UNITED KINGDOM: "FUNNY BONES", STARRING JERRY LEWIS AND LEE EVANS DIRECTED BY PETER CHELSOM, PREMIERES IN LONDON

Record ID: 386489

  • Title: UNITED KINGDOM: "FUNNY BONES", STARRING JERRY LEWIS AND LEE EVANS DIRECTED BY PETER CHELSOM, PREMIERES IN LONDON
  • Date: 26th September 1995
  • Summary: LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM (SEPTEMBER 26 1995) (RTV - ACCESS ALL) CELEBRITY PARTY AFTER FILM PREMIERE LEE EVANS SPEAKING (ENGLISH) SAYING THAT NOT HAVING BEEN TRAINED AS AN ACTOR, IT WAS DIFFICULT TO APPROACH, SO YOU COME AT AN INDEPENDENT ANGLE AND IN THE END YOU JUST WALK ON SET AND DO IT AND THEY SAY "OH, ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL" AND YOU SAY "OH, ALL RIGHT THEN" AND THEY SAY "RIGHT, CUT, OFF WE GO!" DIRECTOR PETER CHELSOM SAYING (ENGLISH) THAT THE FILM'S A COMEDY, BUT IT'S VERY DARK, PEOPLE DO GET KILLED, LIMBS DO GET CHOPPED IN HALF, IT'S PRETTY BLACK BUT IT HAS TO BE IF IF MAKES THE POINT THAT BEHIND SOMETHING HYSTERICAL IS SOMETHING REALLY DARK AND PAINFUL
  • Embargoed: 11th October 1995 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM AND FILM LOCATIONS
  • Country: United Kingdom
  • Reuters ID: LVACTZEMQOULUPTKSUAK17JQPUUV
  • Story Text: Writer-Director Peter Chelsom presented his second feature film, "Funny Bones", at its London premiere on Tuesday (September 26).

    The film, which stars Jerry Lewis, Oliver Platt, Lee Evans and Leslie Caron, follows "Hear My Song". Both are "home town movies", based on places where Chelsom grew up.

    The film opens in Las Vegas with the debut performance of stand-up comedian Tommy Fawkes (Platt). Present in the audience is his famous comedian father, George Fawkes (Lewis), but nerves and bad material make Tommy's performance into a failure.

    Tommy decides to return to his father's roots in the British seaside town of Blackpool in search of new material. His quest leads to Jack (Evans) - a natural comedian - and his uncles, the Parker brothers, who were part of his father's old comedy troupe.

    With the arrival of Jack's mother Katie (Caron), Tommy begins to learn why his father left Blackpool so suddenly - he took the Parker Brothers' material which subsequently made his name in America.

    It is not the first time that Jerry Lewis has starred in a film about the world of comedy; in 1981 he had his most acclaimed dramatic performance in Martin Scorsese's "King of Comedy", a story about a kidnapped talk show host.

    "Funny Bones" is Lee Evans' feature film debut. The son of a clubland performer, Evans followed his father's footsteps on the cabaret circuit in Britain, before getting his big break at the Comedy Store. As a comedian, he became a familiar face on British television, winning the "Perrier Award" at the 1993 Edinburgh arts festival.

    French actress Leslie Caron's most recent film role was in Louis Malle's tale of sexual intrigue, "Malice".

    "Funny Bones" explores the traditions of comedy, acknowledging that there is a dark side to the creative urge to make people laugh.

    "It's a comedy, but it's very dark" said Chelsom, "People do get killed, limbs do get chopped in half, it's pretty black, but it has to be, if it makes the point that behind something hysterical is something really dark and painful".
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