A Zed & Two Noughts (1985)

Twin zoologists lose their wives in a car accident and become obsessed with decomposing animals.

Director:

Peter Greenaway

Writer:

Peter Greenaway

Stars:

Brian Deacon, Eric Deacon, Andréa Ferréol

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Andréa Ferréol	...	Alba Bewick
Brian Deacon	...	Oswald Deuce
Eric Deacon	...	Oliver Deuce
Frances Barber	...	Venus de Milo
Joss Ackland	...	Van Hoyten
Jim Davidson	...	Joshua Plate
Agnès Brulet	...	Beta Bewick
Guusje van Tilborgh	...	Caterina Bolnes
Gerard Thoolen	...	Van Meegeren
Ken Campbell	...	Stephen Pipe
Wolf Kahler	...	Felipe Arc-en-Ciel
Geoffrey Palmer	...	Fallast
David Attenborough	...	Himself - Documentary Narrator (voice)

Storyline

Identical twins Oliver and Oswald Deuce lose their wives in a car crash caused by a white swan. The brothers, who are zoologists, become obsessed with the death and decay of animals. They both have a relationship with Alba, the driver of the crashed car, who loses first one leg then the other. When Alba dies, the twins film their own death.

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Plot Keywords:

grief | decay | zoologist | obsession | car accident | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

UK Netherlands

Language:

English

Release Date:

25 May 1990 (USA)

Also Known As:

Zoo

Filming Locations:

Rotterdam Zoo, Rotterdam, Zuid-Holland, Netherlands

Company Credits

Production Co:

British Film Institute (BFI),Allarts Enterprises,Artificial Eye

Technical Specs

Runtime:

115 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

References to Greek Mythology: Alba Bewick is referred to as 'Leda' (in Greek mythology, Leda gave birth to twins Castor & Pollux after being seduced by Zeus in the guise of a swan); in the film, Alba decides to name the twins she gives birth to as 'Castor & Pollydeuces' (in reference to the mythological Gemini twins Castor & Pollux).

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Quotes

Alba Bewick: I am about to become a mother, and you are about to become a father... or fathers.
Oswald Deuce: You what?
Oliver Deuce: You are?
Alba Bewick: I am.
Oswald Deuce: Good lord.
Oliver Deuce: You can?
Alba Bewick: Of course! Is leglessness a form of contraception?
Oswald Deuce: I'm not sure.
Alba Bewick: You're not sure!
Oswald Deuce: I'm delighted!
[...]

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Connections

Referenced in Peter Greenaway in Indianapolis (1997)

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Soundtracks

An Elephant Never Forgets
Music by 'The Happy Farmer' (Opus 68, No.10) by Robert Schumann
Performed by Lupino Lane with The BBC Dance Orchestra
Directed by Henry Hall
Courtesy of EMI MUSIC PUBLISHING LTD and EMI RECORDS LTD

User Reviews

Greenaway best movie - though still not for every one

A Zed and Two Noughts (or Zoo) is Greenaway's best film. Made during the transition between his early experimental short films and his later more narrative (and more celebrated) ones, his free flowing structure is at its best here, fresh, witty and cerebral (some would also say pedantic). In later films, one has the feeling that Greenaway has try to go back to the style set by Zoo, but the results (like in 8 1/2 women) are almost unwatchable. The plot: two biologists twins working in a zoo, specialized in studying the putrefaction of animals, lose their wives in a car accident. They hook up with a strange woman who lost her leg in that accident. Meanwhile, there are references to Vermeer throughout (what does this has to do with zoology, only Greenaway knows), speeded up shots of real rotting animals, Michael Nyman's hypnotic score, and also a girl who learns the alphabet through giant letters that are linked with live animals (for example, z is for zebra, as in a children's book). Deliberately non naturalistic, Greenaway makes from this strange melange a very compelling movie, though undoubtedly very hard to take for some.