Being Frank

[Tom Waits For No One]

Coming soon to a cinema near you.




You know it is, it really is!

Thank you!

[Charlie O.]

I hope I get to see it!

[Tom Waits For No One]

In cinemas in the UK from Friday 29th March.

Check out where you can go and see it here

https://www.beingfrank.film/tickets/

You know you should, you really should.

Thank you!

[Snarfyguy]

That's the documentary that this is a feature film version of?



(I have it out from the library but haven't watched yet. Any good?)

[Charlie O.]

That's the documentary that this is a feature film version of?

Ummm... yes and no. They borrowed the name and image of Sievey's creation, but that is well and truly where the resemblance ends. It's an odd and interesting movie, but I'm not sure why they bothered.

[Snarfyguy]

^^^ Yeah, just watched last night.

I really don't know anything about Frank Sidebottom, but I was pretty sure the story in the movie wasn't biographical (for one thing, Sidebottom's not American, as far as I understand).

I didn't really get the point of why that sort of Trout Mask Replica-inspired storyline and a couple of details from Daniel Johnson were yoked together with the real-life big fake head character.

But it was kind of fun anyway. I'll look for the doc to find out about the real person/character.

[Tom Waits For No One]

That's the documentary that this is a feature film version of?

Ummm... yes and no. They borrowed the name and image of Sievey's creation, but that is well and truly where the resemblance ends. It's an odd and interesting movie, but I'm not sure why they bothered.

It was based on Jon Ronson's book



There's a great interview with him about it here:

https://www.theguardian.com/culture/201 ... ris-sievey


Went to see Being Frank-The Chris Sievey Story last night.*

It was immense.

Chris is/was a true multi-talented, hyperactive, original, obsessive, genius and a bit of a shit.
From recording tracks at Apple, missing out on fame and chart success with The Freshies, possible Euro-Vision jollity, Saturday morning kids TV and Frank-mania to taking New York by storm on a one day visit!? it's well worth an hour or so of anyone's time.

You know it is, it really is.

Thank you!


*Sadly, but very much in keeping with Chris' story, the cinema was empty, apart from Mrs. TWFNO and myself.

[Charlie O.]

It was based on Jon Ronson's book

I had no idea! Thanks for the interview, that was interesting.

(Although the book is subtitled "The True Story That Inspired The Movie"...)

[Sam Stone]

Saw it last week on Sky. Very enjoyable it was, too. Sad to learn that his son Harry died
not long after the film - crowdfunded by his fans - was finished

Currently still up on Sky Catch Up for anyone who wants to - or has yet to - watch it

[toomanyhatz]

Free on Amazon Prime, if anyone's interested stateside. Saw it and loved it. I knew next to nothing about him and spent most of it varying between laughter and tears, sometimes both at once.

[Deebank]

That's the documentary that this is a feature film version of?

Ummm... yes and no. They borrowed the name and image of Sievey's creation, but that is well and truly where the resemblance ends. It's an odd and interesting movie, but I'm not sure why they bothered.

It was based on Jon Ronson's book



There's a great interview with him about it here:

https://www.theguardian.com/culture/201 ... ris-sievey


Went to see Being Frank-The Chris Sievey Story last night.*

It was immense.

Chris is/was a true multi-talented, hyperactive, original, obsessive, genius and a bit of a shit.
From recording tracks at Apple, missing out on fame and chart success with The Freshies, possible Euro-Vision jollity, Saturday morning kids TV and Frank-mania to taking New York by storm on a one day visit!? it's well worth an hour or so of anyone's time.

You know it is, it really is.

Thank you!


*Sadly, but very much in keeping with Chris' story, the cinema was empty, apart from Mrs. TWFNO and myself.

I'm pretty sure I've said this before but the films of Ronson's otherwise excellent books (see also The Men Who Stare At Goats) tend to be a bit of a mess in my opinion.


As a Frank S fan I found the Hollywood version so far from any known reality that I wasn't sure what the point was - why bother with the papier mache at all? You could just have had a weidly enigmatic front person (a la Captain B perhaps) and not bother with any of the FS tropes at all - it brought nothing to the party. I expect it made Ronson a big pile of cash though which is fair enough - I wouldn't begrudge a fellow ex-polytechnic Ents person (famoulsy anarchistic NELP in his case I think) some wedge.

We get Amazon Prime so I will check out the doc - thanks for the heads up. Hope it is on there in the UK.

[The Prof]

It's on Amazon but not on Prime - so you've got to pay for it.

We get the entertainment thing on Now TV and it's on SkyArts though it doesn't show up when you try to search for it!

.....anyway... -the documentary is much better than the Michael Fassbender vehicle.
Ronson and Mark Radcliffe were in his band at one point.
Even if you don't like Frank Sidebottom you'd still come away thinking it's a great creation. and just one of his crazy concepts As DWD says above, he's a
"true multi-talented, hyperactive, original, obsessive, genius and a bit of a shit.

[Deebank]

It's on Amazon but not on Prime - so you've got to pay for it.

We get the entertainment thing on Now TV and it's on SkyArts though it doesn't show up when you try to search for it!

.....anyway... -the documentary is much better than the Michael Fassbender vehicle.
Ronson and Mark Radcliffe were in his band at one point.
Even if you don't like Frank Sidebottom you'd still come away thinking it's a great creation. and just one of his crazy concepts As DWD says above, he's a
"true multi-talented, hyperactive, original, obsessive, genius and a bit of a shit.

As coincidence would have it the Mrs just bought a Now TV thingy which she wants me to sort out.
This will be the first thing I check out - if I can find it without searching!

[The Prof]

Result!

[Deebank]

***UPDATE***

SEt up the Now gizmo and am watching Being Frank.

Is it me or did Chris Sievey look like Eric Catchpole from Lovejoy?

Eric Catchpole:



Chris Sievey: