The Fruit Machine (film)
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| The Fruit Machine, a/k/a Wonderland (USA) | |
|---|---|
 VHS Cover for The Fruit Machine, a/k/a Wonderland (USA) |
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| Directed by | Philip Saville |
| Produced by | Steve Morrison |
| Written by | Frank Clarke |
| Starring | Emile Charles Tony Forsyth Robert Stephens Robbie Coltrane Bruce Payne |
| Music by | Hans Zimmer |
| Cinematography | Dick Pope |
| Editing by | Richard Bedford |
| Distributed by | Cannon Films Vestron Video |
| Release date(s) | 1988 |
| Running time | 103 min |
| Language | English |
| IMDb profile | |
- Fruit machine is also a British term for a slot machine (aka one-armed bandit) and the name of a film (see The Fruit Machine (film)).
The Fruit Machine (1988) was known as Wonderland in the United States.
The Fruit Machine is a British Film thriller directed by Philip Saville (The Gospel of John, Metroland) about two bud gay teens running from an underworld assassin and the police. This was a film made by UK TV company Granada Productions; now known as ITV.
Starring Tony Forsyth, Emile Charles and Robbie Coltrane (Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire), in the role of "Annabelle".
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[edit] Overview
A combination of adventure, road movie and 1980s filmmaking. The film plays out a number of social issues of the time, as seen through the eyes of two British 16-year-olds. One of the teenagers spends a lot of time at the dolphinarium. This is probably the last time footage of the Brighton Dolphinarium and the dolphins was used, before it closed down.
Young star Emile Charles is Craig Charles' younger brother (Dave Lister from Red Dwarf) and guest-starred there as the Young Lister. Symbolism notwithstanding, variations of Bruce Payne's character Echo and his machete appeared on both versions of the film's promotional materials--even though Echo was a non-speaking role.
Soundtrack by early score master Hans Zimmer (Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest, The Da Vinci Code, The Lion King). No "official" soundtrack was ever released, but the 20-minute The Fruit Machine Suite appears on Hans Zimmer's CD HANS ZIMMER: The British Years, a sampling of his earlier film work. Divine's songs, popular around the world and on the charts in Britain at the time, were utilized in the disco dance sequence.
Though it has a growing cult following, the film has never been released on DVD and both the Laserdisc and VHS versions are out of print. The rising careers of Robbie Coltrane, Philip Saville and Hans Zimmer fuel the mystique of this film. The absence of a DVD release stems, in part, due to the Vestron Video collapse and assorted corporate bankruptcies and mergers.
[edit] Synopsis
Eddie and Michael are best friends on the brink of adulthood. Eddie likes watching old movies on video with his mum. Michael likes video games and the street. They are total opposites that argue like an old married couple. Leaving behind the grim, oppressive reality of Liverpool (In the 1980s unemployment rates in Liverpool were amongst the highest in the UK.), they stumble into the bizarre fantasy world of a transvestite nightclub called The Fruit Machine, run by "Annabelle". There, they witness a brutal gangland murder by Echo that transforms their quest for adventure into a run for their lives. Alone and afraid, yet hopeful, they wind up in Brighton with Vincent and Eve at Wonderland, where their path is strewn with murder, manipulation and deceit.
[edit] Featured cast
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| Emile Charles | Eddie |
| Tony Forsyth | Michael |
| Robert Stephens | Vincent |
| Robbie Coltrane | "Annabelle" |
| Clare Higgins | Eve |
| Bruce Payne | Echo |
| Carsten Norgaard | Dolphin Man |
| Kim Christie | Jean |
| Louis Emerick | Billy |
| Forbes Collins | John Schlesinger |
[edit] Memorable quotes
| “ | It's...me uncle...Dick. Yeah, that's right. Me Uncle Dick. | ” |
[edit] Trivia
- Robert Stephens was married to Dame Maggie Smith from 1967 to 1974 and appeared together on stage and in film, notably in the film The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie (1969). He was knighted in 1995, passing away later that same year.
[edit] References
- The New York Times / The Fruit Machine
- TimeOut London / The Fruit Machine
- Brighton Lesbian and Gay Switchboard Youth Project / "Are there any good films/videos/dvds I can watch?"
- Hans Zimmer: The British Years on Soundtrack.net
