Product Description

TWENTY YEARS AFTER A NASTY BREAK-UP, '70S ROCK PHENOMENON STRANGE FRUIT REUNITE FOR ONE LAST SHOT AT THE BIG TIME, WITH HILARIOUS AND HEARTWARMING RESULTS.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #26739 in DVD
• Brand: SONY PICTURES HOME ENT
• Released on: 1999-06-29
• Rating: R (Restricted)
• Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
• Formats: Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, Full Screen, NTSC
• Original language: English, Spanish
• Subtitled in: English, Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, Thai
• Dubbed in: Portuguese
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: 1.00 pounds
• Running time: 97 minutes

Amazon.com
This gently satirical British comedy chronicles the quixotic reunion of a late, arguably not-so-great, and unlamented '70s rock band, Strange Fruit, with a winning mix of humor and poignancy. The "Fruits," as the survivors call themselves without irony, had disbanded after the tragic loss of one member, the mysterious disappearance of another, and the aftershocks of internal rivalries, but 20 years later they warily reassemble for a Dutch club tour, a warm-up for a proposed festival appearance. Between that seemingly hare-brained proposal and the fateful festival, director Brian Gibson, working from a sharp script by Dick Clement and Ian LaFrenais, captures the absurdities of middle-aged rockers trying to recapture that lost cockiness.

Breathing life into the band is a terrific cast, including Stephen Rea, Jimmy Nail, Timothy Spall, and Bill Nighy, each managing to juggle deft archetype with believable character traits: Spall's cheerfully crass, flatulent drummer, and Nighy's preening, slow-witted lead singer exemplify the approach, grabbing chuckles yet making you actually care about them. Equally impressive is Billy Connolly as the wily roadie, Hughie, at once pragmatic and devoted to his charges. All are well-served by production details and script points that get the group's lost world of late '60s and early '70s rock exactly right, from costuming and stage moves to the long-forgotten bands they name-check--Blodwyn Pig, anybody?

The band's music likewise benefits from inspired insiders, cowriters Mick Jones (Spooky Tooth, Foreigner) and Chris Difford (Squeeze), who hit a nifty combination of bombast (for the silly scenes) and earnestness. When Gibson and his cast risk the story's amiable glow on a darker, more dramatic final act, the music rises to the challenge, and the whole project, like its fictional subject, achieves an unexpectedly touching victory. --Sam Sutherland

From The New Yorker
Twenty years past the glory they never quite attained in the first place, the English rock group Strange Fruit decides to embark on a comeback. But "Spinal Tap, Part Deux" this is not. Try as it might, Brian Gibson's film offers no laughs, irony, or rock-and-roll spirit. Stephen Rea walks through his role as Tony, the band's keyboardist (now a condom distributor), who kindles the reunion, suspecting that his mates are similarly fed up with their current lives. Not even Billy Connolly, as Hughie, the band's wise and fun-loving "road dog," can lift this leaden effort. -Ken Marks
Copyright © 2006 The New Yorker

Customer Reviews

Man, is this a good movie
I rented this film and, as is my wont, I watched it while reading a newspaper or a magazine--really did it a disservice. I had the vague feeling I had missed something, so I bought the DVD, and I've watched the film now 3 or 4 times. It gets better upon repeat viewings. If you watch it, REALLY watch it. There are so many throwaway lines (e.g., "Little Feat. One point") that you just won't catch if you're not paying attention.

The music is just great--very believable rock written by some people from bands of the era (Foreigner, ELO, Squeeze). The actors are perfectly cast. I especially loved Bill Nighy in the role of lead singer Ray--a fragile, aging rocker who makes your heart melt with embarrassment most of the time he's on screen. If you love the old warhorse 70s bands, you'll love this film.

Surprisingly good; dominated by Bill Nighy
"Big Name" stars Stephen Rea (as keyboard player 'Tony Costello') and Billy Connolly (as prototypical rock band roadie 'Hughie' - no last name known or required) are front-loaded into the credits of this 1999 release detailing the fanciful reunion of splintered 1960s British rock group 'Strange Fruit.'

No matter. The film is lorded over by supposed lesser-light Bill Nighy, portraying the David Lee Roth-like, completely self-absorbed lead singer 'Ray Simms.' Try taking your eyes off Nighy when he's on the screen...especially during his spleen-venting histrionics on-stage. This is Grade A stuff.

And, for once, US marketers got it right: the cover box features Rea and fellow band members pushed far to the back, with a preening Nighy front and center in classic rock superstar regalia and pout. That's exactly the way the movie feels.

We rented 'Still Crazy' as a 'second movie' throw-in & wound up being totally enchanted by it. Frankly, I can't even remember the other film, ostensibly our 'big viewing' for the weekend. I'll bet 'Still Crazy' - and especially Nighy - has that effect on you, too. It's definitely worth checking out.

Floydian Slip
Q: What do you call a musician without a girlfriend? A: Homeless! If that old chestnut still makes you chortle, then you will "get" this movie. Painting an absolutely life-like portrait of an "almost great" 70's British band reforming for a 90's reunion tour, "Still Crazy" does "Spinal Tap" one better (I guess then you could say this film goes to "eleven", actually). The important dinstinction to make with "Still Crazy" is that, unlike other rock 'n' roll satires, it doesn't "mock" its characters, rather it treats them with the kind of respect that can only come from someone who truly loves and understands the music. Great performances all around, with the oft-mentioned Bill Nighy a standout in a hilarious yet poignant performance as the insecure lead singer. Devoted prog-rock fans will revel in many clever "inside" references, and are sure to recognize that the character of the "lost" leader/guitarist is obviously a tribute to Syd Barrett. Keep in mind, however, that you don't have to be a rabid rock fan to enjoy this film; its core issues dealing with mid-life crisis and the importance of following your bliss are universal themes. An exceptional original soundtrack (the kind that SHOULD, but of course NEVER gets nominated for an Academy Award!) puts the icing on the cake.