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Richard Ayoade

Book Review: Ayoade on Ayoade

May 27, 2015 by Becca Moody Leave a Comment

Do you like film? Do you like consistent and unwavering sarcasm? Do you too have a “passion for rhetorical questions?” If the answers to any of those (rhetorical) questions are ‘a little’ or ‘a lot’ then you are in for a treat with Richard Ayoade’s debut novel: Ayoade on Ayoade.

© Richard Ayoade

© Richard Ayoade

My first impression from the way Ayoade writes is that he clearly has a lot of self-restraint, for he has a character to maintain. He constantly uses his fantastic humour to avoid personal confrontation, as well as his impressive knowledge of film; it feels as though there is a definite barrier between author and reader. We are assured that this book is not autobiographical, though there are definitely, and inevitably, elements of truth present in the anecdotes and opinions expressed.

However, as the narrative progresses (there is only a loose narrative, as it’s not particularly critical for this almost-Bildungsroman-style of novel), it felt as though Ayoade opened up a little, perhaps accidentally, as he seemed to become more deprecating of his own skill. With statements like: “I’d discovered a director. I’d wrestled a writer. I’d acknowledged a ‘writer'”, it’s hard not to laugh out loud, but it also sends me into despair at the thought of this brilliant artist ridiculing his own achievements. I’ve always known that his comedy persona is very pedantic and silly, and this book fell consistently within that, with additional elements of surrealism and off-beat joke delivery. A peculiar quirk was that Ayoade chose to display a good portion of the text as footnotes, which made me feel sorry for those reading on an e-book.

Ayoade on Ayoade is a fantastic piece of satire that has many layers; I’ll admit that many of the references were lost on me, as I have a very limited knowledge of cinema, but that didn’t hinder my enjoyment of the text. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this witty portrayal of the film industry as it was niche, yet still accessible as well as being very cleverly executed.

“My name is Richard Ayoade and I’m one of the least-respected actors of my generation.”

GET YOUR COPY OF ‘AYOADE ON AYOADE’ HERE

Posted in: Books, Comedians Tagged: Ayoade on Ayoade, British Comedy, Comedy, Richard Ayoade

Film Review: The Double

January 13, 2015 by Becca Moody Leave a Comment

In 2014, Richard Ayoade presented us with his latest directing project: The Double, an artistic representation of the 1846 Dostoyevsky novel.

The film follows the unnoticed and withdrawn Simon James (Jesse Eisenberg), a data-input manager living in a dull, grey and repetitive world who is hopelessly in love with a girl named Hannah (Mia Wasikowska). His monotonous life is disrupted when an apparent doppelgänger arrives at the office, going by the name of James Simon, who is everything Simon is yet is also uninhibited, confident and successful.

1984-esque, The Double is disjointed, ambiguous and confrontational. There are sinister elements and laugh-out-loud moments that come within mere minutes of each other. Being a keen artist and appreciator of creative skill made it easy for me to fall in love with this film, despite knowing very little about film production. I noticed Ayoade’s personal directing focus on the hands of the characters in shot, as well as a brilliant attention to colour and light which enabled the picture to remain interesting, despite often portraying quite bland subject matter, and was effectively used to develop the meta-narrative, and relay the themes of the novel visually. On top of this, it featured many fantastic actors including Tim Key, Chris Morris, Craig Roberts, Yasmin Paige and Chris O’Dowd. I was destined to love this film.

It’s protagonist is apologetic but the production certainly is not. Both the reality and the speculation are loud and brash, making for an almost uncomfortable watch; but the visuals are so beautiful, I couldn’t possibly look away. A construction of oxymorons: the meek nature of Eisenberg contrasts starkly with his outspoken double; the frequent humour breaks away from themes of mental breakdown and dissociation; the jarring string music cuts the flowing imagery throughout. A lady on Twitter once described The Double as “poetry in brown and grey” and now I understand exactly what she means.

There are many parallels to be drawn between The Double and Jon McGregor’s wonderful novel: If Nobody Speaks of Remarkable Things, being that both seem to have little in the way of a plot but a vast amount of modifying description and detail. I have spoken to Jon about how his book could be raised to a whole new level of magnificence if it were to be placed in Ayoade’s creative hands, as the visuals are described so effectively already and the themes and tone seem to fall perfectly in line with the director’s preference.

But future projects aside, Ayoade has presented us with a true art installation of a film and one that sparks an immediate conversation that can only develop with time. This is one of the rare films that I could watch over and over again.

Posted in: Films Tagged: Film, Jesse Eisenberg, Mia Wasikowska, Richard Ayoade, The Double

Christmas Round Up

January 6, 2015 by Becca Moody Leave a Comment

The Christmas period presented multiple comedy gems to our television screens last month, and here is a summary of a few of my particular favourites:

Derek

Ricky Gervais’ Derek reached its natural conclusion with a wedding, a fight and a baby. Gervais has shown a great subtlety in his writing that I had not noticed in his other projects that often displayed, in fact, quite the opposite. I found the episode to be dealt with sensitively and with great humour, with the character of Derek remaining endearing yet dignified throughout, as was noticeable from this year’s series two. Available on 4OD.

House of Fools

House of Fools has been one of my favourite sitcoms since it first aired in early 2014, as it is written by, and stars, the incredible Vic and Bob. This Christmas spectacular presented many problems for the duo: Erik has demanded a particular bobble hat for his present but it has been set on fire. The strange gathering must set off to steal a replacement, and meet Father Christmas (Reece Shearsmith) on the way. Available on BBC iPlayer.

Not Going Out

Not Going Out has been consistently and delightfully cringe-worthy with frequent small laughs and a few brilliant lines per episode (and there have been an impressive seven series, so that’s some great feat). This final episode did not disappoint, and audiences were finally given an answer to the age-old question: will Lee and Lucy ever actually become a couple? Available on BBC iPlayer.

Gadget Man

Richard Ayoade returned with a Gadget Man’s Guide to Christmas with special guests Adam Hills, Jessica Hynes, Stephen Merchant, Jonathan Ross, Reece Shearsmith and Robert Webb. With a wonderful array of toys and vehicles and strange household items, Ayoade presented us with an entirely new take on Christmas gifts and dinners. Available on 4OD.

Charlie Brooker’s 2014 Wipe

Charlie Brooker brought his infamous positive little rays of sunshine to Christmas by overviewing a seemingly awful year for everyone in the entire universe. From Farage to Ebola, Charlie’s typically sarcastic and cutting commentary overed it all, with help from Barry Shitpeas and Philomena Cunk. I should probably warn off people who are prone to depression from watching this programme but Brooker’s wit really takes the edge off, as does the wonderful song at the end. Available on BBC iPlayer.

Man Down

Man Down has to be one of my favourite new sitcoms from the past couple of years because it stars a couple of my most loved comedians: Greg Davies and Roisin Conaty. The Christmas episode was a beautiful tribute to the late Rik Mayall, who played Dan’s father in the show, and sent both Mayall himself, and the character he played, off in a hilarious but touching fashion. Available on 4OD.

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Posted in: Comedians, Television Shows Tagged: Bob Mortimer, Charlie Brooker, Derek, Gadget Man, Greg Davies, House of Fools, Lee Mack, Man Down, Not Going Out, Reece Shearsmith, Richard Ayoade, Ricky Gervais, Rik Mayall, Roisin Conaty, Vic Reeves

TV Review: Gadget Man, Series 3

September 28, 2014 by Becca Moody Leave a Comment

I know I talked last year about Gadget Man but I feel I can’t not write something new about its wonderful new series and the hilarity that is Richard Ayoade.

As always, Gadget Man is a programme that shows us, obviously, plenty of exciting and wacky gadgets but it is presented, with thanks to Ayoade, in a punchy, intriguing way that stands out against the handful of other gadget-related shows out there. Armed with a fluorescent orange suit with a knitted blue tie, Ayoade exudes confidence and sass. When this is teamed with his pessimistic comments and constant sarcasm, he really is a man not to be messed with.

Richard’s clear disgust at the prospect of public transport, during episode two, really resonates with me and to feel I am in some way similar to this genius should welcomed openly by us all. Richard’s general hatred of everything is summed up in one sentence uttered to fellow comic, Russell Howard: “being with you has reminded of how much I prefer being on my own”.

There are often two guests per episode in this series and these include Tim Vine, Marcus Brigstocke, Adam Buxton, Russell Howard, Phill Jupitus and Ade Edmondson amongst many others. It’s obvious that this show is at it’s best and I would watch a new episode everyday if that was possible.

The series so far is available, as usual, on 4OD and you can watch the next episode on Channel 4 at 8.30pm on Monday.

Posted in: Comedians, Television Shows Tagged: British Comedy, Comedy, Gadget Man, Richard Ayoade

Top 5 Moments… The IT Crowd

September 14, 2014 by Becca Moody 1 Comment

The IT Crowd ran between the years 2006 and 2010 for four series (with one special finale episode in September 2013). With it being such a well-known and loved British sitcom, jam-packed with such immense comedy talent, I thought it would be a nice idea to present to you my top five moments from all of the twenty five episodes.

5) A Suicide at Reynholm Industries (Series 2, Episode 2)

Denholm Reynholm, played by the infamous Chris Morris, was the original head of Reynholm industries until one fateful day during series two of the show. Everybody already knew that Denholm was prone to getting a bit hot under the collar, with frequent moody stares and bellowing fits, so we shouldn’t really have been too surprised to see his latest smart move. Upon being interrupted in a meeting to be told that the police want to look into some “financial irregularities” in the industry’s accounts, he promptly gets up and jumps out of the window, falling quickly to his death. The promptness and simplicity of this will always make this funny for me, and it was the perfect way for the talent that is Morris to leave the show (though it’s a shame he had to).

4) Roy and his Disabled Legs (Series 2, Episode 1)

During a work outing to the theatre with Moss, Jen and Jen’s new boyfriend, Roy and Moss encounter a dreaded toilet attendant so are forced to visit the disabled toilets instead. Roy quickly regrets this decision when he mistakingly pulls the emergency cord rather than the toilet chain and is bombarded with theatre staff thinking he is in a crisis. In typical IT Crowd style, of course Roy pretends he is disabled and has, in fact, had his wheelchair stolen. He informs the staff that he is disabled “in the legs” and the reason for this is “acid”, and of course, that makes perfect sense to them and they try to help him in every way they can…

3) That’s Right, We’re Looking at You (Series 3, Episode 6)

Roy is sent to do something that a man from IT is very rarely sent to do: go and fix something IT-related. While he is there, he notices a framed picture on a girl’s desk. The picture shows a young man looking “absolutely mental” in Roy’s opinion. This is because the man is boss-eyed. In a rapid string of strange events, Roy ends up directing a “geek” calendar in order to raise money for the charity and he rakes in all of his nerd friends in to help.

2) Goth 2 Boss (Series 4, Episode 6)

When Douglas Reynholm’s wife, Victoria, returns and demands a divorce, with significant monetary payouts, he realises that he is going to need a lawyer. And who better to represent Douglas than IT Relationship Manager, Jen? (She knows about relationships, right?). So Jen is stuck trying to form some kind of defence for Douglas and is rapidly running out of ideas; that is until Richmond, renowned socially-rejected goth at Reynholm Industries, steps up with his fantastic “Goth 2 Boss” related reason for why Victoria is a fraud. Unfortunately, and typically, Richmond turns out to be mistaken but we still get remarkable insight into his new business venture.

1) She’s Dead! (Series 1, Episode 5)

When Moss is left to tell a little white lie to Jen’s new boyfriend, Bill Crouse (Adam Buxton), regarding why Jen wasn’t at the office at that present time, he accidentally blurts out that she has, in fact, died. As the lies spiral out of control, Bill continues to see Jen walking around the building (because, believe it or not, she isn’t actually dead). The circumstances are painfully poised to convince the poor man that he is being haunted by the ghost of his past lover, and he becomes increasingly terrified throughout the episode:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZowBasLBFk

What is your favourite IT Crowd moment of all time? Let me know in the comments, or by tweeting me at @moodycomedy.

Posted in: Television Shows, Top 5 Moments Tagged: Adam Buxton, British Comedy, Chris Morris, Chris O'Dowd, Katherine Parkinson, Noel Fielding, Richard Ayoade, The IT Crowd

TV Review: Noel Fielding’s Luxury Comedy, Series 2

September 11, 2014 by Becca Moody 5 Comments

I wrote a post towards the end of July reflecting on the first episode of Noel Fielding’s Luxury Comedy: Tales from Painted Hawaii (series two) but this series has been so dense with artistic talent and clear passion, that I couldn’t possibly not revisit it after all five episodes.

It’s no secret that I am a massive fan of Noel Fielding and his work, so was obviously hugely excited that the long-anticipated second series had finally arrived. These episodes have taken a long time to produce because they are one of a kind; the process of making them seems to be more rigorous than that of various other Sitcom style shows. Love Luxury Comedy or hate it, it is impossible to deny that the makers of this show have presented their audience with great innovation: with the bright and complex animation from Nigel Coan; an eccentric soundtrack from Fielding and Kasabian‘s Serge Pizzorno; along with brilliantly intricate set and costume design from James Dillon and Ameena Kara Callender.

As well as the obvious beauty and detail involved in the visuals of Luxury Comedy, the stories are also packed full of references to art and literary culture such as Andy Warhol (of course), George Orwell and Yoko Ono. This alone is proof for me that the makers of Luxury Comedy have not been lazy during the creative process: every scene is punchy, a little bit mad, but also intelligent.

Reality Man

© MoodyComedy

Watchers of series one who weren’t impressed may be pleased to know that this series is a lot more relatable for audiences, with occasional cynical statements that can catch you off guard.

Smooth: “What do you do to escape?”

Reality Man: “Panel shows. What’s funnier than five men in shiny shirts taking a side-ways look at the week’s news?”

In this way, I think this series is a lot more self-aware, in fact, one episode even focuses on the idea of the show only having one viewer (a Brummie named Terry, played by Steve Oram) and the fact that they must save him from certain death.

In addition to the lovely Noel, the show is full of immense comedic talents such as his Mighty Boosh co-stars (Dave Brown, Rich Fulcher, Richard Ayoade, Simon Farnaby and Tom Meeten) and of course, the delightful star of Doll & Em: Dolly Wells and Tom Meeten’s partner-in-crime: Steve Oram (Sightseers).

I would have to say that this programme is probably one of my favourites to ever appear on television, particularly this new series. It appeals to all of my interests: comedy, music and art (and Noel Fielding of course) but most importantly of all: Luxury Comedy is a source of inspiration to me. Every aspect screams quality and I sincerely hope the show and its creators flourish in the coming months as a result.

The whole of Noel Fielding’s Luxury Comedy: Tales From Painted Hawaii is available on 4OD.

Posted in: Comedians, Television Shows Tagged: British Comedy, Comedy, Dave Brown, Dolly Wells, Mike Fielding, Noel Fielding, Noel Fielding's Luxury Comedy, Rich Fulcher, Richard Ayoade, Serge Pizzorno, Sitcom, Tom Meeten

Garth Marenghi’s Darkplace, Revisited: S1E6, The Creeping Moss From The Shores Of Shuggoth

September 8, 2014 by Becca Moody Leave a Comment

Episode: The Creeping Moss From The Shores Of Shuggoth

Air Date: 3 March 2004

Summary: Another mist has appeared over Darkplace but this time, it’s green! On this occasion, it gets through the air vents and the result is a young woman named Linda getting infected and turning into cosmic broccoli (of course). Unfortunately for Sanchez, he falls in love with Linda, who is now terminally ill, and this even results in him contracting the broccoli disease (much like an STD) and has to have emergency surgery. This episode is not only a commentary on the issues of AIDs in the world, but is also a story of love and loss.

broccoli

What Else? More new music is played in this episode such as Matt Berry’s song: One Track Lover which features some wonderful rapping from Thornton Reed. Somehow, the tapes that contained a part of the programme have been destroyed (under mysterious circumstances) which means that these must be explained through the use of photos of the events and a commentary from Dagless. There is also a brilliant and entirely not un-realistic fight scene between Dag and Sanchez.

Quote of the Episode:

Thornton Reed: “When I heard my wife died, I could barely finish my lunch.”

Familiar Faces: Julian Barratt appears for a third and final time as the priest. We also see Graham Linehan as a member of hospital staff and Kim Noble as a barman (as well as his usual role of Doctor Jim).

THE END:

So, that is the end of my revisit to Garth Marenghi’s Darkplace. I hope you enjoyed reading about them and maybe hearing about them for the first time (or just remembering how much you loved the show in the first place!).

THE REVISITED SERIES

Posted in: Revisited Tagged: Alice Lowe, British Comedy, Comedy, Garth Marenghi's Darkplace, Graham Linehan, Julian Barratt, Kim Noble, Matt Berry, Matthew Holness, Richard Ayoade, Sitcom

Garth Marenghi’s Darkplace, Revisited: S1E5, Scotch Mist

September 1, 2014 by Becca Moody Leave a Comment

Episode: Scotch Mist

Air Date: 26 February 2004

Summary: This episode really sums up what Garth Marenghi’s Darkplace is about. It is dark and mysterious, but most importantly: radical. A mysterious mist has been looming over Darkplace and claiming various victims who happen to be wondering around outside. Doctor Rick Dagless knows something about the mist: it is, in fact, Scotch Mist. Dag, Liz and Sanchez decide to go outside into the cold to try and find out more about why the Scotch Mist is there, armed with miniature handheld fans to keep the mist away. Meanwhile, someone has given out Thornton Reed’s number as a massage parlour and it is causing him considerable distress…

Scotch Mist

What Else? There is some new music in this episode which is interesting for us to hear but we also receive some life lessons. For example, we learn that you should never buy cheap batteries from a dodgy market stall because your handheld fan won’t work for very long at all. Another lesson we are taught is that you should never be racist (which apparently, not a lot of people know). This is because Rick Dagless has said many racist things about the Scots when he spent the night in Glasgow: he had to learn the hard way.

Quote of the Episode:

Rick Dagless: “I ran. Ran like my life depended on it. Which it did.”

Familiar Faces: Kim Noble is featured a lot in this episode as Doctor Jim as he is one of the first victims of the Scotch Mist.

THE REVISITED SERIES

Posted in: Revisited Tagged: Alice Lowe, British Comedy, Comedy, Garth Marenghi's Darkplace, Graham Linehan, Matt Berry, Matthew Holness, Richard Ayoade, Sitcom

Garth Marenghi’s Darkplace, Revisited: S1E4, The Apes Of Wrath

August 25, 2014 by Becca Moody Leave a Comment

Episode: The Apes of Wrath

Air Date: 19 February 2004

Summary: There is something mysterious in the water at Darkplace yet nobody has realised it yet. Despite the fact that Sanchez transformed into a horrific ape-man within seconds of having a sip of his drink. Despite the second fact that eventually everyone in the hospital is infected except the only two who prefer to drink coffee: Rick Dagless and Thornton Reed. Finally Dagless discovers what is causing people to change and pays a visit to the water store room, and is surprised by what he finds there…

The Apes of Wrath

What Else? In this episode we get insight into Dagless’ presence in the hospital, and let’s just say, you can definitely tell that Garth Marenghi wrote the episodes because everyone on the ward seems to think Dagless is the best doctor that ever walked the Earth. The fact that nobody could work out what was causing the ape transformations highlights the stupidity of the characters at Darkplace, and makes the experience all the more hilarious for the audience. The secret also comes out that since filming Darkplace, Madeleine Wool, who plays Liz Asher, has disappeared and is presumed dead.

Quote of the Episode:

Lucien Sanchez: “Not my fault, monkey bastard hands.”

Familiar Faces: Julian Barratt returns as the (slightly evil) priest and we see Noel Fielding as a criminal ape.

THE REVISITED SERIES

Posted in: Revisited Tagged: Alice Lowe, British Comedy, Comedy, Garth Marenghi's Darkplace, Julian Barratt, Matt Berry, Matthew Holness, Noel Fielding, Richard Ayoade

Garth Marenghi’s Darkplace, Revisited: S1E3, Skipper The Eyechild

August 18, 2014 by Becca Moody Leave a Comment

Episode: S1E3, Skipper The Eyechild

Air Date: 12 February 2004

Summary: This episode is allegedly based on a true story. A giant eye impregnates one of the patients at Darkplace which results in the birth of a mutant eye-child. Rick Dagless MD has emotional wounds regarding his dead son, Skipper, (who was born half grasshopper) which leads him to steal the baby eye and hide him from everyone at the hospital. He also calls the new child Skipper in hope of filling the hole in his life that was left by his son when he died. Unfortunately, Rick is eventually backed into a corner and this results in him being bitten on the hand by the mutant eye and he panics…

skipper

What Else? This instalment of Darkplace is, yet again, packed full with top-of-the-range special effects. There are some authentic-looking wires to hold a helicopter in the sky and very realistic makeup, such as fake blood (it definitely doesn’t look like Ketchup at all). We get insight into Sanchez and Dagless’ special handshake and also see how it only takes mere seconds for Liz to ruin her makeup with tears after an insult, which isn’t particularly convenient for the busy woman.

Quote of the Episode:

Dean Learner: “I haven’t acted since. Some would say I didn’t act during, but er, those would be unkind people. I did my best.”

Familiar Faces: Graham Linehan as a hospital security guard.

THE REVISITED SERIES

Posted in: Revisited Tagged: Alice Lowe, British Comedy, Comedy, Garth Marenghi's Darkplace, Graham Linehan, Matt Berry, Matthew Holness, Richard Ayoade
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