"The Human Face" (2001) TV mini-series

User Rating:

8.3/10   

Directors:

James Erskine
David Stewart

Writer:

John Cleese (writer)

Release Date:

26 August 2001 (USA)

Genre:

Documentary

Plot:

This 4 part BBC series examines the science behind facial beauty, expression, and fame in an entertaining fashion.

Plot Keywords:

Beauty | Plastic Surgery | Prosopagnosia | Ugly | Identity

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Primetime Emmys.

Cast

John Cleese	...	Himself - Host
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
David Attenborough	...	Himself
Candice Bergen	...	Herself
Pierce Brosnan	...	Himself
Mali Finn	...	Herself
Charles Fleming	...	Himself
William Goldman	...	Himself
Kevyn Major Howard	...	Himself
Elizabeth Hurley	...	Various roles
Michael Palin	...	Applicant / peasant
Joan Rivers	...	Herself
Michael Rix	...	Himself
Prunella Scales	...	Pet shop owner / wife

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Certification:

Australia:M

Filming Locations:

Burlington, North Carolina, USA

Company:

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)

Quotes:

Host: [open with John Cleese on a beach with three young women approaching him from the background.] One of these women is my daughter, Camilla.
Camilla: Can I have some money?
Host: Sure... here's a fin.
Host: [to camera] Of course I recognized her face as well.

Movie Connections:

References "Monty Python's Flying Circus" (1969)

Bizarre concept, mildly interesting, OTT presentation.

It seems that a BBC documentary series can't be made these days without a celebrity to promote it. Recently we've had Sam Neill with "Space" and this series presented by comedy veteran John Cleese. What qualifies these people escapes me, since they appear to have no real expertise at all, just a curiosity like the viewing audience. If you think John Cleese is God (like some people do), or even if you just like him (and I realise how popular the cult "Monty Python" was/is in the US), you'll be immediately interested in any series he gets involved in. Personally, I think that John Cleese is about as funny in this series as he was in those supermarket commercials (to viewers outside the UK, that isn't very funny). He does tend to be a bit OTT at times, but the premise of the series has its merits. It was certainly an unusual idea to dedicate a show to the human face, and you learn plenty of things you'd never have known, and could easily have lived without knowing. Mr Cleese isn't the only celeb appearing in the show. Liz Hurley makes an appearance as an example of the human face at its most beautiful, and we learn the mathematical formula that makes her so incredibly gorgeous (shame I can't remember what it is).