Burke and Hare (2010)

Director:

John Landis

Writers:

Piers Ashworth (screenplay)
Nick Moorcroft (screenplay)

Release Date:

9 September 2011 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Thriller

Tagline:

No Job Too Small. No Body Too Big. No Questions Asked.

Plot:

A black comedy about two 19th century grave robbers who find a lucrative business providing cadavers for an Edinburgh medical school.

Plot Keywords:

19th Century | Black Comedy | Murderer | Cameo | Talking During Sex

Cast

Bill Bailey	...	Hangman
Tom Wilkinson	...	Doctor Robert Knox
Michael Smiley	...	Patterson
Tim Curry	...	Doctor Monro
Paul Davis	...	Patient
Christian Brassington	...	Charles
Gabrielle Downey	...	Mad Maggie
Stuart McQuarrie	...	Magistrate
Simon Pegg	...	William Burke
Andy Serkis	...	William Hare
Mike Goodenough	...	Aggrieved Customer
Jessica Hynes	...	Lucky
Robert Fyfe	...	Old Donald
Robert Willox	...	Gravediggers' Bouncer
David Schofield	...	Fergus
David Hayman	...	Danny McTavish
Christopher Lee	...	Old Joseph
Ronnie Corbett	...	Captain Tam McLintoch
Ciaron Kelly	...	Private Fox
Reece Shearsmith	...	Sergeant Mackenzie
Joyce Henderson	...	Mrs. McFie
Isla Fisher	...	Ginny Hawkins
Pollyanna McIntosh	...	Mary
Georgia King	...	Emma
Amanda Claire-Jones	...	Nicola (as Amanda Claire)
Shelley Longworth	...	Hannah
Allan Corduner	...	Nicephore
Steve Speirs	...	McMartin's Doorman
George Potts	...	Doctor Lister
Duncan Duff	...	Attendant
Hugh Bonneville	...	Lord Harrington
Ray Harryhausen	...	Distinguished Doctor
Alan Munroe	...	Distinguished Doctor (as Sir Alan Munroe)
John Gaynor	...	Distinguished Doctor (as Dr. John Gaynor)
Michael Wilson	...	Distinguished Doctor
Robert Paynter	...	Distinguished Doctor
Simon Farnaby	...	William Wordsworth
Tom Meeten	...	Samuel Coleridge
Paul Whitehouse	...	Gentleman Drunk
Michael Winner	...	Gentlemen Passenger
Ella Smith	...	Barmaid
Janet Whiteside	...	Old Woman
Jenny Agutter	...	Lucy
Robert Stone	...	Miss Clarissa Windsor
Max Landis	...	Handsome Coachman
Christopher Obi	...	John Martin (as Chris Obi)
Patricia Gibson-Howell	...	Mrs. John Martin
Michael Billington	...	Medical Student
Stephen Merchant	...	Holyrood Footman
Jacob Edwards	...	Hollyrood Courtier
John Woodvine	...	Lord Provost
Billy Riddoch	...	Rabble Rouser
Esme Thompson	...	Nicephore's Girlfriend
Costa-Gavras	...	French Family (as Costa Gavras)
Michèle Ray-Gavras	...	French Family (as Michele Ray Gavras)
Romain Gavras	...	French Family
Emmanuel Hamon	...	French Family
Theo Hamon	...	French Family
Dodger	...	Greyfriars Bobby
Seamus	...	Himself (as Seamus the Dog)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Gioacchino Jim Cuffaro	...	Doctor
Tom Machell	...	Medical Student
Guðmundur Auðunsson	...	Thug #1 (uncredited)
Paul Bergquist	...	Man in Tavern (uncredited)
Michelle Brooks	...	Macbeth Girl (uncredited)
Christian Carroll	...	Cowboy (uncredited)
Joseph Dewey	...	Medical Student (uncredited)
Darren Hammock	...	Highland Soldier (uncredited)
Charli Janeway	...	Medical Student (uncredited)
Johnny Lynch	...	Oyster Trader (uncredited)
Chris Mansfield	...	Stage hand (uncredited)
Ken Matthews	...	The Boil Man (uncredited)
Joseph Andrew Mclean	...	Medical Student (uncredited)
Henry Monk	...	Medical Student (uncredited)
Nick Moorcroft	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Pete Noakes	...	Tanner (uncredited)
Spencer Noll	...	Hamish (uncredited)
Gino Picciano	...	Doctor (uncredited)
Nick Shaw	...	Barman (uncredited)
Adam Smith	...	Medical Student (uncredited)
Mark Smith	...	Policeman (uncredited)
Tom Urie	...	Obese man (uncredited)
Rebeka Venters	...	Market Woman (uncredited)

Directed by
John Landis

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Piers Ashworth		screenplay
Nick Moorcroft		screenplay

Produced by
James Atherton	....	executive producer
Paul Brett	....	executive producer
Alexandra Ferguson	....	co-producer
Jan Pace	....	executive producer
Tim Smith	....	executive producer
James Spring	....	executive producer
Barnaby Thompson	....	producer

Original Music by
Joby Talbot

Cinematography by
John Mathieson

Film Editing by
Mark Everson

Casting by
Daniel Hubbard

Production Design by
Simon Elliott

Art Direction by
Bill Crutcher		(supervising art director)
Nick Dent

Set Decoration by
Annie Gilhooly

Costume Design by
Deborah Nadoolman

Makeup Department
Sylvia Atkins	....	junior make up artist: dailies
Ricci-Lee Berry	....	makeup daily
Christine Blundell	....	hair stylist
Christine Blundell	....	makeup artist
Helen Conroy	....	junior makeup artist: dailies
David Dorling	....	crowd hairdresser
Lucy Friend	....	junior make up artist: dailies
Barrie Gower	....	prosthetics supervisor
Soleil Jackson	....	makeup trainee
Monica MacDonald	....	make up artist: daily
Waldo Mason	....	prosthetics supervisor
Chloe Meddings	....	makeup artist
Andrew Simonin	....	crowd hairdresser
Stephanie Lynne Smith	....	daily makeup artist
Ailsa Lawson	....	makeup work experience (uncredited)

Production Management
Linda Deacy	....	post-production supervisor
Bobby Prince	....	unit manager
Tim Wellspring	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Tom Browne	....	additional third assistant director
Stephen Carney	....	additional third assistant director
Chris Foggin	....	crowd assistant director
Jamie Gavin	....	assistant director runner
Mark Hopkins	....	second assistant director
Liam Lock	....	third assistant director
Andy Madden	....	third assistant director
George Nelson	....	additional third assistant director
Alex Oakley	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Marshall Aver	....	production buyer
Jo Berglund	....	assistant buyer
Steve Bohan	....	construction manager
Ian Cooper	....	chargehand dressing props
Gary Crosby	....	head painter
Matt Curtis	....	title design
Kevin Day	....	stand by props
Jake Drummond	....	carpenter
Paul Duff	....	chargehand carpenter
Colin H. Fraser	....	construction manager: Scotland
Gavin Gordon	....	carpenter
Peter Hallam	....	property master
Felicity Hickson	....	graphic artist
Douglas Ingram	....	storyboard artist
Gary Jopling	....	assistant art director
Andrew 'Fred' MacMillan	....	props
Gary Martin	....	props daily
Jamie McCallum	....	carpenter
Richard A. McCarthy	....	supervising plasterer
Lisa McDiarmid	....	stand-by art director
Garry Moore	....	standby carpenter
Michael Parkin	....	props
Marco Anton Restivo	....	assistant art director
David Richmond	....	carpenter
Nic Stubbings	....	stand-by props
Kristin Theyers	....	props
Bill Thomas	....	props
Dean Coldham	....	plasterer (uncredited)
Rohan Harris	....	scenic artist (uncredited)

Sound Department
Harry Barnes	....	supervising sound editor
Gareth Bull	....	sound re-recording mixer
Martin Cantwell	....	sound effects editor
Joe Carey	....	sound assistant
Duncan Craig	....	sound department: work experience
Peter Hanson	....	sound editor
Adam Horley	....	adr recordist
Craig Irving	....	sound re-recording mixer
Andrea King	....	foley artist
Nick Kray	....	adr mixer
Adam Mendez	....	foley mixer
Adam Mendez	....	sound re-recording mixer
John Midgley	....	production sound mixer
Mike Reardon	....	boom operator
Colin Ritchie	....	dialogue editor
David Sendall	....	sound assistant
Jack Stew	....	foley artist

Special Effects by
Neal Champion	....	special effects supervisor
Bernard Newton	....	special effects
Scott Peters	....	special effects technician
Nick P. Phillips	....	special effects senior technician

Visual Effects by
Lucy Ainsworth-Taylor	....	Visual Effects Producer: BlueBolt
Angela Barson	....	visual effects supervisor
Max Dennison	....	matte painting supervisor: Matte Painting UK Ltd
Will Hudson	....	digital restoration
Emma Hulme	....	digital restoration
Markus Kuha	....	lead compositor: BlueBolt
Matthew W.B. Plummer	....	digital compositor: BlueBolt

Stunts
Michael Byrch	....	stunt performer
Gary Connery	....	stunt coordinator
Danielle da Costa	....	stunt performer (as Danielle De Costa)
Gary Hoptrough	....	stunt performer
Rob Jarman	....	stunt performer
Curtis Rivers	....	stunt performer
Andy Wareham	....	stunt performer
Curtis Rivers	....	stunt double: Christopher Lee (uncredited)
Andy Wareham	....	stunt double: Andy Serkis (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
David Appleby	....	key grip
Graham Baker	....	h.o.d. rigger
John Conroy	....	vfx cinematographer
Jim Crowther	....	b camera grip
Paul Edwards	....	steadicam operator
John Gamble	....	first assistant camera
Charlie Gray	....	specials photographer
Robert Hamilton	....	video technician
Phill Hardy	....	second assistant camera
Lewis Hume	....	second assistant camera: "a" camera
Russell Kennedy	....	second assistant camera
Giles Keyte	....	additional still photographer
Alan Martin	....	gaffer
James Nesbitt	....	electrician
Carsten Thoms	....	balloon light technician
Neil Tomlin	....	crane technician: dailies
Dan West	....	camera trainee
Andrew Bradley	....	camera trainee: dailies (uncredited)
Robbie Bryant	....	camera trainee: dailies (uncredited)

Casting Department
Brendan Donnison	....	voice casting
Gemma Sykes	....	casting assistant

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Gordon Harmer	....	costume supervisor
Helen Ingham	....	key costumer
Eleanor Landgrebe	....	costume assistant
Ashwin Makan	....	costume assistant
Heidi McQueen-Prentice	....	costume assistant
Calandra Meredith	....	costume assistant

Editorial Department
Paul Ensby	....	digital colorist
Emanuele Giraldo	....	assistant editor
Todd Kleparski	....	digital intermediate producer
Jesse Rowe	....	trainee assistant editor
Jules Smith	....	EPK producer
Dominic Thomson	....	di editor

Music Department
Andrew Fisher	....	orchestrator
Ben Foster	....	composer: additional music
Dave Foster	....	music preparation
Isobel Griffiths	....	orchestra contractor
Jeremy Holland-Smith	....	musician: piano
Tony Lewis	....	music editor
Catherine Manners	....	music score coordinator

Transportation Department
Paul Allen	....	unit driver
Russell D. Equi	....	unit driver
Rob Hempenstall	....	transportation captain
Tony Power	....	prop truck driver
Ken Price	....	driver: main unit camera truck
Barrie Williams	....	driver: Simon Pegg

Other crew
Johnathan Abbott	....	assistant studio manager: Ealing Studios
Johnathan Abbott	....	studio coordinator: Ealing Studios
Sarah Alexander	....	assistant producer
Clare Brody	....	data operator: Technicolor
Isabel Chick	....	production accountant: Prescience
Hannah Collett	....	production coordinator
Jake Cox	....	carriage driver
Tom Cox	....	carriage driver
Joe Downs	....	assistant accountant
Jon Duncan	....	production accountant
Richard George	....	assistant location manager
Simon George	....	head of finance: Ealing Studios
David Hancock	....	location manager: scotland
Paula Hind	....	production secretary
Tabitha Jenkins	....	head of production
Julia Jones	....	unit publicist
Rachel King	....	unit nurse
Tamara King	....	floor runner
Cathy Lorimer	....	key floor runner
Nichola Martin	....	associate producer
Jill McCullough	....	dialect coach
Josey McNamara	....	floor runner
Simon Mills	....	assistant production coordinator
Daniel Naprous	....	horse master
Jon Parker	....	systems development manager
Ian Pearce	....	security
Mike Pike	....	carriage driver
Ari Daniel Pinchot	....	development
Gill Raddings	....	animal wrangler (as Gill Riddings)
Emilia Reid	....	production staff
Stuart Avi Savitsky	....	development
Jules Smith	....	creative executive
Camilla Stephenson	....	location manager
Rebecca Wolf	....	first assistant accountant
Evan Leighton-Davis	....	development coordinator: Ealing Studios (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Ealing Studios (presents)
• Fragile Films
• Aegis Film Fund (in association with)
• Prescience (in association with)
• Quickfire Films (in association with)

Distributors

• Entertainment Film Distributors (2010) (UK) (theatrical)
• Fine Films (2012) (Japan) (theatrical)
• IFC Films (2011) (USA) (theatrical)
• La Fabrique 2 (2011) (France) (theatrical)
• Maple Pictures (2010) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Transmission (2010) (Australia) (theatrical)
• Transmission (2010) (New Zealand) (theatrical)
• A-Film Home Entertainment (2012) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Ascot Elite Home Entertainment (2011) (Germany) (DVD)
• Ascot Elite Home Entertainment (2011) (Germany) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Entertainment in Video (2011) (UK) (DVD)
• Entertainment in Video (2011) (UK) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Film1 (2012) (Netherlands) (TV) (limited)
• MPI Home Video (2011) (USA) (DVD)
• Odeon (2011) (Greece) (DVD)
• Sookie Pictures (2012) (South Korea) (all media)

Special Effects

• BlueBolt
• Matte Painting UK

Other Companies

• Anvil Post Production  sound re-recording
• De Lane Lea  ADR recording
• Dolby Laboratories  sound mix
• HireWorks  Avid Unity Rental
• Kodak  motion picture film supplier
• Motion Picture Merchandise (MPM)  crew gift
• Panavision UK  camera equipment provided by
• Sands Films  costumier
• Sapex Scripts  post-production script services
• Scallywag Travel  travel agent
• Technicolor  dailies
• Technicolor  negative development
• Technicolor  post-production facilities
• Technicolor  release printing

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated R for some sexual content, disturbing images and language

Runtime:

91 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Ireland:15A | UK:15 | Singapore:M18 | USA:R | Netherlands:16 | Germany:16 | Japan:G | South Korea:18

Filming Locations:

Dashwood Mausoleum, West Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, England, UK

Company:

Ealing Studios

Trivia:

Screenwriters Nick Moorcroft and Piers Ashworth wrote the film on spec and sold it to the head of Ealing Studios, Barnaby Thompson.

Goofs:

Continuity: During Mad Maggie's hanging, the noose around her neck switches between tightness and looseness in each shot.

Quotes:

Hangman:[after Burke's execution] I know he seemed like a nice guy and all that, and I suppose you have to respect the fact that he made the ultimate sacrifice for love, but he did kill all those people just for money. And that's just evil.
[the Hangman is given a sack of coins as payment for the execution]
Hangman:Thank you.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Projector: Burke & Hare (#1.16)" (2011)

Soundtrack:

Hallelujah Chorus

Moderately entertaining, but not very good

Director John Landis is mostly famous for having made some excellent comedies (Trading Places, Spies Like Us and Coming to America), but he's also revered in the horror cinema for having made the extraordinary An American Werewolf in London. 12 years after being absent in cinema, Landis decided to come back with the film Burke and Hare, which combines horror and comedy. And even though I found the combination of genres too unstable, the film kept me moderately entertained despite its mediocrity.

The funny elements from Burke and Hare generally work because of the solid performances from Simon Pegg and Andy Serkis, but I wish the film defined its character better. In other words, the comedy is constantly clogging the drama, and the drama feels completely out of place in the context of the black humor employed by this movie. It's like watching two very different movies at the price of one, but combined in such a forced and inconsistent way that the final result is not very satisfactory.

However, as I said on the first paragraph, Burke and Hare managed to keep me moderately entertained, and I think it deserves a slight recommendation because of that. However, there are very superior horror comedies (such as Shaun of the Dead and Tucker & Dale vs. Evil), which are better balanced and are funnier.