Sightseers (2012)

Chris wants to show girlfriend Tina his world, but events soon conspire against the couple and their dream caravan holiday takes a very wrong turn.

Director:

Ben Wheatley

Writers:

Alice Lowe, Steve Oram

Stars:

Alice Lowe, Kenneth Hadley, Steve Oram

11 wins & 18 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Alice Lowe	...	Tina
Eileen Davies	...	Carol
Steve Oram	...	Chris
Roger Michael	...	Tram Conductor
Tony Way	...	Crich Tourist
Seamus O'Neill	...	Mr. Grant
Monica Dolan	...	Janice
Jonathan Aris	...	Ian
Aymen Hamdouchi	...	Chalid Sulinan
Tom Meeten	...	Head Shaman
Kali Peacock	...	Hiking Shop Assistant
Kenneth Hadley	...	Richard
Stephanie Jacob	...	Joan
Christine Talbot	...	Newsreader
Richard Lumsden	...	Rambler

Storyline

Chris wants to show girlfriend Tina his world, but events soon conspire against the couple and their dream caravan holiday takes a very wrong turn.

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Plot Keywords:

caravan | writers block | tourist | tourism | f rated | 

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Taglines:

Fear has a wet nose.

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Genres:

Adventure | Comedy | Crime | Horror | Romance

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook Official site

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

10 May 2013 (USA)

Also Known As:

Turistas

Filming Locations:

England, UK

Box Office

Budget:

£1,300,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$7,384, 12 May 2013, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$35,722, 2 June 2013

Company Credits

Production Co:

StudioCanal,Film4,British Film Institute (BFI)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

88 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The trams at Crich mostly ran along the streets of cities in United Kingdom before the 1960s, with some trams rescued and restored (even from other countries) as the systems closed. The town of Matlock is close by and the nearest train service is from Whatstandwell railway station on the Derwent Valley Line (Derby-Matlock line), with a steep walk up to the museum at the top of the hill.

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Goofs

Early in the film, when Tina's hair is being brushed by her mother, there is a cut to Tina with her mother visible behind her. Although we can hear her talking, her mouth is shut. Out of sync audio/visuals are a trademark of director Ben Wheatley's editing style (see also: Kill List)

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Quotes

[first lines]
Tina: Mum? Mum. Mum. Mum. Mum. Mum. Mum. Mum. Mum. You all right?

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Connections

References Withnail & I (1987)

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Soundtracks

Amours Toujours, Tendresse, Caresses
(12" Mix)
Written by Jacques Dutronc and Jacques Lanzmann
Performed by Françoise Hardy and Jacques Dutronc
Licensed courtesy of EMI Records and Sony Records
Published by Editions Musicales Alpha

User Reviews

Gory Thriller About Failed Aspirations

SIGHTSEERS is very much a team effort: the two stars (Alice Lowe and Steve Oram) also co-wrote the script. With a distinct nod to earlier films such as Terrence Malick's BADLANDS (1973), it focuses on two lovers, Tina and Chris, who embark on a caravanning holiday that takes a decidedly bloody turn, as they dispose of several innocent victims. Ben Wheatley's cinematic style is certainly startling, with its deliberate use of out-of-sync sound, fantasy sequences, memorable short of gore and a soundtrack that includes work by Soft Cell and Frankie Goes to Hollywood. The script is deadpan yet extremely funny: both protagonists get some valuable one-liners. What is perhaps more interesting, however, is Wheatley's focus on his characters' lives; hitherto they have spent their entire existences in total anonymity: Tina has lived with her mother Carol (Eileen Davies), and lavished all her love on a favorite terrier, who was unfortunately impaled to death on some knitting-needles. The road-trip gives Tina the chance to liberate herself, just like Chris, who dreams of becoming a full-time writer after having been made redundant. The idea of "writing" is significant; it suggest the desire to leave a legacy, to inscribe oneself in the present so as to be remembered. When Chris' writing dreams come to naught, he looks for alternative ways to establish himself; hence his desire to kill so as not to be pushed around by anyone (i.e. treated as a nobody). Tina follows suit; but what Wheatley suggests is that the two of them find it very difficult to work as a team - Chris believes that Tina has plagiarized his idea, and resents her for what she has done. Two serial killers don't attract as much media attention as one. For her part, Tina learns how to acquire self-determination, even though there are moments when she doubts herself. The film's ending takes us by surprise, reminding us that the protagonists were not as much in love as we thought they were. With its Grand Guignol action taking place against a breathtaking backdrop of the rolling hills of Yorkshire and the Lake District, SIGHTSEERS is strong meat, but definitely worth staying with.