Neal Patrick said he would like to be Brian in Monty Python’s The Life of Brian we certainly stopped some rush hour traffic on Alfred Gelder Street with one passer by quipping ‘he’s not the Messiah just a very naughty boy‘ and another saying ‘you’ve spelt that wrong’. The film was originally banned in Hull.
Monty Python’s Life of Brian, also known as Life of Brian, is a 1979 British religious satire comedy film starring and written by the comedy group Monty Python (Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones and Michael Palin). It was also directed by Jones. The film tells the story of Brian Cohen (played by Chapman), a young Jewish man who is born on the same day as, and next door to, Jesus Christ, and is subsequently mistaken for the Messiah.
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The Wolverine
I’m a sucker for a good super hero so when Richard Hall called about recreating the marvel super hero Wolverine it was a yes from me. With Les Drake (a filmmaker working on a documentary about the creation of the Hullywood Icons and wise-cracking Alex, a journalist from the Yorkshire Post in tow we recreated Wolverine for the Hullywood Icons.
The Wolverine is a 2013 superhero film featuring the Marvel Comics character Wolverine. The film, distributed by 20th Century Fox, is the sixth installment in the X-Men film series. Hugh Jackman reprises his role from previous films as the title character, with James Mangold directing a screenplay written by Scott Frank and Mark Bomback, based on the 1982 limited series Wolverine by Chris Claremont and Frank Miller. In the film, which follows the events of X-Men: The Last Stand, Logan travels to Japan, where he engages an old acquaintance in a struggle that has lasting consequences. Stripped of his healing factor, Wolverine must battle deadly samurai while struggling with guilt.
Napoleon Dynamite
When Nanette Thompson got in touch about recreating a scene from Napoleon Dynamite as Pedro with her fiance Lee Halls as Napoleon Dynamite I couldn’t say no. We used Wyke College as a location.
Napoleon Dynamite is a 2004 American comedy film produced by Jeremy Coon, Chris Wyatt, Sean C. Covel and Jory Weitz, written by Jared and Jerusha Hess and directed by Jared Hess. The film stars Jon Heder in the role of the title character, for which he was paid $1,000. After the film’s runaway success, Heder re-negotiated his compensation and received a cut of the profits. The film was Jared Hess’ first full-length feature and is partially adapted from his earlier short film, Peluca. Napoleon Dynamite was acquired at the Sundance Film Festival by Fox Searchlight Pictures and Paramount Pictures, in association with MTV Films. It was filmed in and near Franklin County, Idaho in the summer of 2003. It debuted at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2004, and in June 2004 was released on a limited basis. Its widespread release followed in August. The film’s total worldwide gross revenue was $46,118,097. The film has since developed a cult following.
Zen Elder to write ‘Score of Scores’ for Hullywood Icons
Zen Elder is to to write the Hullywood theme music desribed as a ‘Score of Scores’ his brief is as follows:
‘It needs to be cinematic, quirky, references but don’t replicate themes – homage – a score of scores – Hullish- humorous – fun – serious dramatic – both tongue in cheek and very earnest – strings – orchestral – piano – that kind of thing – all things Hullywood – a northern british version of Hollywood. No woolly jumpers or granola – showbiz and sparkles please… apart from that it’s up to you’.
Zen Elder is the pseudonym of Zebedee Budworth. He studied Music Technology and Popular Music Performance at University of West London graduating with a first in 2013. He engineered the debut album (and associated singles) by Best Friends and Logs, plays the drums in Night Flowers, and everything apart from the drums in The Silver Reserve. Occasional Medieval Entertainer, Brewer of Beer and Rider of Bikes.
I’ve just been sequencing up the Hullywood Icons would you like a peep?
Please note the musical underscore is just a temp track.
Hairspray
When Sarah Clayton proprietress of the remarkable Hair Majesty, an amazing vintage themed hair dressing salon, on Ings Road was nominated to play the character Tracy Turnblad, an optimistic, overweight teenage girl who loves dancing in the film Hairspray she took up the challenge with a little help from her friends Peter Roach, Jessica Ockelton, Kirsten Goodleid and Ken Woodall to join in the fun.
Hairspray is a 2007 musical romantic comedy film based on the 2002 Broadway musical of the same name, which in turn was based on John Waters’ 1988 comedy film of the same name. Adapted from both Waters’ 1988 script and Thomas Meehan and Mark O’Donnell’s book for the stage musical by screenwriter Leslie Dixon, the 2007 film version of Hairspray was directed and choreographed by Adam Shankman and has an ensemble cast including John Travolta, Michelle Pfeiffer, Christopher Walken, Amanda Bynes, James Marsden, Queen Latifah, Brittany Snow, Zac Efron, Elijah Kelley, Allison Janney and Nikki Blonsky. Set in 1962 Baltimore, Maryland, the film follows the “pleasantly plump” teenager Tracy Turnblad as she pursues stardom as a dancer on a local TV show and rallies against racial segregation.
Sarah styled Freddie Garland’s Hair in the Breakfast at Tiffany’s shoot you can read about it here.
Labyrinth
Lex Stephenson asked if he could play Jareth, the Goblin King (played by David Bowie) in Labyrinth a 1986 American adventure musical fantasy film directed by Jim Henson, executive-produced by George Lucas, and based upon conceptual designs by Brian Froud. The film revolves around 15-year-old Sarah’s (Jennifer Connelly) quest to reach the center of an enormous otherworldly maze to rescue her infant brother Toby, who has been kidnapped by Jareth, the Goblin King (David Bowie). With the exception of Connelly and Bowie, most of the film’s significant characters are played by puppets produced by Jim Henson’s Creature Shop.
The Wild One
Charles Huckvale contacted me about recreating the character of Johnny Strabler played by Marlon Brando in a scene from the 1953 film The Wild One with his band mates from the fantastic Hull based street band Bandanarama. This was the biggest Hullywood Shoot so far featuring Charles and 16 ‘Wild Ones’ and took place as the light was going outside the legendary Rayners Pub on Hessle Road one wet November afternoon. After the shoot the band got out their instruments and burst into an impromptu performance of Tequila much to the surprise and delight of the locals.
The Wild One is a 1953 American film directed by László Benedek and produced by Stanley Kramer. It is most noted for the character of Johnny Strabler (Marlon Brando), whose persona became a cultural icon of the 1950s. The Wild One is considered to be the original outlaw biker film, and the first to examine American outlaw motorcycle gang violence.
Bandanarama as ‘The Wild Ones ‘ Brendan Walsh, Rob Jenkins, Nathan Kirby, Cindy Hall, Mac Jordan, Dave Ellis, Jim Watkin, Charles Huckvale, Steven Walsh, Mel Haynes, Phil Codd, Adrian Johnson – Harley Davison Ian Mitchel – Apus Productions Liz Dees – Apus Productions “Flock” by Foolsize Theatre – Liverpool (The Guys with The Handle Bars) Chris Murray Joanne Tremarco
Hullywood Icons 