6.8

A Cock and Bull Story

2005, UK

• Actors: Steve Coogan, Rob Brydon, Keeley Hawes, Shirley Henderson, Raymond Waring, Conal Murphy, Joe Williams, Paul Kynman, Mark Tandy, Mary Healey, Dylan Moran, Jack Shepherd, David Walliams, Jeremy Northam, Benedict Wong, Naomie Harris, Claire Keelan, Kelly Macdonald, Mark Hadfield, Elizabeth Berrington, Mark Williams, Jenny Ogilvie, Tony Wilson, Justine Mitchell, Kieran O'Brien, Roger Allam, Ashley Jensen, James Fleet, Ian Hart, Ronni Ancona
• Genre: Comedy
• Director(s): Michael Winterbottom
• Available languages:
  • English English.

Two actors, as their make up is applied, talk about the size of their parts. Then into the film: Laurence Sterne's unfilmable novel, Tristram Shandy, a fictive autobiography wherein the narrator, interrupted constantly, takes the entire story to be born. The film tracks between "Shandy" and behind the scenes. Size matters: parts, egos, shoes, noses. The lead's girlfriend, with their infant son, is up from London for the night, wanting sex; interruptions are constant. Scenes are shot, re-shot, and discarded. The purpose of the project is elusive. Fathers and sons; men and women; cocks and bulls. Life is amorphous, too full and too rich to be captured in one narrative.

  7.3

24 Hour Party People

2001, UK

• Actors: Steve Coogan, John Thomson, Nigel Pivaro, Lennie James, Shirley Henderson, Martin Hancock, Mark Windows, Paddy Considine, John Simm, Ralf Little, Dave Gorman, Andy Serkis, Danny Cunningham, Paul Popplewell, Ron Cook, Raymond Waring, Peter Kay, Mark E. Smith, Naomi Radcliffe, Sean Harris, Tim Horrocks, Rob Brydon, Howard Devoto, Collette Cooper, Tracy Cunliffe, Enzo Cilenti, Duncan Whitworth, Michael Mitchell Jr., Claire Lever, Neil Bell
• Genre: Biography, Comedy, Drama, Music
• Director(s): Michael Winterbottom
• Available languages:
  • English English.

Manchester 1976: Cambridge educated Tony Wilson, Granada TV presenter, is at a Sex Pistols gig. Totally inspired by this pivotal moment in music history, he and his friends set up a record label, Factory Records, signing first Joy Division (who go on to become New Order) then James and the Happy Mondays, who all become seminal artists of their time. What ensues is a tale of music, sex, drugs, larger-than-life characters, and the birth of one of the most famous dance clubs in the world, The Hacienda - a mecca for clubbers as famous as the likes of Studio 54. Graphically depicting the music and dance heritage of Manchester from the late 70's to the early 90's, this comedy documents the vibrancy that made Mad-chester the place in the world that you would most like to be.