Tony (2009/I)

Director:

Gerard Johnson

Writer:

Gerard Johnson (written by)

Genre:

Drama | Horror | Thriller

Tagline:

Keeping a neighbourhood watch.

Plot:

A thriller centered on a serial killer in a rundown London suburb. |

Plot Keywords:

Serial Killer | Social Realism | Talking To Self In Mirror | Inarticulate | Severed Foot

Cast

Peter Ferdinando	...	Tony
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Frank Boyce	...	Publican
Lorenzo Camporese	...	Alex
Cyrus Desir	...	Dealer
Lucy Flack	...	Prostitute
Ian Groombridge	...	Police Inspector
Ricky Grover	...	Davey's Dad Paul
Ish	...	Man in Porno Shop
Eddie Johnson	...	Pub Regular
Mike Johnson	...	Pub Regular
Darren Jones	...	Mick
Greg Kam	...	DVD Seller
Jill Keen	...	Madam
Sam Kempster	...	Davey
Ian Kilgannon	...	TV Licence Inspector
Neil Large	...	Drug Taker
Callum Madge	...	Corpse in lounge
Neil Maskell	...	Mike Hemmings
Mark Mooney	...	Sunbed Shop Owner
Vicky Murdock	...	Dawn
Francis Pope	...	Smudger
George Russo	...	Mackey
Rob Seth-Smith	...	Drug Taker
Adrian Walker	...	Corpse in bed
Kerryann White	...	Davey's Mum Lisa

Directed by
Gerard Johnson

Writing credits
Gerard Johnson		(written by)

Produced by
Paul Abbott	....	executive producer
Leonard Crooks	....	executive producer
Kirstie Edgar	....	co-producer
Dan McCulloch	....	producer

Original Music by
Matt Johnson
The The

Cinematography by
David Higgs

Film Editing by
Ian Davies

Production Design by
Naomi Reed

Costume Design by
Suzie Harman

Makeup Department
Anna Cash	....	hair stylist
Anna Cash	....	makeup artist
Lauren Dunn	....	assistant hair stylist
Lauren Dunn	....	assistant makeup artist
Lisa Kennedy	....	assistant hair stylist (as Lisa Kenny)
Lisa Kennedy	....	makeup artist (as Lisa Kenney)
Claudine Van De Vyver	....	assistant hair stylist
Claudine Van De Vyver	....	assistant makeup artist

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Emily Perowne	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Richard Simmonds	....	graphic designer

Sound Department
Jovan Ajder	....	supervising sound editor
Tom Barrow	....	sound mixer
Peter Crooks	....	sound effects editor
Adam Daniel	....	sound re-recording mixer
Graham Daniel	....	sound re-recording mixer
Samir Foco	....	sound effects editor
Samir Foco	....	sound re-recording mixer
James Shannon	....	dolby sound consultant
Charlie Weisfeld	....	additional sound recordist (as Charles Weisfeld)
Gareth Rhys Jones	....	foley artist (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Marie Fernandes	....	digital intermediate producer
Adam Glasman	....	digital intermediate colourist
Aurora Shannon	....	digital intermediate assistant

Camera and Electrical Department
Rory Green	....	camera trainee
Woody Gregson	....	assistant camera (second unit)
Carolyn Hughes	....	assistant camera
Dale McCready	....	additional cinematographer
Peter Talbot	....	director of photography: second unit

Other crew
Emily Anderton	....	executive: UK Film Council
Tom Nash	....	production coordinator
Amanda Pyne	....	production finance: UK Film Council
Vanessa Stoddart	....	production accountant
Claire Warnes	....	senior business affairs executive
Angus Ellis	....	production assistant (uncredited)

Thanks
David Hewitt	....	thanks

Production Companies

• Abbott Vision
• Chump Films
• Dan McCulloch Productions

Distributors

• 8-Films (2011) (Germany) (DVD)
• Revolver Entertainment (2009) (USA) (all media)
• Zeno Pictures (2011) (Belgium) (all media)

Other Companies

• Loudhailer  post-production sound services
• Point1Post  sound re-recording

Also Known As:

Runtime:

76 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Certification:

UK:18 | Australia:R | Germany:16

Filming Locations:

Soho, London, England, UK

Company:

Abbott Vision

Movie Connections:

References Enemy Territory (1987)

A truly bleak but brilliant slice of London serial killer life

I've been wanting to see this for a while, but when I saw it on the listings for the Horror channel, I thought it couldn't be too much cop. How wrong I was...

Tony focuses on the disturbing, lonely and bleak existence of, well, Tony, as he wanders aimlessly through life with no goal, direction or ambition. Just another sad case, with a shambling walk, a bad haircut and even worse moustache, the sort of bloke you give a wide berth to as you wonder what he's wearing underneath his long coat, but one that would kill and dismember you as easily as you would peel a banana.

Peter Ferdinano is truly creepy as the main man, from the way he just stares at other people going about their business, to the awkward, stunted conversations he has to endure, through to when he suddenly and explosively reacts with extreme violence. Despite his hopeless and frequently vile existence though, it is almost difficult to not sometimes feel a tiny pang of sympathy for him. He has no job, no friends, lives in a squalid council flat and spends his days watching violent 80's action movies on VHS; he just truly does not know how to interact with other human beings... except when they are no longer living. Tony differs from other serial killer movies though, such as Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer. In Henry, he is truly a monster, killing anyone that just happens to take his fancy or just happens to cross his path at the wrong time. With Tony, there is always a provocation of some sort that pushes him to the kill (granted, sometimes very slight), which is a true insight into a certain type of killers mind - able to operate in society at a base level, but unable to cope with rejection or threat (there is one murder in the film that I pretty much guarantee will make you cheer though!).

There is no denying the character here and the similarities with real-life serial killer Dennis Nilsen - the way he keeps corpses in his flat and has conversations with them for example, and the numerous references to 'the drains' and the smell. This all adds to the already realistic tone and pace of the movie, as it's not a case of 'this could happen', it more or less has.

Speaking of realism, one of the strongest points this movie offers is the acting. The lowlifes, scumbags, thugs, druggies and bullies that Tony meets on his wanderings are acted so well, that this is almost the most depressing slice of the film. Living in London, you see these people day in and day out. It's not glamorous and nothing is overacted. We all know a Paul (acted superbly by Ricky Grover): fat, loud, foul-mouthed council estate bully, and we've all seen the likes of the two low-life druggies Tony encounters early in the movie; always on the take, checking the change drop in phone boxes for spare coins while searching for their next hit.

There are some strong elements of gore in the movie, but it is never gratuitous, and certainly not there just for the hell of it. A terrifying aspect of Tony is the casual indifference he displays when either committing a murder or disposing of the corpse afterwards, yet more examples of Ferdinando's fine acting.

The film is quite short, and if you are the kind of viewer who wants answers to why things happen, then you will not find them here; this is like watching a short piece of someone's life, and then just moving on. Anyone abroad watching this would also probably be put off coming to London for life too. I wouldn't recommend this for date night.

I thoroughly enjoyed this film, but you won't be feeling good afterwards. It is almost too realistic, and will make you look twice at the strange, shambling man in the local supermarket staring at the dog biscuits for a bit too long.