
FAST FOOD
http://www.bankside-films.com/films/fast-food
http://www.thornboroughvillage.co.uk/ar ... html#self4
INTRO
‘Fast Food’ is an offbeat, provocative and at time moving story about the power of friendship. It is both a revealing story about a man battling with the demons of his past and the most modern of love stories. Set in a vivid, gaudy underground world, ‘Fast Food’ is driven by a dynamic pace, a story bristling with ideas and a startling stylistic approach.
STORY OUTLINE
BENNY’S BACK….but his long-lost friends are now paid-up members of the criminally illiterate and Benny has chosen a bad time to visit…
Zac, Bisto, Jacko and Flea have a cunning plan to make their fortunes and they want Benny to join them. What’s more the girl Benny has always loved is being held captive by the neighbourhood maniac. Everything seems connected – but how? Swept into a world of fish pizzas, exploding microwaves and arguments about he Royal Family, Benny hatches a plan of his own: Steal the money…save the girl…get the hell out...if he can…
Fast Food is about a simple man on a collision course with his complex past.
DISTRIBUTION
In May 1998 Vine International Pictures won the chase to pick up the film for worldwide sales and launched it at Cannes where five screenings of an early 16mm print resulted in eighteen TV interviews and more than two dozen press articles. Extra screenings were booked and sales were made.
Riding on the success of Cannes, screenings took place at festivals across North America and Europe including a successful UK premier at The London Film Festival. Both performances were sold out and FAST FOOD previews were featured in the national newspapers and selected consumer and trade magazines. TIME OUT recommended it as one of the top five films in the festival.
Vine International made eighteen international sales of the film. Many were bought on the strength of the early 16mm cut.
Optimum Releasing distributed it in the UK in Feb ’99. Box office figures showed that the film came 42nd out of 97 films released that year.
CAST
Douglas Henshall (It's All About Love, The Lawless Heart, Twice Upon A Yesterday, Orphans)
Emily Woof (School For Seduction, Wondrous Oblivion, Velvet Goldmine, The Full Monty)
Gerard Butler (The Phantom Of The Opera, Lara Croft Tomb Raider:The Cradle Of Life, Reign Of Fire, Dracula 2000)
TEAM
Stewart Sugg (Writer/Director)
After 'Fast Food' Stewart wrote and directed ‘Kiss Kiss (Bang Bang)’ which was released worldwide. Produced by Norma Heyman and James Richardson the film stars, Stellan Skarsgard, Chris Penn, Paul Bettany, and Martine McCutcheon.
Stewart has also directed Spooks Interactive for the BBC. BAFTA 2005. Grand Prix Cannes 2005.
He has recently written ‘Natural Motherfucker’ and ‘Sunshine’ which are in development for a Jane Horrocks series ‘Singing Heads', with Hat Trick Productions and the BBC.
Stewart has also directed many successful commercials and directed and produced a string of documentaries which include: ‘Classic Trains’ x 2 for Uden Associates, broadcast on Channel 4. Gained the highest ever audience ratings for this long running John Peel narrated documentary.
‘The Greatest’ – for TWI, broadcast on Channel 4.
‘History of the Olympics’ – for TWI, broadcast worldwide.
‘Futbol Mundial’ – for TWI, broadcast worldwide and on Sky in the UK
Phil Hunt (Producer)
From a background of working as an advertising photographer as well as music (Big Audio Dynamite, Sex Pistols), Phil produced the independent feature film FAST FOOD (Douglas Henshall and Emily Woof) which opened theatrically in the UK early 2000. The film has been sold internationally through Vine International Pictures. It has grossed 1375% on its investment.
His second feature film CHUNKY MONKEY (Alison Steadman and David Threlfall) is being distributed by Head Gear Films in the UK in November 2004. The Independent called it "A cult film in the mould of Withnail and I". It has been termed "A punk Abigail's Party"‚ and "An Edward Hopper painting commissioned by Monty Python".
Now heading up HEAD GEAR FILMS with Greg Cruttwell, with various projects in development, Phil has recently completed producing a Mexican UK political thriller RABBIT ON THE MOON directed by Jorge Ramirez-Suarez, which has recently played at the Berlin, AFI and Toulouse festivals and is scheduled at many more this year. It has had 11 award nominations and was picked up for International sales by Capitol Films.
A member of PACT and the New Producers Alliance with four years on the board and one year as Co-Chair. Phil instigated the Lobby Group with a brief to provide support to new filmmakers and to lobby and monitor public finding activities.
DIRECTOR'S STATEMENT
If you're looking for kitchen sink drama, you're in the wrong theatre. Made in England but reacting against the dowdy veneer of many British films, I set out to make the kind of film I want to see; FAST FOOD is the sparkle and bite of American independent cinema combined with the art and eye of European film.
The story involves universal themes: childhood, friendship, love, regret. We kept these themes from being parochial by casting throughout Britain: an Irishman, two Scots, a Mancunian, a native Londoner and a Geordie make up the main cast, producing a rich mix of accents which gives the film's language a musical beauty.
FAST FOOD was shot in London but what we see is an unfamiliar city - a vibrant, underground world of strange faces, towering buildings and empty streets. My aim was to make a film without one recognisable London landmark; no red busses, no British 'Bobbies' no Trafalgar Square. This is a magical 'Everytown' and the more unusual it was, the more enchanting, the better.
I worked very closely with production designer Katie Franklyn-Thompson on the contrast between the key interiors - the boys' flat a dark, rich nest stacked to the ceiling with junk. In comparison, Claudia's apartment is light, airy and icy blue. She waits like an icicle in a freezer, as the boys steam away like rotting apples in a barrel.
We brought to these spaces a carefully orchestrated cinematography. DoP Simon Reeves' hand-held camera is a visceral part of the action, twisting, turning, nervous - close. Like the pulsating, nervous, yet playful style of Wong Kar-Wai's 'Chungking Express' and 'Fallen Angels' or Shinya Tsukamoto's 'Tetsuo' films, the lens breathes the action. Then sometimes we step back, lock the camera off and consider the beauty of the frame. Breathe again.
Music plays a crucial role in FAST FOOD. Again contrast is the key - Ben Lee-Delisle's lyrical orchestral score complementing a collection of band music complied by EMI Records. EMI's desire to release a soundtrack alongside FAST FOOD has helped attract some of the most exciting new British music to the film, including a re-mix of a Blur track that is set to become a massive hit.
DVD
http://cps-static.rovicorp.com/1/adg/co ... llrovi.com
