This is not the time to send out a signal like this in some personal fucking sodcast
February 13, 2010 3:51 PM Subscribe
For quite some time, I’d wanted to make a screwball comedy. A fast-talking, wildly acclerating ensemble comedy that gets stupider and stupider. I never imagined it would be about a war, and inspired by a very recent war at that. But Simon, Jesse, Tony and I all felt that the more we found out about the dysfunction in Washington and the naivety in London leading up to the Iraq invasion, the more obvious it was that the only way to deal accurately and fairly with this topic was as a screwball comedy. - The Oscar nominated script for In The Loop, with an introduction by writer Armando Iannucci.
Difficult. Difficult. Lemon. Difficult.
posted by griphus at 3:58 PM on February 13, 2010 [10 favorites]
posted by griphus at 3:58 PM on February 13, 2010 [10 favorites]
I get a very specific image in my head when I hear the word "sodcast".
posted by Pope Guilty at 3:59 PM on February 13, 2010
posted by Pope Guilty at 3:59 PM on February 13, 2010
When you hear that The Pentagon were recruiting only non Arabic-speaking civil servants to help run Iraq after invasion (because anyone who’d learnt Arabic must have suspiciously pro-Arab tendencies) then there is no alternative to comedy.
Heh. Netflixed In The Loop a couple of weeks ago; it is savagely great and a must-see for political junkies. The BBC interview points out Iannucci also wrote the great BBC political satire The Thick of It. The escalating idiocy, whip-smart dialogue and brilliant little details about how things work at those oh-so-enlightened heights in which politicians live are so wonderful, but it's such a fucking sad movie, too.
posted by mediareport at 4:06 PM on February 13, 2010 [1 favorite]
Heh. Netflixed In The Loop a couple of weeks ago; it is savagely great and a must-see for political junkies. The BBC interview points out Iannucci also wrote the great BBC political satire The Thick of It. The escalating idiocy, whip-smart dialogue and brilliant little details about how things work at those oh-so-enlightened heights in which politicians live are so wonderful, but it's such a fucking sad movie, too.
posted by mediareport at 4:06 PM on February 13, 2010 [1 favorite]
I get a very specific image in my head when I hear the word "sodcast".
People throwing turf at each other?
posted by Grangousier at 4:07 PM on February 13, 2010 [1 favorite]
People throwing turf at each other?
posted by Grangousier at 4:07 PM on February 13, 2010 [1 favorite]
I'm picturing a rectangle of dirt with a microphone next to it. Nothing is happening.
posted by synaesthetichaze at 4:08 PM on February 13, 2010 [4 favorites]
posted by synaesthetichaze at 4:08 PM on February 13, 2010 [4 favorites]
I thought that The Thick of It was actually better than In The Loop, mainly because the characters were so linkable to actual British political personalities. It's funny because it's the truth etc. (or something discomfortingly close to it).
That and the sweariness.
posted by djgh at 4:11 PM on February 13, 2010 [1 favorite]
That and the sweariness.
posted by djgh at 4:11 PM on February 13, 2010 [1 favorite]
Good lord, the sweariness. Folks who've never seen Peter Capaldi as Malcolm Tucker, the almost unbelievably foul-mouthed director of communications for the prime minister, are in for a huge treat. But the whole thing's a gem, a loose combination of brilliant writing and semi-improvised scenes that adds up to something really special.
Seriously: anyone who likes MeFi political threads will love this movie (and the series it's a spinoff from).
posted by mediareport at 4:15 PM on February 13, 2010
Seriously: anyone who likes MeFi political threads will love this movie (and the series it's a spinoff from).
posted by mediareport at 4:15 PM on February 13, 2010
Fuckity-yes.
posted by ColdChef at 4:16 PM on February 13, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by ColdChef at 4:16 PM on February 13, 2010 [1 favorite]
Actually, it's tight, not loose. It just feels loose. But man, is it tight.
posted by mediareport at 4:17 PM on February 13, 2010
posted by mediareport at 4:17 PM on February 13, 2010
Thanks, I've been trying to quote the "lubricated horse cock" reference for ages since I saw the film but couldn't remember it.
Here is an excellent moment from The Thick of It (NSFW audio, as if you need to be warned).
posted by A Thousand Baited Hooks at 4:17 PM on February 13, 2010
Here is an excellent moment from The Thick of It (NSFW audio, as if you need to be warned).
posted by A Thousand Baited Hooks at 4:17 PM on February 13, 2010
Knife addled rape sheds.
Yeah, In The Loop is poor compared to the TV series. And it's all about Peter Capaldi.
posted by fire&wings at 4:35 PM on February 13, 2010
Yeah, In The Loop is poor compared to the TV series. And it's all about Peter Capaldi.
posted by fire&wings at 4:35 PM on February 13, 2010
I work in politics, and the Thick of It is disturbingly close to the bone.
posted by knapah at 5:08 PM on February 13, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by knapah at 5:08 PM on February 13, 2010 [1 favorite]
Yeah, I keep hearing that from people in politics and journalism. That's actually kind of horrifying.
posted by Artw at 5:11 PM on February 13, 2010
posted by Artw at 5:11 PM on February 13, 2010
I still can't believe Malcolm Tucker and Oldsen were played by the same actor.
posted by The Card Cheat at 7:43 PM on February 13, 2010
posted by The Card Cheat at 7:43 PM on February 13, 2010
The poster was the greatest thing to come from that movie.
posted by FuManchu at 9:11 PM on February 13, 2010
posted by FuManchu at 9:11 PM on February 13, 2010
God bless the pirate bay.
Metafilter: Like two thirds of the snowman.
posted by delmoi at 9:22 PM on February 13, 2010
Metafilter: Like two thirds of the snowman.
posted by delmoi at 9:22 PM on February 13, 2010
A Thousand Baited Hooks: Here is an excellent moment from The Thick of It
That was pretty good, but is the camera always so shaky? It really gets on my nerves after awhile.
Also, neither Netflix nor Hulu seem to have this show; suggestions?
posted by paisley henosis at 9:39 PM on February 13, 2010
That was pretty good, but is the camera always so shaky? It really gets on my nerves after awhile.
Also, neither Netflix nor Hulu seem to have this show; suggestions?
posted by paisley henosis at 9:39 PM on February 13, 2010
BBC America have shown it - not sure what that translates into DVD-wise.
(Insert generic complaint at BBC America for not showing more stuff like that instead of the crap they do. )
posted by Artw at 10:42 PM on February 13, 2010
(Insert generic complaint at BBC America for not showing more stuff like that instead of the crap they do. )
posted by Artw at 10:42 PM on February 13, 2010
Looks like no Region 1 DVD - so you're out of luck unless you live near a videostore that does foreign rentals.
posted by Artw at 11:30 PM on February 13, 2010
posted by Artw at 11:30 PM on February 13, 2010
I work in politics, and the Thick of It is disturbingly close to the bone.
Ditto. Particularly as we approach the general election.
posted by greycap at 12:41 AM on February 14, 2010
Ditto. Particularly as we approach the general election.
posted by greycap at 12:41 AM on February 14, 2010
My only real criticism of The Thick of It was that its punches felt pulled over the darker aspects of government, concentrating instead on the parochial lunacies of party politics. By contrast, this was In the Loop's ultimate focus: the final conversation between Malcolm Tucker and Tom Hollander's hapless Secretary of State, wherein Tucker casually drops in the notion of assisted suicide, is genuinely brave and chilling. It's an important film and deserves the widest possible audience.
posted by specialbrew at 2:14 AM on February 14, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by specialbrew at 2:14 AM on February 14, 2010 [1 favorite]
Ditto. Particularly as we approach the general election.
...and it can only get more accurate from here on in, I reckon.
posted by knapah at 4:33 AM on February 14, 2010
...and it can only get more accurate from here on in, I reckon.
posted by knapah at 4:33 AM on February 14, 2010
Shut the fuck up and fuck the fuck off.
Actually that's "Come the fuck in or fuck the fuck off".
And with all the (deserved) praise for Capaldi's Malcom Tucker, poor, vicious, violent Jamie is overlooked all too often.
posted by influx at 5:50 AM on February 14, 2010 [1 favorite]
Actually that's "Come the fuck in or fuck the fuck off".
And with all the (deserved) praise for Capaldi's Malcom Tucker, poor, vicious, violent Jamie is overlooked all too often.
posted by influx at 5:50 AM on February 14, 2010 [1 favorite]
My only real criticism of The Thick of It was that its punches felt pulled over the darker aspects of government, concentrating instead on the parochial lunacies of party politics.
One of the side links I saw at the Guardian didn't like the film precisely because it suggested politicians were just as stupidly malignant when dealing with darker, heavier issues like starting wars as they were in the bureaucratic kerfuffles that were the heart of The Thick of It. Apparently, the reviewer didn't think it was right to imply that "decisions that really matter" were made by "monsters and fools." "Come to America," I thought.
posted by mediareport at 7:26 AM on February 14, 2010
One of the side links I saw at the Guardian didn't like the film precisely because it suggested politicians were just as stupidly malignant when dealing with darker, heavier issues like starting wars as they were in the bureaucratic kerfuffles that were the heart of The Thick of It. Apparently, the reviewer didn't think it was right to imply that "decisions that really matter" were made by "monsters and fools." "Come to America," I thought.
posted by mediareport at 7:26 AM on February 14, 2010
What a fantastic film, the walk and talk from The West Wing meets Ari Gold
posted by geez at 2:20 PM on February 14, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by geez at 2:20 PM on February 14, 2010 [1 favorite]
I just want to add to the chorus of love for both the movie and the show. It really is wonderful to see things like this exist.
posted by haveanicesummer at 3:47 PM on February 14, 2010
posted by haveanicesummer at 3:47 PM on February 14, 2010
Y'know, I've come across a lot of psychos, but none as fucking boring as you. You are a real boring fuck. Sorry, sorry, I know you disapprove of swearing so I'll sort that out. You are a boring F, star, star, CUNT!
posted by prufrock at 4:54 PM on February 14, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by prufrock at 4:54 PM on February 14, 2010 [1 favorite]
"All roads lead to Munich? What the fuck does that mean?"
posted by delmoi at 7:51 PM on February 14, 2010
posted by delmoi at 7:51 PM on February 14, 2010
The most colourful profanities come from a swearing consultant, Ian Martin (audio interview), who was hired to keep the dialogue vigorous. Martin runs Martian.fm, which Iannucci says "you must look at. It’s sort of Onion-esque. It’s a fake report of what happened in Parliament that day, full of swearing."
posted by Dragonness at 10:52 AM on February 15, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by Dragonness at 10:52 AM on February 15, 2010 [1 favorite]
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posted by Artw at 3:56 PM on February 13, 2010