The Rutles 2: Can't Buy Me Lunch (TV 2004)

Twenty-three years after the release of the original Rutles documentary, famous artists, actors and musicians speak out on how the Rutles influenced them.

Director:

Eric Idle

Writer:

Eric Idle

Stars:

Eric Idle, Neil Innes, Ricky Fataar

Cast

Credited cast:
Eric Idle	...	Narrator / Dirk McQuickly / Lady Beth Mouse-Peddler
Neil Innes	...	Ron Nasty
Ricky Fataar	...	Stig O'Hara
David Bowie	...	David Bowie - Interviewee
Billy Connolly	...	Himself - Interviewee
Carrie Fisher	...	Carrie Fisher - Interviewee
Jewel Kilcher	...	Jewel - Interviewee (as Jewel)
Steve Martin	...	Interviewee
Mike Nichols	...	Mike Nichols - Interviewee
Conan O'Brien	...	Conan O'Brien - Interviewee
Salman Rushdie	...	Salman Rushdie - Interviewee
Garry Shandling	...	Garry Shandling - Interviewee
Robin Williams	...	Hans Hänkie
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
April Adams	...	Groupie Interviewee (scenes deleted)
Clint Black	...	Clint Black - Interviewee

Storyline

After sitting on a shelf at Warner Brothers for over a year, Rutles 2: Can't Buy Me Lunch, the much anticipated sequel to Eric Idle and Gerard Corvin's 1978 mockumentary, is finally on release, revealing the final exploits of The Rutles as they do a reunion tour of America. Documentor, Dirk McQuickly, interviews many artists and personalities who were inspired by the legendary band, from David Bowie to Tom Hanks.

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Plot Keywords:

sequel | fake documentary | second part | written and directed by cast member | tv special | 

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Genres:

Comedy

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Certificate:

PG-13

Details

Official Sites:

Warner Bros. [us]

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

9 November 2004 (Hungary)

Filming Locations:

Liverpool, Merseyside, England, UK

Box Office

Budget:

$5,000,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Above Average Productions Inc., Broadway Video, Rutle Corp

Technical Specs

Runtime:

84 min

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Connections

References The Wizard of Oz (1939)

User Reviews

A total waste of time

This complete waste of time seems to be rather badly patched together out of out-takes from the first film, new footage of Eric Idle and a bunch of talking head celebrity interviews.

The new Eric Idle footage scores the best and has the most laughs. However, jokes about tight trousers being the reason for the group's success get old and tiresome rather quickly.

Much of the celebrity interviews are inexplicable. Jewel fares the worst, seeming like she's not sure if she understands the joke, or if there even is one. Even if the Rutles were a real band I don't see how they could have possibly inspired people like Gary Shandling and Steve Martin. The problem here is that the musicians interviewed aren't funny and the comedians interviewed are out of place. Tom Hanks and Conan O' Brian fare best in gamely trying to play along, but the result is awkward, forced and quite often unfunny.

Like another person here mentioned I would like to have seen an update of the Rutles today, but with the Lennon assassination, it would be in poor taste to parody the Beatles post-breakup years. Much of this film feels like it's unfinished, and I wonder if Eric Idle was considering filming new footage and then scaling down the celebrity interviews. In it's current state, it's a sorry mess and it's not hard to see why it sat on the shelf for a couple of years.

Stick to the original, and forget this exists.