Tristram Shandy: A Cock and Bull Story (2005)

Director Michael Winterbottom (Northam) attempts to shoot the adaptation of Laurence Sterne's essentially unfilmable novel, "The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman."

Director:

Michael Winterbottom

Writers:

Laurence Sterne (novel), Frank Cottrell Boyce (screenplay) (as Martin Hardy)

Stars:

Steve Coogan, Jeremy Northam, Rob Brydon

2 wins & 14 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Steve Coogan	...	Tristram Shandy / Walter Shandy / Steve Coogan
Rob Brydon	...	Capt. Toby Shandy / Rob Brydon
Keeley Hawes	...	Elizabeth / Keeley Hawes
Shirley Henderson	...	Susannah
Raymond Waring	...	Trim
Conal Murphy	...	Young Tristram Shandy - Age 6
Joe Williams	...	Young Tristram Shandy - Age 9
Paul Kynman	...	Obadiah
Mark Tandy	...	London Doctor
Mary Healey	...	Midwife
Dylan Moran	...	Dr. Slop
Jack Shepherd	...	Surgeon
David Walliams	...	Parson
Jeremy Northam	...	Mark
Benedict Wong	...	Ed

Storyline

Two actors, as their make up is applied, talk about the size of their parts. Then into the film: Laurence Sterne's unfilmable novel, Tristram Shandy, a fictive autobiography wherein the narrator, interrupted constantly, takes the entire story to be born. The film tracks between "Shandy" and behind the scenes. Size matters: parts, egos, shoes, noses. The lead's girlfriend, with their infant son, is up from London for the night, wanting sex; interruptions are constant. Scenes are shot, re-shot, and discarded. The purpose of the project is elusive. Fathers and sons; men and women; cocks and bulls. Life is amorphous, too full and too rich to be captured in one narrative.

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Plot Keywords:

size | infant son | ego | behind the scenes | interruption | 

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Taglines:

He's About To Play The Role Of His Life.

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Genres:

Comedy

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language and sexual content

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

20 January 2006 (UK)

Also Known As:

Tristram Shandy: A Cock and Bull Story

Filming Locations:

Blickling Hall, Blickling, Norfolk, England, UK

Box Office

Budget:

GBP2,800,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$60,886, 29 January 2006

Gross USA:

$1,253,413

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$3,931,982

Company Credits

Production Co:

BBC Films, Baby Cow Productions, EM Media

Technical Specs

Runtime:

94 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The film also features several pieces of music used by Stanley Kubrick in similar situations in Barry Lyndon (namely the Sarabande by Georg Fridrich Händel and traditional British Grenadiers), a film set in about the same location and period.

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Quotes

Steve Coogan: [Steve is hanging upside down in the model womb] How about filming the other way around, the right way up, and then just flip the image?
Leo: Well, maybe, but I'd have to have a word with Mark about that. I mean, I think he wanted the realism.
Steve Coogan: He wants realism?
Leo: Yeah.
Steve Coogan: Yeah, I'm a grown man, talking to the camera, in a fucking womb!

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Crazy Credits

Opening credits have (intentional) spacing issues, and mismatched fonts.

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Alternate Versions

Just as with "In This World," the British DVD features a 1.78:1 transfer of the film. Although the film was shot for release in theaters at 2.35:1, because it was made on DV, the total space of the filmed image was 1.78. The film was masked for theatrical release, as the director intended. However, for DVD release, the film was transferred open matte. Again, like "In This World," only the American DVD respects the theatrical aspect ratio of 2.35:1.

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Connections

Featured in The Rotten Tomatoes Show: The Twilight Saga: Eclipse/The Last Airbender/Grown Ups (2010)

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Soundtracks

Over the Waves
Composed by Juventino Rosas (as J. Rosas)
Arranged by W. Warren
Published by and courtesy of The Hudson Record Company

User Reviews

Wonderful!

One of the funniest and strangest films about the film-making process, this is less an adaptation of the novel, more a focused and hilarious deconstruction on Winterbottom's working methods. Coogan and Brydon are fantastic. The scene with Coogan and a hot chestnut down his trousers is worth the price of admission alone! Although the film may not be to everyone's taste - it darts around and has little respect for narrative logic or continuity (as does the book), it is a freeform little gem that really does cement Winterbottom's reputation as the most exciting British director out there. Any person who can make In This World, Code 46, 9 Songs and then this in a row is worthy of respect.