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REVENGERS
TRAGEDY PRODUCTION INFORMATION FOR PATHE FILM DISTRIBUTION
Kent House, Market Place London W1N 8RB Tel 020 7323 5151 Fax 020 7323
1773
email Kat Galer
JUMP TO :
SYNOPSIS
Ten
years ago, the Duke (DEREK JACOBI) murdered Vindici's wife on their
wedding day. Vindici (CHRISTOPHER ECCLESTON) fled. His family fell into
poverty, while the Duke, Duchess (DIANA QUICK) and their decadent sons
acquired wealth and power.
Today,
Vindici returns.
With
the help of his brother Carlo (ANDREW SCHOFIELD), he sets about the
destruction of the Duke and his entire clan. But it will not be easy.
The
Duke is well-protected; and his villainous first-born, Lussurioso (EDDIE
IZZARD), is determined to seduce Vincici's sister -- Castiza (CARLA HENRY).
When
the Duke's youngest son is imprisoned for the rape of a beautiful
aristocrat, Imogen (SOPHIE DAHL), Vindici sees an opportunity to test
his
mother and his sister, and to secure his revenge.
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ABOUT
THE PRODUCTION
REVENGERS
TRAGEDY is based on the classic play by Thomas Middleton.
It
was first published, anonymously, in 1607, having been performed by
Shakespeare's company, the King's Men. Middleton was one of Shakespeare's
young collaborators: he also worked on MACBETH and MEASURE FOR MEASURE.
In the 1650s, authorship of the play was ascribed to another playwright
and
poet, Cyril Tourneur. Modern critics view this as a mistake, and attribute
the play to Middleton, who also wrote THE CHANGELING, WOMEN BEWARE WOMEN
and A GAME AT CHESS.
REVENGERS
TRAGEDY was long viewed as the product of a demented or diseased
mind. In the nineteenth century, William Archer wrote in The Old Drama
&
The New: "I will only ask whether such monstrous melodrama as REVENGERS
TRAGEDY, with its hideous sexuality and its raging lust for blood, can
be
said to belong to civilised literature at all? I say it is a product either
of sheer barbarism, or of some pitiable psychopathic perversion."
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COMEDY
& THE DANCE OF DEATH
After
two world wars and a half-century of unimaginable horrors, the play
was critically rediscovered -- as a black comedy. As the first English
black comedy, in fact. It was its mixture of comedy with the Dance of
Death
that attracted director Alex Cox.
"It
was 1976," says Cox, "And I was sitting in the college library,
intending to revise for my law exams. Unfortunately I was a very poor
student and couldn't concentrate on the law books in front of me. There
were all these other books on shelves all around me -- big, leather-bound
olde bookes from the previous century. So I dragged down this two or three
volume collection called The Works of Cyril Tourneur, Gent. and started
browsing through it. And in among the poems and rather undistinguished
plays was this one called REVENGERS TRAGEDY."
The
play is a darkly funny meditation on love, family and revenge, set in
a
court obsessed with transient beauty, money, inherited privilege, and
power.
Cox says, "The characters have ironic, Latin-sounding names like 'Spurio'
and 'Sordido' but the story is clearly set in, and is about, that English
class of titled gangsters, the 'Aristocracy': with its intrigues,
indiscretions, betrayals, lost fortunes, and sudden deaths." "In 1976
the
punk movement was beginning, in part as a gesture of frustration and
opposition to all the royalist obeissance and blather about the Royal
Jubilee. In the cinema we had NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD and BRING ME THE
HEAD OF ALFREDO GARCIA -- the same insanity, the same societal death-cult
as
REVENGERS TRAGEDY. 1607 or 1976, there was no difference."
Cox
immediately wanted to direct REVENGERS TRAGEDY -- first on stage, later
on film. But as a film it presented certain unique problems: principally
the hero's ability to disguise himself so that no one, not even his mother
or sister, can recognise him. "It works on stage because the experience,
the suspension of disbelief, is completely different. The actor playing
Vindici can just walk off stage, put on a different hat or accent, and
come
back.
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CHRIS
ECCLESTON AND VINDICI
In
addition, the character of Vindici might appear difficult. "In love with
the skull of his dead wife, infatuated with his sister, doing his best
to
make his mother prostitute her daughter. He has his share of problems,"
says Cox. "What makes him appealing is that he's so funny. He is a
comedian -- a very dark comedian, who murders people in ironic ways. I
think that's what appealed to Chris Eccleston -- the combination of the
funny, and the manic, and the controlled. A lot of the time Vindici is
a
henchmen -- lurking in the shadow of nobles. Chris understood that
perfectly, and played the fury that that engenders very well."
"It
was a long process working all these things out. The mother's
blindness, the fact that the sister was so young... I'd met Chris in 1989,
and worked with him on DEATH & THE COMPASS two years later. I've been
watching him over ten years as his face changed... And all the while filing
other things away for REVENGERS TRAGEDY: locations, actors. Paul
Reynolds, Drew Schofield, Margi Clarke... A great production by the RSC
at
the Swan in Stratford-on-Avon... In 1997 I came back to Liverpool to direct
a promo, but it was really a recce for REVENGERS, to see if I could make
the
film here."
On
an idyllic summer's day the following year, Alex sat in the garden with
Frank Cottrell Boyce, discussing Frank's thoughts for a screenplay based
on
REVENGERS TRAGEDY. Frank had just completed the Liverpool-shot HILARY
AND JACKIE and was excited about writing another movie set in his native
city.
Alex's notes of their meeting read: "Frank says bones & bodies galore
will
make it work... Naples gangsters have their cars crushed for tombstones;
Naples funerals have the dead tied to a chair, presiding over the wake..."
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SCRIPT
READINGS AND CASTSCING
REVENGERS
TRAGEDY was developed by Margaret Matheson with British Screen
Finance, Ltd., who -- in their twilight months -- organised two readings
of
Frank's screenplay at the Script Factory. The casting director was Gary
Davy, who in 1987 stage-managed the RSC production of the play at Stratford.
Members of the eventual cast, including Drew Schofield, Tony Booth, Diana
Quick, Margi Clarke, Chris Eccleston, and Paul Reynolds took part in the
readings.
"I
knew from the wealth of acting talent here in the UK we could make this
something special. Top notch Producers and a hero Director to boot." Gary
was "annoyed at the time it took to get green lit - the 'suits' always
were
too frightened to commit to putting funds into a peice that was spoken
in
verse - meanwhile I had actors bashing down the door to be seen for it!
"To
be able to be so creative as a Casting Director (the reason I wanted to
do the job in the first place) meant that this was my favourite gig so
far.
I felt so confident selling the piece to agents and actors and always
had
that gut feeling that this film had to be made... The determination of
Alex,
Tod and Margaret always kept me upbeat."
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LIVERPOOL
FILM RENAISSANCE
The
production strategy of REVENGERS TRAGEDY was to shoot and crew locally.
Producer Tod Davies explains, "a lot of film and TV productions come to
Liverpool to take advantage of what are undoubtedly great locations. They
have contributed to the renaissance in film and television here. But they
tend to crew up in London or from even further afield. We have a very
skilled crew base, and wanted to exploit that to the maximum while
encouraging the next generation -- our trainees."
In
some areas the choice of cast and crew was obvious. Andrew Schofield
(Carlo) and Margi Clarke (Hannah) are legendary Liverpool actors; Schofield
played Johnny Rotten in SID & NANCY in 1986. Cox had worked with
cinematographer Len Gowing twice before; they had been planning the feature
version of REVENGERS TRAGEDY and scouting locations for it for three years.
Production designer Cecilia Montiel has collaborated with Cox on four
other
features, including HIGHWAY PATROLMAN and WALKER. Other relationships
were
completely new. "Gary Davy introduced me to an array of great actors whom
I
didn't know; his work on casting was like Frank's on the script, pulling
the project in directions which I never would have thought of."
And
it is an extraordinary cast that Gary has assembled. In addition to
Eccleston, Schofield and Clarke, it includes Derek Jacobi as the villainous
Duke, Eddie Izzard as his son and heir Lussurioso, Diana Quick as the
Duchess, Marc Warren and Justin Salinger as the dim-but-deadly twins
Supervacuo and Ambitioso, and the extraordinary young actress Carla Henry
as
Castiza, in her own words, "one of the only characters who isn't 100%
bad."
Also
featured are Tony Booth, as the opportunistic Lord Antonio, and Sophie
Dahl, as his young, fragrant, and fated bride Imogen.
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APOCALYPTIC
APOSTROPHE
In
the search for finance, the title of Middleton's play wasn't too helpful.
"There are a lot of films about revenge, which is -- like violence, sport
and sex -- culturally quite popular," Cox says. "But the word 'tragedy'
was
viewed as something of a downer. 'If it's funny, why is it a tragedy?'
At
the same time I was involved in a double linguistic struggle since one
of
our most vehement supporters, production manager Julia Valentine, was
determined to place the apostrophe either before or after the 's' in
REVENGERS, and I wanted to leave it out - as on the original 1607 title
page
- since there are in the story multiple revengers."
"The
shoot itself went so efficiently that one tends to forget how difficult
it was to get to this point," Cox says, from the comfort of the editing
room. "This was a very difficult project to realise. We do not live in
intellectual times, and most producers and financiers are only interested
in
a very specific, American-approved, studio-model type of film. Financiers
and development people are often intimidated by things that seem complex,
difficult, or unusual. This film has happened thanks to the endurance
and
perspicacity of Margaret Matheson and Tod Davies, its producers. There
was
a point in mid 2000 when we were two weeks into preproduction and the
finance completely fell out. We had an office full of people, were making
offers to cast, the production designer and the art director were flying
in
from Mexico... It was a disastrous moment. But the film ended up the
better for it.
"When
we realised our alleged backers had gone south, the design team and I
lurched down to London on a broken, delayed train, and Margaret introduced
us to the Film Council. We presented the designs, said here we are up
in
Liverpool, making a locally-based, anarchist revenge tragicomedy about
the
war between North and South England, set in 2011; all the money has just
fallen out, and how about a contribution? And the astonishing thing is,
they saw what we were up to, and they gave us one."
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CREATING
THE LOOK -- MAKEUP
Makeup
designer Leslie Brennan collaborated closesly with the actors on
their appearances. "When dealing with the future you have to anticipate
everything. How will people wear their hair? What will men and women put
on their faces? Would it be very decorative, would it be plain and
practical, or a mixture of the two?"
Leslie
remarked on the particular looks of Vindici (Christopher Eccleston)
and Lussurioso (Eddie Izzard): "Vindici is a man who has lost everything.
His make up requirements were simple. A shaven head. He has no time for
vanity or keeping up an appearance. He only has time for revenge... By
way
of a complete contrast is Eddie's character, Lussurioso: pampered, spoilt,
incredibly vain, ruthlessly ambitious. He enjoys 'looking the part' --
from
wearing stylised false eyelashes to reopening old scars on his face, using
a
razor blade!"
"Lussurioso
enjoys the wearing of make up, putting on a new face. The four
other Tourneur brothers are the same: each one had to have a look which
mirrored his personality... Body piercing and body art played a large
part
of their design."
"Margi
Clarke (who plays Vincici's blind mother, Hannah) arrived for make
up and said she felt she only had three quarters of the character. We
applied her make up. I hooded one of her eyes, and gave the other one
a
milky cataract. When we finished, Margi said she had that final quarter
of
the character and knew exactly how to play her! When things like that
happen, it gives you as a designer a great 'gee-up'."
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CREATING
THE LOOK -- DESIGN
Production
designer Cecilia Montiel had seen the RSC's stage production in
1987, and had wondered how to make the Jacobean horror-comedy work on
screen.
"It
took more than fifteen years' effort," she says. "On the other hand it
took twelve centuries for the city of Liverpool to grow, flourish, and
be
frozen. Now it has this magnificent suspended life -- the perfect
background." Montiel and art director Sandoval were struck by the city's
architectural and atmospheric aptness. "No other city, not even a
multi-million dollar set or a computer-generated design, could offer the
richness and uniqueness of Liverpool."
Together,
Cox, Montiel and Sandoval developed a pre-story scenario to
explain the dystopia of REVENGERS TRAGEDY -- workless, wrecked; the majority
living in stimulated or sedated poverty while a handful grow rich and
behave
appallingly.
"We
envisaged southern England and part of mainland Europe half-vaporised
by
a massive comet; a cloud of debris hanging over the remains," Sandoval
explains. "In the Elizabethan play they are afraid of comets as portents;
in our film they are just afraid of them. We imagined a world shocked
and
frozen in time -- a glorious dissection of humankind's grandeur and folly."
"And
Liverpool has everything the project needs," says Montiel. "Catacombs,
long-forgotten, half-flooded tunnels, palaces, red-stone cathedrals of
impossible dimensions, bunkers, gigantic warehouses, rusting cranes,
abandoned docks... In all, a concentration of symbols of might, ingenuity
and ruthlessness that fits perfectly with the play's characters."
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ABOUT
THE CAST
CHRISTOPHER
ECCLESTON (VINDICI) played Derek Bentley in LET HIM HAVE IT in
1989; since then he has starred in SHALLOW GRAVE, JUDE, ELIZABETH, EXISTENZ,
GONE IN 60 SECONDS, and played the role of the philosopher Boethius in
24
HOUR PARTY PEOPLE. His stage work includes WOYZEK, BENT and MISS JULIE.
REVENGERS TRAGEDY is his second collaboration with Alex Cox: in 1992 Chris
played the triple role of Scharlach/Zunz/Gryphius in DEATH & THE COMPASS.
EDDIE
IZZARD (LUSSURIOSOSO) has played Lenny Bruce and Edward II on stage,
and acted in various films including SHADOW OF A VAMPIRE, THE SECRET AGENT,
VELVET GOLDMINE, THE AVENGERS, and most recently THE CAT'S MIAOW.
DEREK
JACOBI (THE DUKE) has portrayed Hamlet, Byron, Prospero, Cyrano de
Bergerac and Macbeth in the theatre: his most recent stage performance
was
in GOD ONLY KNOWS. His films include DAY OF THE JACKEL, HENRY V, LOVE
IS
THE DEVIL, GLADIATOR and GOSFORD PARK. Of his television work, he is most
famous for the role of the Emperor Claudius in the BBC's I, CLAUDIUS,
and
for the role of Brother Cadfael in CADFAEL I, II and III. (As an undergraduate,
he played
Supervacuo in a stage production of REVENGERS TRAGEDY!)
DIANA
QUICK (THE DUCHESS) has acted in numerous plays including THE OLD
NEIGHBOURHOOD at the Royal Court, HAMLET and THE CHANGELING at the RSC,
LEAR
at the Oxford Playhouse, and PLUNDER and TROILUS & CRESSIDA at the
National
Theatre. On television she is famous for BRIDESHEAD REVISITED, THE WOMAN
IN
WHITE, THE CASTLE, and IT'S MY PLEASURE, which she wrote and directed.
Her
films include THE DISCOVERY OF HEAVEN, L'AFFAIRE DU COLLIER, A.K.A., and
MAX, MON AMOUR.
JUSTIN
SALINGER (AMBITIOSO) played Achilles in IPHEGENIA at the Abbey,
Dublin, Nick in UNDER THE BLUE SKY at the Royal Court, and Peter Pan at
the
National Theatre. He has also acted at the Bush Theatre, the Soho Theatre,
The Gate, the Almeida, and in Birmingham Rep. His films include PEACHES
and
VELVET GOLDMINE.
MARC
WARREN (SUPERVACUO) has acted at the Royal Court, the Almeida, and The
Gate, playing Ben in CLUBLAND, Private Flowers in PRIVATES ON PARADE,
and
Les in EAST. As a young actor he played the role of Billy Casper in the
Snap Theatre Company's touring stage production of KES. His films include
ALICE THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS, SUBURBAN PSYCHO, B MONKEY, SHINE,
and BOSTON KICKOUT.
CARLA
HENRY (CASTIZA) has acted at the Glasgow Citizens (THE PLEASURE MAN)
and at the Lyric, Hammersmith (HANSEL & GRETEL). Her TV work includes
ROB &
ROSE, CLOCKING OFF, LOVE IN THE 21st CENTURY, and QUEER AS FOLK.
REVENGERS TRAGEDY is her second feature role -- the first being Dorothy
in SPEAK LIKE A CHILD.
ANDREW
SCHOFIELD (CARLO) played Johnny Rotten in SID & NANCY and the Bellboy
in THREE BUSINESSMEN. He was the star of the Liverpool-based series SCULLY.
Among his numerous theatre roles are Bob Cratchit in A CHRISTMAS CAROL,
Thomas Cromwell in A MAN FOR ALL SEASONS, and Clint Eastwood in SELF
CATERING.
MARGI
CLARKE (HANNAH) starred in LETTER TO BREZHNEV, HELSINKI NAPOLI, BLONDE
FIST, and LA NAISSANCE DE L'AMOURANATION. Her stage work includes THE
WARP,
EDUCATING RITA and SNOW WHITE. On television she is currently appearing
in
FAMILY AFFAIRS, and was the presenter of THE GOOD SEX GUIDE on Channel
4.
ANTONY
BOOTH (LORD ANTONIO) has appeared in many television serials and
series, including, CORONATION STREET, ALBION MARKET, and, of course, 'TIL
DEATH DO US PART. His recent film work includes EXTREMELY DANGERIOUS,
TREASURE ISLAND and OWD BOB. Theatre appearances include Karaoke Ken in
PRIZE NIGHT at the Royal Exchange, Manchester, and The Narrator in THE
ROCKY
HORROR SHOW.
SOPHIE
DAHL (IMOGEN) Supermodel, best known for the Opium perfume campaign.
This is her first feature film.
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ABOUT
THE FILM-MAKERS
ALEX
COX (DIRECTOR) has directed various features including REPO MAN, SID &
NANCY, WALKER, HIGHWAY PATROLMAN, and THREE BUSINESSMEN. He was born in
Liverpool
in 1954; REVENGERS TRAGEDY is his first British feature. He has acted
in Mexican films including
LA REINA DE LA NOCHE and LA LEY DE HERODES; and was for several years
the presenter
of BBC2's MOVIEDROME.
MARGARET
MATHESON (PRODUCER) copy coming soon
TOD
DAVIES (PRODUCER) runs Exterminating Angel Productions, and is a partner
in extang.co.uk and in Toxteth.tv, two media enterprises based in Liverpool.
She was the author and producer of THREE BUSINESSMEN (1998), has produced
documentaries for Channel 4, and wrote the shooting scripts of BACKTRACK,
THE HOT SPOT, and FEAR & LOATHING IN LAS VEGAS.
FRANK
COTTRELL BOYCE (WRITER) is one of Britain's foremost screenwriters:
his credits include HILARY AND JACKIE, WELCOME TO SARAJEVO, PANDEMONIUM,
THE CLAIM, and 24 HOUR PARTY PEOPLE. He is also the writer of the forthcoming
RAILWAYMAN.
REVENGERS
TRAGEDY PRODUCTION INFORMATION FOR PATHE FILM DISTRIBUTION
Kent House, Market Place London W1N 8RB Tel 020 7323 5151 Fax 020 7323
1773
email
Kat Galer
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