	....	musician: keyboards
Charlie Palmer	....	musician: bass
Guy Pratt	....	band musician

Other crew
Sam Breckman	....	location manager
Clair Chrysler	....	stand-in
William Davies	....	production runner
Jo Farr	....	production coordinator
Richard Hyland	....	production accountant
Joe Lacey	....	stand-in
Duncan Muggoch	....	location manager
Clarissa Newman	....	assistant to director
Elizabeth West	....	script supervisor

Production Companies

• Columbia Pictures Corporation
• Marmot Tandy Productions
• The Greenlight Fund

Distributors

• Columbia Pictures
• Columbia TriStar Films (France)
• Columbia TriStar Films de España (Spain)
• Columbia TriStar (Brazil) (DVD)
• Columbia TriStar (Brazil) (VHS)
• Columbia TriStar (UK)
• LK-TEL (1999) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Sony Pictures Entertainment

Special Effects

• Mill Films (I)
• Snow Business International (snow effects)

Other Companies

• Pinewood Studios  movie studio
• 2020 Casting  extras casting
• ARRI Lighting Rental  lighting equipment
• ARRI Media  camera rental
• Compuhire  computer and video playback
• Sylvia Wheeler Film Services  negative cutting
• Wood Hall Catering  catering

MPAA:

Rated R for language, sexuality and drug content.

Runtime:

95 min | Argentina:100 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Canada:PG (Ontario) | Iceland:L | Australia:M | Belgium:KT | Canada:PG | France:U | Germany:12 | Netherlands:12 | Portugal:M/12 (video premiere) | Spain:13 | Sweden:7 | UK:15 | USA:R | Argentina:13 | Philippines:PG-13

Filming Locations:

Albert R. Broccoli 007 Stage, Pinewood Studios, Iver Heath, Buckinghamshire, England, UK

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

Glasgow band The Fratellis named their debut CD after a line where has-been rocker Tony Costello answers his phone like it's a business phone: "Costello Music".

Goofs:

Errors in geography: On their way from Groningen to Antwerp the band is passing by some windmills in some typical 'polder' landscape. That sort of landscape with that sort of windmills can not be encountered anywhere along that route, while the possibility of the band having terribly strayed off, gets contradicted by the fact that the two hitchhikers are also heading for Antwerp.

Quotes:

Ray Simms: I can see you Brian, so clearly, do you have a message?
Brian Lovell: Got a gig on Saturday man.
Ray Simms: Wha-what?

Movie Connections:

References Night of the Living Dead (1968)

Soundtrack:

ALL OVER THE WORLD

Funny, affectionate tribute to "classic" rock

In the voice over which begins the film, Hughie(Billy Connolly), a roadie for the great 70's band Strange Fruit, said the reason lightning struck at a rock festival to stop Strange Fruit's set was that God was sick of 70's excess. Indeed, it's been popular to put down that era of music, and see punk as a welcome antidote to it. While I agree the excess was tiresome(as well as the misogynistic urges which came out of it), and like punk, I still am a fan of what is considered classic rock or glam rock, and this film about Strange Fruit's long, strange reunion is an affectionate tribute to those days.

One of the reasons the film works is the care of the people behind the scenes. Brian Gibson directed WHAT'S LOVE GOT TO DO WITH IT, about Tina Turner(while I had problems with the dramatic parts of the film, the music was handled very well), writers Dick Clement and Ian Le Frenais co-wrote THE COMMITMENTS and were behind the music-oriented British TV show OVER THE RAINBOW, and the songs Strange Fruit played were co-written by Foreigner's Mick Jones(not to be confused with The Clash's Mick Jones), so it was a meeting of people who knew what they were talking about. Also, two cast members are musicians in their own right(Bill Nye I don't know about, though the film credits him with his own singing, and he certainly looks like a lead singer of that era, while Jimmy Nail was in another British TV show which was music-oriented, though I forget the name, and he was in EVITA), and the others are convincing at it. And while, as I said, a lot of 70's bands like Strange Fruit behaved badly towards women, the movie doesn't make the same mistake(except for the woman who follows Timothy Spall around); as the manager of the reunion, Juliet Aubrey is quite good and plays a fully rounded character.

The other actors are all good as well, with special praise to Stephen Rea, who handles the more dramatic role well without sentimentality. There are a couple of plot points which don't work, but overall this is quite enjoyable. Oh yeah, and the music is good too.