Fierce Creatures (1997)

Zookeepers struggle to deal with the policies of changing directors.

Directors:

Fred Schepisi, Robert Young

Writers:

John Cleese, Iain Johnstone

Stars:

John Cleese, Jamie Lee Curtis, Kevin Kline

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
John Cleese	...	Rollo Lee
Jamie Lee Curtis	...	Willa Weston
Kevin Kline	...	Vince McCain / Rod McCain
Michael Palin	...	Bugsy Malone
Ronnie Corbett	...	Reggie Sealions
Carey Lowell	...	Cub Felines
Robert Lindsay	...	Sydney Small Mammals
Bille Brown	...	Neville Coltrane
Derek Griffiths	...	Gerry Ungulates
Cynthia Cleese	...	Pip Small Mammals
Richard Ridings	...	Hugh Primates
Maria Aitken	...	Di Admin
Michael Percival	...	Ant Keeper
Fred Evans	...	Flamingo Keeper
Lisa Hogan	...	Sealion Keeper

Storyline

A massive corporate conglomerate, Octopus Inc., run by a shrewd and cruel tycoon named Rod McCain, purchases a UK-based leisure company, and also the failing London Marwood Zoo. To bring more business to the zoo, Octopus hires a new manager, Rollo Lee, who promptly comes up with a way to increase profits-do away with all the animals except for the ferocious ones. This new Fierce Creatures Policy shocks the Marwood zookeepers, led by the unendingly talkative Adrian "Bugsy" Malone. Eventually, Rod McCain's son Vince, along with the up-and-coming business executive Willa Weston, take control of the zoo and revoke the Fierce Creatures Policy. Vince instead comes up with many under-handed and vicious schemes to attract customers-unauthorized celebrity endorsements, shoddy, overpriced zoo merchandise, and using robotic animals instead of real ones. However, Vince is also stealing from the zoo's funds, and when his father finds out, he rears to turn the zoo into a Japanese-owned golf course....

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Plot Keywords:

zoo | black comedy | father son relationship | father and son played by same actor | farce | 

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Taglines:

Don't pet them.

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Genres:

Comedy

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for sexual innuendo and language

Details

Official Sites:

Universal Studios Home Entertainment [United States]

Country:

UK USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

24 January 1997 (USA)

Also Known As:

Death Fish II

Filming Locations:

England, UK

Box Office

Budget:

$25,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$3,759,480, 26 January 1997, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$9,381,260

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$40,381,260

Company Credits

Production Co:

Universal Pictures, Fish Productions, Jersey Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

93 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby SR DTS-Stereo Dolby Digital (5.1 surround) (DVD version) Dolby Digital

Color:

Color (Rankcolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.39 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

There is an obvious reference to one of John Cleese's and Michael Palin's most famous sketches, the Dead Parrot Sketch, from Monty Python's Flying Circus (1969). In the sea lion scene, two men can be heard saying: "Remarkable creatures, sea lions." "Yes, beautiful plumage." Which sounds amazingly like Palin's line in the sketch: "Remarkable bird, the Norwegian Blue, isn't it, eh? Beautiful plumage!"

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Goofs

When Rollo is standing beside the lemur cage, he raises his left hand to wave, yet in the next shot his right hand is in the air.

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Quotes

Vince: I never have to listen to you again, do I? With your
[Switches to rod's voice]
Vince: "You're no son of mine, you miserable little worm! You've been a disappointment to me since the day your mother farted you out of her womb!"
Rollo Lee: [Turning to face Willa] Brilliant!

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Crazy Credits

No animals were injured during the making of this movie, only humans.

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Alternate Versions

The entire ending of "Fierce Creatures" was reshot after test showings. The original featured the elder McCain [Kevin Kline] being killed by a rhino and some business with a tiger costume. A scene in which Kevin Kline plays his own mother was also shot and cut.

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Connections

Featured in At the Movies: Fierce Creatures/Metro/In Love and War/Prefontaine/The Relic (1997)

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Soundtracks

Hungry Heart
Written and performed by Bruce Springsteen

User Reviews

Tacky, but funny

I can't tell you how many times I've seen this movie; a rough estimate would be at least half a dozen times, just through three or four years. And amazingly enough, I laugh every single time. It may be that Michael Palin is just so damn funny and typically Monty Python-like in the film, it may be that Jamie Lee Curtis has a surprising amount of comedic talent, it may be that Kevin Kline is excellent in both of his roles in the film... heck, it may even be John Cleese's entertaining performance... and I'm not even a fan of him. The film manages to be incredibly funny despite being very tacky and downright tasteless in many, many scenes. The plot is pretty good, and, as far as I know, quite original. It deals with a multi-billionaire and a zoo, which (obviously) doesn't make a lot of money, like the billionaire wants it to. The film has a good pace and is rarely - if ever - boring. The acting is very good, but one wouldn't expect any less from such names as John Cleese, Jamie Lee Curtis, Kevin Kline and Michael Palin. It was also a nice surprise to recognize Richard Ridings, who plays one of my favorite characters in the Luc Besson film, Jeanne D'arc: La Hire. I recognized him almost instantly by his very distinguished laugh. The characters are well-written, well-cast and well-acted, as well as credible. I thoroughly enjoyed most of them, even though they are mostly caricatures. That just added to the humor of the film, I think. As in several other of Kevin Kline's films, he plays two parts, and he, as always(well, nearly always, anyway) does so very well. I understand that this is, in some ways, apparently a sequel to the late-80's comedy A Fish Called Wanda; now, I haven't seen that film, so I can't really comment on how the two relate to each other, but if "Wanda" is in any way as funny as this movie, I'm gonna have to see it sometime. The humor is excellent; black, crude humor at its best. All in all, a very good comedy if you don't mind some tacky humor. I recommend it to fans of any of the actors, fans of tacky/crude/black humor and even fans of Monty Python, since both members involved in this are great. 7/10