Shaun Ryder: The Ecstacy and the Agony (TV 2004)

Director:

Richard Macer

Stars:

Mark 'Bez' Berry, Richard Macer, Shaun Ryder

Cast

Credited cast:
Mark 'Bez' Berry	...	Himself
Richard Macer	...	Narrator
Shaun Ryder	...	Himself

Storyline

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Genres:

Documentary

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Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

2004 (UK)

Filming Locations:

Australia

Company Credits

Production Co:

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

55 min

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

User Reviews

Excellent documentary

This was a brilliant and very revealing documentary shown a few times of BBC3. It should really have been shown on the main BBC channels. For anyone who doesn't know Shaun Ryder was the singer and creative force of early nineties band the Happy Mondays. Admittly I'm quite a fan of theirs but it could be enjoyed by those who have ever heard of the band. Despite being rated as one of the best and most influential bands of the nineties the documentary shows that Shaun has been living of handouts from friends after going bankrupt. Various disputes with his record company only made this worse. It also talks about his drug problems and the fact that he was near death only two years ago. Bez, the dancer in the Happy Mondays also features and the scenes with him are probably the most entertaining. Despite claiming to be clean Shaun later does admit that he occasionally still does cocaine before a gig.

My favorite thing about this documentary was that it never stopped to just laughing at Shauns decline and presented him as a person not just a media figure. It does show an album launch at one point and hopefully we will soon see that in record shops as he still seems immensely talented. Watch!