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:

tourism | caravan | satire | jealousy | writers block | 

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Taglines:

If the caravans a rockin' don't come knocking.

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Genres:

Adventure | Comedy | Crime | Horror | Romance

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Did You Know?

Trivia

The Blue John Cavern is one of the four show caves in Castleton, Derbyshire, England. The cavern takes its name from the semi-precious mineral Blue John, which is still mined in small amounts outside the tourist season, and made locally into jewelry. The miners, who work the remaining seams are also the guides for underground public tours. The eight working seams are known as Twelve Vein, Old Dining Room, Bull Beef, New Dining Room, Five Vein, Organ Room, New Cavern, and Landscape.

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Goofs

The Volvo's wing mirror extenders disappear and reappear as they're arriving at the first caravan site.

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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

Referenced in Sean Bradley Reviews: Free Fire (2017)

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Soundtracks

Season of the Witch
Written by Donovan
Performed by Vanilla Fudge
Licensed courtesy of Warner Music UK Ltd
Publishing © 1966 & 1967 Donovan (Music) Limited

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.

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook Official site

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

10 May 2013 (USA)

Also Known As:

Sightseers

Filming Locations:

England, UK

Box Office

Budget:

GBP1,300,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$7,384, 12 May 2013

Gross USA:

$61,782

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$2,122,909

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