Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead (1990)

What is it?
Comedy, drama, tragedy. The best Tim Roth (and Gary Oldman) film ever, which sparked off their famous love affair(!) They float through a surreal world tagged on to the original Hamlet text. Gary Oldman is the nice but dim one who creates some interesting paper inventions throughout the film and Tim Roth is as sensible as anyone in the film gets.

The use of the scenery, such as “verbal tennis” in the great hall, and the original text, such as “question and answer” competitions with Hamlet, makes this film the kind you can watch again and again. The direction has been described as “clunky”, but I find it only adds to the oppressive atmosphere of the fatalism of the film.

Who’s in it?
Richard Dreyfuss plays the travelling theatre main player, or pimp as it turns out to be. No one else of any particular fame that I know of. Written and directed by Tom Stoppard, who of course is very famous for luvvies. Richard E Grant was nearly in it, for those who care.

Awards and Nominations
It won a Director’s Week award and the Golden Lion at Venice film festival. 


The War Zone (1999)

What is it?
A very, very disturbing and gritty drama about sexual abuse within a family and how they deal with it. It’s not for the faint hearted and definitely shouldn't be watched around children. You’d be hard pushed to not been extremely affected by this film. Based on a novel by Alexander Stuart.

Who’s in it?
The two main young characters of teenage brother and sister are unknowns, chosen by Tim Roth, for his directorial debut, to make the film as realistic as possible. Ray Winstone plays the father, Colin Farrell is another.

Awards and Nominations
It got nine wins and ten nominations. Six awards were won at film festivals and it notably won a British Independent Film Award for Laura Belmont (the daughter) as Best Newcomer. Watch the film and you’ll see why.


Gridlock’d (1997)

What is it?
Dark, dark comedy drama about two heroin users who try to give up and eventually get themselves into hospital to start a detox. A tag line is “Good time to quit. Bad day to pick”. This film follows them through a rather difficult time as they muddle around the bureaucracy involved which could lead anyone to want to shoot up, addicted or not! The way they try to get themselves into Casualty with a blunt knife is horribly sick and yet painfully funny.

Who’s in it?
This was Tupac’s last film appearance before he was killed, making the film all the more special. Tim Roth again appears as a very convincing American.

Awards and Nominations
Surprisingly, it won a Prism Award for Theatrical Feature Film!


Reservoir Dogs (1992)

What is it?
If you’ve never seen or even heard of this film, you’d best check you haven’t been under a rock for the last ten years. How to describe it? Violent drama about a failed heist, dark comedy about the aftermath, the “ear” scene made me the closest to physically sick a film has ever made me. The dialogue is sharp and I feel it has far more funny moments than Pulp Fiction, them trying to sort out the pseudonyms of each character is hilarious.

Who’s in it?
Who isn’t?! Harvey Keitel, Chris Penn, Michael Madsen, Steve Buscemi, Lawrence Tierney and of course the lovely Mr Tarantino himself. Steven Wright cracks it as the local radio DJ.

Awards and Nominations
One of Tarantino’s best. Won five film festival awards won and another three for Best Newcomer and Director. If you prefer Pulp Fiction and Tim Roth’s immortal “honey bunnies”, please note that his character in Dogs holds the story together pretty much.


Made in Britain (1983)

What is it?
Gritty (again) fact-based film drama, screened on TV that year, about what people call today “antisocial behaviour”, except in those days it was just known as racism, criminal damage, violence, and generally being a git. Tim Roth plays the misguided youth who generally creates havoc and raises a lot of questions about why people turn out as they do and why some just don’t know where to stop. 

Who’s in it?
Tim Roth is fresh faced at a mere 22 years old in this film. The only other person mentioned as famous on the video cover is Eric Richard for his appearances in “The Bill”. Mmmm, not too dated then!

Awards and Nominations
It won the Prix Italia the next year for drama.

I did want to add in “Planet of the Apes” as a short sixth best film,  because it’s funny to see Helena Bonham Carter not needing much makeup to fulfil the role. Hope this isn’t libel or anything.

Comment (0)

Send to friend

Print

Add to Facebook