TotalTelly.co.uk
Devoted to Popular, Cult and Retro TV
Wilt [1988]
![Wilt [1988]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51XTQT0J9GL._SL160_.jpg)
RRP: £12.99
Our Price: £6.88 (subject to change)
Brilliant!!
Review date: 2008-01-05 Rating: 10 out of 10
When I saw this film had Mel Smith and Griff Rhys Jones in it I thought it must be funny and watched it. So glad I did! Excellent plotline, with some cracking pieces of script and real laugh-out-loud moments. Recommend this film to anyone with a funny bone!!
Similar Products
- Blott On The Landscape [1985]
- Porterhouse Blue [1987]
- Porterhouse Blue [1987]
- Staggered [1994]
- The Wilt Alternative
Reviews
Brilliant adaptation of a brilliant book.
Review date: 2007-03-20 Rating: 10 out of 10
I saw this film before reading the book by Tom Sharpe, and although some say that pretty much ruins the reading for you, I'm still glad I did, as when I came to reading the book I could 'hear' the voices of Griff Rhys Jones and Mel Smith in their respective characters in my head, which made it all the more enjoyable. I'd bought it largely because I'm a fan of Smith and Jones' work (their 'news for the elderly' sketch is one of the funniest things I've ever seen), so despite a number of mixed reviews elsewhere my expectations were still fairly high.
The film itself does differ in places to the book, although this didn't really matter to me. It moves along at a steady pace and there are enough funny moments to keep the viewer's attention. The performances are excellent, particularly that of Griff Rhys Jones, who plays the title character. His range veers from anger (directed at a blow-up doll he's trying to get rid of in one of the funniest scenes in the film) to quiet bewilderment as he is continuously questioned by Mel Smith's Inspector Flint, who puts in a performance good enough to make you sympathise with him, despite his heavy-handedness. The two main actresses, Alison Steadman and Diana Quick, also bring their characters to life. Steadman's Eva differs quite strongly (physically at least) from Tom Sharpe's version yet this does not detract from either of them.
I do feel that the film could've benefited from a bit more length - perhaps more time could've gone into Wilt's life at home and the college, as well as his relationship with Eva (more exploration into her faddish nature), but this is a minor fault. Overall this is an excellent film that can be rewatched and still make you laugh. The humour ranges from the small one-liners to outright farce, which creates a film with a pretty broad comic appeal. The extras are pretty good too: interviews with Smith, Jones and the director, as well as some brief location footage. Not bad for a British film in the late 80s!
Product Details/Specifications
Actor(s):
Mel Smith
Alison Steadman
Griff Rhys Jones
Roger Lloyd-Pack
Diana Quick
Creators:
Griff Rhys Jones (Primary Contributor)
Mel Smith (Primary Contributor)
Director(s):
Recording label: Network
Manufacturer: Network
EAN: 5027626250546
Binding: DVD
Number of items: 1
Format: PAL, Special Edition,
Release date: 2006-08-14
Audience rating: Suitable for 15 years and over
Region code: 2
Running time: 90 minutes
Theatrical release date: 1988
Language: English (Original Language)