Stars: Steve Coogan, Lennie James, Paddy Considine, Danny Cunningham, Ralf Little, Sean Harris, Shirley Henderson, Andy Serkis, Keith Allen, John Simm, Ron Cook, Peter Kay, Enzo Cilenti, Rob Brydon, John Simm, Rob Brydon

Director: Michael Winterbottom

Summary: Set in Manchester between the late 1970s and the early 1990s, this is the story of Tony Wilson, founder of Factory Records and the Hacienda Club.

Staggeringly versatile director Michael Winterbottom follows up his epic Western THE CLAIM with a period piece of a completely different variety. A sprawling, visceral tribute to the legendary Manchester music scene that flourished between the years of 1976 and 1992, 24 HOUR PARTY PEOPLE recreates that influential era with reckless exuberance. In order to bring structure to the tale, Winterbottom and screenwriter Frank Cottrell Boyce focus their attentions on Tony Wilson (Steve Coogan), the man who was responsible for making it all happen. A television reporter by day, Wilson also led a notorious double life as band manager (Joy Division, the Happy Mondays, James), label president (Factory Records), and club owner (The Hacienda). Fiercely determined and dangerously stubborn, Wilson's energy gave an entire subculture of Manchester youths their place in the spotlight, forever changing the face of popular music in the process. Shot by acclaimed cinematographer Robby Muller in faded digital video, Winterbottom's pulsating film tears through its subject matter like an ecstasy induced history lesson. The performances are flawless from top to bottom, most notably Wilson, Sean Harris, Paddy Considine, John Simm, and Danny Cunningham. A must-see for music aficionados, Winterbottom's film is also worth viewing for its sheer sense of hyperkinetic entertainment.

WIN DVDs by rating this DVD

Average User Rating:

WIN DVDS by being amongst the first to review this DVD. Reviewing DVDs earns you bonus entries and lets you WIN DVDs!Please login before reviewing this DVD. If you're a new user, register for free and enter to WIN FREE DVDs!

Beginning during the dawn of Factory Records--as Tony Wilson throws himself off a cliff for Granada TV--24 Hour Party Peopleattempts to capture the essence of the ill-fated label which spawned Joy Division/New Order, The Happy Mondays and the venue that started modern Club Culture, the Hacienda in Manchester. Director Michael Winterbottom takes a very different approach to most music biographies, by making the film self-aware that it is a film and ironically looking at its own role within the history of the "Mad-chester" scene.

Inspired by Wilson's autobiographical musings, the film is narrated in character by Steve Coogan as Wilson. He offers sporadic moments from his life--his "career" as a presenter at Granada and his several marriages--which in turn influence the destructive nature of the label he founded. Coogan's Wilson gives monologues to camera which remind the audience that what they are watching is only his perspective. Yet with Coogan in the title role it's impossible to ignore the similarities between Wilson and Alan Partridge; and although this adds instant humour to the film it also instantly pins Wilson with the comic "Partridge" tag of fated fool. The cinematography, on the other hand, tries faithfully to embody the feeling of the times, from grainy celluloid for the punk-like Joy Division gigs to bright, clean-cut images for the birth of the Hacienda. The film also benefits from an amazing soundtrack and strong supporting characters. It all adds up to a picture that's purely British in character: imbued with irony,down-and-out inspiration, and a touch of the surreal.

On the DVD:24 Hour Party Peoplecomes as a two-disc set, but there really is little need. Disc 1 is loaded with great extras, such as the deleted scenes, commentaries and Mad-chester musings, but the second disc is a little on the dull side. This really could have been just a single great DVD. There's an excellent screen and audio transfer that brings both the music and the lurid colours to life and the disc also offers that all-important function for hardcore clubbers: a hard of hearing option. --Nikki Disney

Main Language:	English
Region:	Region 2
Year:	2002
Release Date:	July 19, 2004
Runtime:	117 minutes
Certification:
Catalogue Number:	P 9036 V D V D
Keywords:	Party, Comedy, Hour, Version, General, People, Four, Twenty, Vanilla
Genre:	Comedy