Director – Paul King
Cast – Edward Hogg, Simon Farnaby
From the director and creators of The Mighty Boosh, comes the new cinematic extravaganza of Bunny and the Bull, described by its producers as Withnail & I for the mentally ill. Written by Paul King, the director of the Boosh, and made on the extremely modest budget of one million pounds, it stars Edward Hogg and Simon Farnaby as the lead character and his drunken, gambling addict friend.
Boosh fans will be pleased to hear that Julian Barratt and Noel Fielding have cameo roles, as the dog-loving Polish tramp and alcoholic ex-matador respectively. There is also a surprise cameo from The IT Crowd’s Richard Ayoade, leaving fans of contemporary British comedy drooling from the mouth – I know I am…although that might actually just be the rabies I picked up on a recent pub-crawl.
Styled as a road-trip set in a flat, Boosh fans won’t be disappointed by the quirky graphics and quick dialogue that King has brought with him from the sets of The Mighty Boosh to the film. If the prospect of Barratt’s dog milk drinking Polish tramp, and Fielding’s cod-Spanish accent don’t appeal to you, then maybe the two separate nominations for the British Independent Film Award (for the categories: Best Achievement in Production and Best Technical Achievement), even though the film only came out this Friday, might impress you, you high maintenance bastard.
Rabies and insults aside, the film promises to be well worth a view, as the Boosh style of acting, filming and comedy takes to the screen with a bang. Writer-director Paul King brings his passion for 1970s, Bagpuss-esque (if there were such a word) animations and memories of his own disastrous euro trip to the silver screen in spectacular fashion. King told critics immensely more important than myself that he wanted to bring a decidedly British pessimism to the road-trip genre, which is usually characterised by Hollywood romances and sunset adventures. Compare that to the scenes in Bunny and the Bull where our heroes drink dog milk and eat an endless variety of seafood, and I think you will agree he was resoundingly successful.
I love The Mighty Boosh to the extent that if Julian Barratt and Noel Fielding became neo-fascist holocaust deniers, I would probably shave my head and go buy the DVD box set, so I am admittedly a little bit biased in recommending this film so fiercely. Even so, Bunny and the Bull looks like it promises to be one of the best comedies of the year. From all accounts the mix of Boosh-style comedy and animations, coupled with fine performances from Farnaby and Hogg, bring the insane humour of The Mighty Boosh to the big screen with amazing energy.
The film seems to be, even at face value, much more than simply the Mighty Boosh movie. The plot itself seems to be incredibly inspired, and the characters, dialogue and animations look like they make Bunny and the Bull a very strong film in its own right, and a testament to the ingenuity of the creative mind of Paul King. There aren’t many films that could set a road trip in the flat of a recluse, and then go on to portray one of the shittest holidays in history, but still come off with critical acclaim. Except maybe Titanic.
The Christmas season is always full of blockbuster releases, and this year will be no different. Filmgoers, especially those relying on their student loan, have some tough decisions over the next few months over which films to see. There’s Harry Brown, Up, and although it physically pains me to mention it, Twilight – New Moon. Bunny and the Bull promises to be one of the front-runners in this box office race, and I strongly recommend that you go and watch it, as it seems to be one of the best and most ingenious comedies of recent years.
Fans of the Boosh will no doubt be scratching on the doors of the Odeon on the day of its release, but for those of you who are still indecisive, the mix of characters, quirky animations and a great plot make Bunny and the Bull a worthwhile investment of a fiver and a definite ‘must’ for this season of film going.
