Where can you find the cream of Hollywood, rock and roll, and football punditry all on one suburban street? Surbiton, that’s where…or at least Shepherd’s Bush masquerading as Surbiton. We’re taking a trip to Stella Street on Britcom Goes to the Movies! That’s right, this late 90s cult, small-budget, and even smaller cast-list comedy had a 2004 big-screen adaptation! Something that seemed to pass a lot of British comedy fans by, not least Rob Heath.
The genius mind of Peter Richardson, that brought us Comic Strip Presents, was busy in 1997 harnessing the comedy and impersonation talents of the then little-known Phil Cornwell and John Sessions to make an anarchic, foul-mouthed, and downright hilarious mockusoap about some huge stars descending on suburban London. Stella Street saw Michael Caine narrating, Mick Jagger and Keith Richards running the local corner shop, as well as Joe Pesci putting the Psycho in Psychotherapy.
Cornwell and Sessions would play all manner of celebrity inhabitants as well as some less-famous but equally hilarious recurring characters such as Mrs Huggett and Len the arsonist gardener. In 2004, whilst also busy with Churchill: The Hollywood Years, Richardson made a feature-length version of his cult hit show for the Aspen Film Festival. The cast would grow by 33.3% with the addition of impressionist of the moment Ronni Ancona, but the premise remained the same.
We revisit themes of direct spin-offs, recycling of material, and in some cases footage and some dodgy filmmaking, but did any of that matter given the essence of Stella Street was and remains to this day one of the unsung gems of British comedy? Find out by having a listen!
Stella Street Se1 Ep1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JI5vEevmbvQ
Stella Street - Brando and Bowie Fight
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cqDKQ6vfEnc
Stella Street - Bowie and Roger Moore exchange Christmas presents
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PbsmqeIdtTg
John Sessions - Whose Line is it Anyway
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jb_v6ha1blI
Phil Cornwell as Gilbert The Alien
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LYyBi2Bgfvg
Stella Street Film Trailer
https://www.imdb.com/video/vi1384841497/?ref_=ttvg_vi_3
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1:20:41
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1:20:41
S05 E04 - Starter for Ten (w/ Verbal Diorama)
You all know the rules by now, here’s your Starter for Ten. What could be more British than University Challenge? One of the longest-running quiz shows ever on British TV, it has associations of class, difficulty, and unmitigated stress. The perfect setting for a rom-com then, or at least David Nicholls thought so. Long before One Day, the screenwriter was floundering somewhat with the small screen and so turned his attentions to the page. Always a fan of University Challenge, Nicholls penned a semi-autobiographical novel set around a 1980s University of Bristol team and a central coming-of-age rom-com conceit.
Through the unlikely help of Tom Hanks, this well-received novel then became a screenplay, and Starter for Ten the Movie was born. In 2006, not too much was known about James McEvoy, Rebecca Hall, Benedict Cumberbatch, and Alice Eve, but all four went on to have hugely successful Hollywood careers.
Join Rob and Guy as they discuss Starter for Ten and its origins. They dive into University Challenge and the excruciatingly difficult-to-find Rescue Me, Nicholls’ forgotten 2002 comedy drama starring Sally Phillips and Oliver Chris. Guy’s voyage to find any evidence of this ever even existing beyond a Daniela Denby-Ashe Supercut on YouTube was both painstaking and hilarious…for Rob anyway.
Joining the team this week is Em from the comprehensively brilliant movie podcast Verbal Diorama. Em very kindly gave Starter for Ten her classic treatment and left no stone unturned in telling us about the making of this very mid-00s, while simultaneously very 80s of romantic comedies. She was the Bamber Gascoigne to our Paxo and Rajan.
Rescue Me - Daniela Denby Ashe Supercut
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tr4WfAFNRv8&ab_channel=HollyoaksFans
James McEvoy in Shameless
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CNtKrycBI50
Benedict Cumberbatch in Nathan Barley
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W7Juf2jWCAM
University Challenge - Gail Trimble
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KCj4wjV-oqM
University Challenge - Ted Loveday
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oC2buT3gQww
University Challenge - Eric Monkman
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZagrO1C8UUY
We need Jungle I’m Afraid
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=isiVdlz8bDY
Starter For 10 Trailer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p5JwoOHPmbw
Starter For 10 Headbutt
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dPSMJVpl24E
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1:40:52
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1:40:52
S05 E03 - The Punch & Judy Man (w/ Very Nearly an Armful)
Who fancies a Piltdown Glory?
Guy and Rob return to Tony Hancock territory for a second time, and this time they’re joined by some proper experts. Tim Elms, Martin Gibbons, and Jon Street from the Tony Hancock Appreciation Society, as well as the presenters of the Very Nearly An Armful official Tony Hancock podcast, join us to discuss The Punch and Judy Man, the 1963 film that marked a significant departure for Hancock. For the first time, The Lad is not The Lad. Hancock plays the titular puppeteer, not named Tony Hancock, but Wally Pinner.
This departure in name, character, tone, and filmmaking came as a shock to fans and critics alike in 1963. The Punch and Judy Man was not a success at the time and has long been considered one of Britcom’s great flops. But is that reputation entirely fair? Or have the intervening years been kind to a misunderstood gem?
We’ll also explore Hancock’s move to ITV in the early '60s. That programme, simply titled Hancock, saw him leave behind not only the familiar Railway Cuttings setting but also his legendary writing duo, Galton and Simpson, who had moved on to Steptoe and Son. What followed was a hit-and-miss format featuring some intriguing guest stars and flashes of Hancock’s trademark wit.
So join all five of us (a BritCom Goes To The Movies record!) for another slice of Hancock.
Hancock - Man On The Cornerhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6hpqLCOXu0ISylvia Sims - Ice Cold In Alex Carlsberg Adverthttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gsqZDl99PNkPunch and Judy Man - Trailerhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ph2Dzyjytzg
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1:42:23
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1:42:23
S05 E02 - Keith Lemon: The Film (w/ Nina Buckley)
Could we finally have a contender for bottom of the league? Bottom of the barrel? Most certainly. Keith Lemon: The Film is widely regarded by critics as one of the worst British comedy movies of all time. Completely mauled upon its release and a disappointment at the box office in 2012, Leigh Francis (AKA Keith Lemon) was nevertheless and remains one of the most popular comedians on the small screen.
So what went wrong? To discuss this in great length with Rob and Guy is one of the funniest people on social media, Nina Buckley. Nina went above and beyond for Britcom Goes to the Movies, watching this monstrosity on no fewer than five (FIVE) occasions before recording, to really get to the heart of what made this film not work.
We get deep into the character of Keith Lemon, who first appeared to South East ITV audiences in 2000 and has been one of Leigh Francis’ go-to characters for the intervening quarter of a century. Celebrity Juice, Very Brilliant World Tour, The Keith and Paddy Picture Show and of course the programme that made Francis a household name, Bo Selecta.
So join us for Keith Lemon: The Film and all that comes with it. Copious celeb cameos shot on green screen, recycled jokes, inappropriate touching of female co-stars, hastily written and rewritten denouements and a whole load besides as we finally answer the age-old question: Is this really worse than Lesbian Vampire Killers?Leigh Francis – Whatever I Want – First appearance of Keith Lemonhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zK4QKhIcqhU&t=1052sKeith and Fabio – Bo In The USAhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bL-N_A0d1vs&list=PL390C2FE08AA6D091Keith Lemon’s Very Brilliant World Tour – Australiahttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IPAReLy-UPUKeith Lemon best bits – Celebrity Juicehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pGanpd_jLLILeigh Francis Apologyhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-KYgYTxJwjcKeith Lemon: The Film – Trailerhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bIemgNIFKEMKeith Lemon: The Film – Gary Barlowhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kum3R7_EEos
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1:38:55
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1:38:55
S05 E01 - Rising Damp (w/ Jake Yapp)
How time flies. It doesn’t seem feasible that we should be on series five already, but here we are. We begin with a huge figure in the British comedy landscape, The Banana Box. You may know it as Rising Damp, but Eric Chappel’s beloved sitcom began life as a stage play with this rather more visceral title. Indeed, everyone’s (least) favourite landlord Rigsby, although always portrayed by the magnificent Leonard Rossiter from stage to small screen to big screen, was originally known as Rooksby.
Rob and Guy have had mixed experiences with 1970s straight spin-offs in the past, but surely a sitcom widely regarded as ITV’s best-ever could not diminish in quality too much in adaptation. Even if Chappel’s tactic of reworking multiple episode scripts to fit a film was reminiscent of a couple of other noticeable failures, surely it wouldn’t claim the good name of Rising Damp?!
Joining our regular team to discuss this comedy institution is Jake Yapp. The writer, producer, performer, and broadcaster has a huge fondness for all things Rigsby and Miss Jones, so was an eager participant in our first adventure of a new series. Jake also acted as quizmaster for the newly reset competition and was keen to put in an early plug for his son’s new line of 1970s light entertainment Top Trumps, which will no doubt be in the shops for Christmas.
Get comfy for a new series and some Rising Damp.Rising Damp - Funniest momentshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=96VpnQq197U&list=PLT2hAuUDOLMAgPlQjv0EO0YQAPuo7jgwdRising Damp - Pink Carnationshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-4honiX0_vkRising Damp - Disco opening sequencehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LhCI0JceBicRising Damp Movie - Rigsby’s Dream Sequencehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uBGvGuGKWcwJake Yapp - This Morning in 97 Secondshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6DLx8FPtA8kTin Sandwich Anyone?: The History of the Harmonica - Produced by Jake Yapp, Assistant Produced by Rob Heathhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=clsGakOc8AE
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Guy Walker and Rob Heath are on a quest to find out if successful British TV comedies should make the jump to the big screen.
A proud part of the Film Stories Podcast Network: www.filmstories.co.uk
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