happiness is a 1998 american comedy-drama film written and directed by todd solondz , that portrays the lives of three sisters , their families and those around them .

the film was awarded the fipresci prize at the 1998 cannes film festival for " its bold tracking of controversial contemporary themes , richly-layered subtext , and remarkable fluidity of visual style , " and the cast received the national board of review award for best ensemble performance .

the film spawned the pseudo-sequel life during wartime which premiered at the 2009 venice film festival .

happiness ( 1998 film )

track 15 - the moment of happiness from the 1998 film version cats the musical . all credits to andrew lloyd webber .
looking for movie tickets ? enter your location to see which movie theaters are playing happiness ( 1998 ) near you .
was the online film & television association ' s choice for the best picture of 1998 . the film took home a total of 8 awards . below is the list of every nomination for the year 1998 along with the
for 1998 we also considered festen , testsuo , rushmore , pi , the thin red line and ringu .
twelve years after happiness , a critic’s mea culpa and an awkward , in - person encounter with the film’s director .
1999 : british independent film awards ( bifa ) : best int . ind . film - english language
karel deburchgrave is the chairman of the belgian film monthly filmmagie and has worked as a film critic for various dutch and english magazines . he teaches film at the film museums of brussels , antwerp and louvain .
for organisations such as the sundance film festival , the academy of motion picture arts & sciences and the film independent spirit awards .
film analysis is the process by which a film is analysed in terms of its visuals , sound , editing and narration . analysing film will help us understand the effectiveness of the intentions and messages of filmmakers and our own interpretations of films . each session will be illustrated with film clips linked to a film programmed at lumière cinema .
' happiness ' was a sympathetic portrayal of a paedophile , an obscene caller and other assorted sociopaths .
happiness received an nc - 17 rating from the mpaa , and that caused the film to be limited in distribution ; the film also had difficulty in advertising . for that particular reason , happiness surrendered the nc - 17 rating and was instead released unrated . the poster art was done by comic book creator daniel clowes . [ citation needed ]
hansal mehta won the 2013 national film award for best direction for his film shahid ( 2012 ) . shahid had its world premier at the 2012 toronto international film festival , following which it had an extended run at various international film festivals . he then directed city lights ( 2014 ) and aligarh ( 2015 ) . aligarh premiered at the 20th busan international film festival and went to the bfi london film festival . it was also the opening film at the 17th jio mami mumbai film festival . his latest films are simran ( 2017 ) and omerta ( 2017 ) .
happiness took $ 3 . 2 million in the states , just recovering its costs . according to good machine ' s ted hope ,
we hoped happiness would surpass $ 5 million , but i think we were hurt by it being written about as an anti - suburban film .
the title track happiness was written by eytan mirsky . in the film it is sung by actress jane adams in a scene and by michael stipe and rain phoenix over the credits .
the lives of many individuals connected by the desire for happiness , often from sources usually considered dark or evil .
he gave the film four out of four stars , and rated it # 5 in his top 10 films of 1998 , saying also ,
it is not a film for most people . it is certainly for adults only . but it shows todd solondz as a filmmaker who deserves attention , who hears the unhappiness in the air and seeks its sources .
ruchika is a writer and director based in mumbai . her debut feature film island city ( 2015 ) won the fedeora award for best debut director at venice days , venice international film festival . the film travelled to over 30 international film festivals , winning several awards . she has recently written the story and screenplay of a short film , to be directed by zoya akhtar .
it was almost seven years ago . todd solondz , the director of such films as welcome to the dollhouse , storytelling , and most recently , weiner dog , had just come out with life during wartime , a sort - of - sequel to his 1998 film happiness , an acidic satire about unhappy suburbanites that cemented his reputation as a major american art - house auteur . i was one of the few new york critics who was not entirely enthused by dollhouse , his 1995 breakthrough , and i hated happiness . just hated it .
happiness is tough stuff - - quietly confrontational , genuinely haunting , and , most disturbing of all , unexpectedly moving .
award and the nora ephron prize in the 2014 tribeca film festival for her feature film zero motivation . her short films have also received multiple international awards .
acclaimed film critic roger ebert championed the film and applauded solondz for his honesty in depicting such intense issues : ‘why see the film ? happiness is about its unhappy characters , in a way that helps us see them a little more clearly , to feel sorry for them , and at the same time to see how closely tragedy and farce come together in the messiness of sexuality . [ … ] it is not a film for most people . it is certainly for adults only . but it shows todd solondz as a filmmaker who deserves attention , who hears the unhappiness in the air and seeks its sources . ’ ( ebert 1998 paras 8 – 9 ) .
solondz had made a name for himself as ‘one of the most lacerating , funny and distinctive voices in american film’ ( maslin 1998 para 3 ) – at least in the eyes of the new york times – and as such , happiness received overwhelmingly positive praise from the critics , even though its content is anything but standard fare . widely lauded as being imbued with a sense of irony , the over - arching message that the film sends is ‘that happiness is elsewhere , happening to someone ( everyone ) else’ ( murray 2011 p 230 ) and this feeling motivates all the characters as they struggle to find their place in what appears to be quite a regimented world .
in other words , universal dropped happiness solely because of its content . and while its content ( specifically pedophilia ) makes happiness an extreme case , the fact that such a well - praised film was so easily jettisoned by the parent company points to a new reality for many independent film distributors : they aren’t as independent as they used to be . while they’re enjoying the deep pockets of conglomerate owners , they also must be prepared to navigate the whims and concerns of overlords made nervous by dipping stock prices and potential boycotts . such a risk - averse environment makes happiness seem like a resonant cautionary tale . ”my sense is that it could happen with any distributor that is owned by a larger company , ” says killer film’s christine vachon , one of happiness ‘ producers .
in life during wartime , solondz revisits his greatest triumph , 1998 ' s happiness , a lacerating depiction of suburban malaise . happiness won the critics ' prize in cannes and earnt a golden globe nomination for best screenplay – remarkable when you consider its main talking - point was solondz ' s sympathetic portrait of a paedophile ( dylan baker ) . and if you ever wondered what happened to him and the film ' s roster of screwed - up characters , life during wartime catches up with them 10 years on . but don ' t expect to see baker , or jane adams , lara flynn boyle and cynthia stevenson as the dysfunctional three sisters at the heart of the story . solondz has recast the entire film , often daringly .
producer of boys don’t cry , far from heaven and happiness discussed her career at the glasgow film festival . in a wide - ranging in conversation session at the glasgow film festival , producer christine vachon revealed a surprising truth about killer films , the new york city - based company she set up in 1995 alongside pamela koffler : still alice is the first and only of their productions to return a net profit to the company . vachon had previously confirmed the same in her 2006 book a killer life : how an independent film producer survives deals and disasters in hollywood and beyond . even in the tough world of independent film , that admission raised eyebrows given killer’s role in films including boys don’t cry ( 1999 ) , which won hilary swank the best actress oscar , todd solondz ’s happiness ( 1998 ) , mark romanek ’s one hour photo ( 2002 ) and todd haynes ’ far from heaven ( 2002 ) . vachon has subsequently produced a string of critical hits , including haynes
as hyped as the film was , its takings for its run in the us were just shy of $ 3 million . given that happiness had a budget of $ 3 million to begin with , it could hardly be considered a commercial smash - hit .
clio is a celebrated filmmaker whose work has been shown in cinemas , international film festivals and galleries like the tate modern in london and the museum of modern art in new york . her debut feature , the arbor ( 2010 ) , won numerous awards , including best new documentary filmmaker at tribeca film festival . her fiction feature the selfish giant ( 2013 ) screened in the directors’ fortnight of cannes film festival and won the europa cinemas award . her new film dark river ( 2017 ) was screened at toronto international film festival .
some truly hilarious moments , but i spent most of the film with my mouth hanging open in shock .
american film producer christine vachon poses for a portrait at metrograph theater in manhattan , december 16 , 2016 .
shreyasi is 14 years old , dreams of interstellar travel and studies in grade 9 , at udayachal high school . her favourite film character is shoya ishida from a silent voice . a good film is … “relatable” .
shiv is 14 years old and a student of cp goenka international school . he wants to visit munich and his favourite film character is bane from the dark knight rises . a good film is … “inspiring . ”
these are the kinds of thoughts
happiness
inspires . it is not a film for most people . it is certainly for adults only . but it shows todd solondz as a filmmaker who deserves attention , who hears the unhappiness in the air and seeks its sources .
an interview with writer / director boots riley about his incendiary new film ,
sorry to bother you .
the sundance film festival is jan . 21 - 31 . see the full lineup here . also on huffpost :
, that portrays the lives of three sisters , their families and those around them . the film was awarded the
todd solondz ' s film , present a jaw dropping dialoge , interesting characters , great black humor together with a tense drama , that show the life , relationships and strange sexuality of ordinary people trying to find they happiness in a disturb world . happiness it ' s a bold , captivating , breathtaking and funny classic , of course solondz ' s picture it ' s not for every audience , just the people that really understand black comedy and accept contoversial themes . it ' s also the first film , in a long time ago , that make a scene being sad , funny and surprising at the same time , just like bill and billy ' s last talk conclusion . happiness is , without a doubt , one of best films from the 90 ' s .
i adore todd ,
laughs actress greta gerwig .
i have such faith in him and his weird world .
well , that ' s one way of describing the films of writer - director todd solondz . detractors have called him and his work
cruel , misanthropic and mean - spirited
, he says . but then what do you expect in movies where the weak are bullied and trampled upon ? even his titles – notably his 1998 prize - winning ensemble drama happiness – are drenched in irony .
to say that happiness had a tumultuous time getting distributed would be an understatement . originally slated to be distributed by october films , the film was later dropped because its content was seen as too ‘morally dubious’ ( schamus 2000 p 257 ) for october’s parent company , universal , to put their name to . in a piece producer james schamus wrote for nation , reflecting on the distribution of the film , he says :
prabhat is 16 and a student of aditya birla world academy . on top of his travel plans is a trip to scotland . his favourite film character is achilles , from troy . a good film is … “something that makes me think . ”
the dark - as - a - black - hole comedy — director todd solondz’s follow - up to his 1996 teen - angst hit welcome to the dollhouse — was completed for less than $ 3 million . happiness had critics cheering at cannes last may , but the honeymoon between october and universal was about to come to an end . execs at universal , including president and coo ron meyer , soon got a look at the film and , according to reports , were horrified by solondz’s sympathetic portrayal of happiness ‘ pedophile ( played by dylan baker ) , a loving father who nevertheless drugs his 11 - year - old son’s classmates and sodomizes them . happiness ‘ stateside release was quashed .
the tomatometer score — based on the opinions of hundreds of film and television critics — is a trusted measurement of critical recommendation for millions of fans . it represents the percentage of professional critic reviews that are positive for a given film or television show .
abbas is 11 and studies in grade seven at billabong high school . his favourite film character is ron weasley and he hopes to go to hogwarts someday . a good film is . . . “a picture which you could visualise in your perspective . ”
giving a film a title like happiness somehow suggests that there ' s going to be precious little on display , and solondz ' s follow - up to his indie hit welcome to the dollhouse indeed presents a cross - section of modern american agonies as an interlocked selection of characters strive for happiness in all manner of doomed ways . it ' s a vision of hell , but it has a truthfulness and a humanity that renders it as moving ( and , in a weird way , entertaining ) as it is horrific .
i , for one , would be thrilled to see solondz ' s heart open in his future work . but it would be a mistake to flinch from the greatness of happiness in the meantime .
with this in mind , along with the decision made by solondz to have the film be released as unrated , it’s hardly surprising that happiness had a difficult time securing distribution . bingam ray , one of october’s founders , is alleged to have said in response to the dropping of happiness from universal : ‘my attitude to universal was , buyer beware . tough shit , sherlock , fuck you , you read the script , you knew the kind of company we were , this was the kind of film that you should celebrate not censor . you should be embracing us , you shouldn’t be kicking us in the ass’ . ( biskind 2005 p 334 ) in getting the film released , many toes were trodden on and promises broken . ultimately , a deal was done between universal and a company called good machine , which was founded by three of the film’s producers , james schamus , david linde and ted hope . the company didn’t have the money to buy the film for distribution and it’s reported that universal even helped them with the bank loan necessary to make the payment . interesting that a film october had been so supportive of from the beginning ended up being a liability to them .
still , there ' s something about solondz and his work that suggests that , like his characters , he will always suffer . even his debut feature film was calamitous – so much so , he doesn ' t like to include it on his official cv . made in 1989 , fear , anxiety & depression – in which he starred – still evokes the title ' s emotions in him . the film was poorly received , and solondz quit film - making for a time , taking a job teaching english to russian immigrants ( an experience repeated by the jane adams character in happiness ) .
krisha is 10 and studies at akshara high school . she wants to go to paris and has two favourite film characters : sunny gill from sniff and kaaka muttai from kaaka muttai . a good film is … “one that gives some moral and is also entertaining . ”
the film didn’t stay on the shelf long enough to collect dust , however . october quickly sold it back to two of its producers , ted hope and james schamus of good machine , a new york production company that is now releasing the unrated happiness on its own . ”i guess october thought they had more internal freedom than they did , ” says bob berney , one of the execs distributing the film for good machine . neither universal nor october will comment on the decision to drop the film . ”they’ve been silent , ” says vachon . ”i think they just wish this would all go away . ”
the dark dementia lurking beneath placid everyday life bubbles to the surface in todd solondz ' s
happiness ,
a disturbing black comedy that , at bottom , is about all the trouble sex causes people .
konkona sensharma is an award - winning actress and film director . beginning her career as a child artist in bengali films at the age of 4 , she has now acted in over 40 films in hindi , bengali and english . her performance in mr . and mrs . iyer ( 2002 ) earned her a national film award for best actress along with widespread critical acclaim . she won her second national film award
it ' s no surprise , given solondz ' s past experiences . when he made happiness , outraged executives at parent company universal studios forced their specialist arm october films , who owned solondz ' s film , to drop it from release ( it was released by another company ) . he fared little better at new line when he made 2001 ' s portmanteau storytelling . after the furore around happiness , he was contractually obliged to deliver a more palatable r - rated film . cutting one explicit gay sex scene ( featuring dawson ' s creek ' s james van der beek ) , he was also forced to place a red box over the genital areas in a graphic multi - racial heterosexual sex scene .
here is my take on todd solondz ' s darkly comical masterpiece known as ' happiness ' - a film that deserves and requires attention . obviously , this analysis contains a handful of spoilers , as well as two clips with slight audio synchronisation issues . . . for which i completely blame sony vegas . anyway , i hope you enjoy my monotone voice !
srishti arya was to the film industry born . daughter of producer ramesh behl and sister of filmmaker goldie behl , srishti made her production debut with angaaray ( 1998 ) . following this , sristhi produced goldie’s directorial debut , bas itna sa khwaab hai ( 2001 ) , which she also co - wrote . apart from bollywood , srishti for herself on the small screen . her shows have been described as bold and new - age . currently rose has the mega scale show , aarambh , on air on star plus , and more shows in the pipeline .
rona murray deconstructs the fine line that the film needed to walk when it came to the visual display of the film : ‘posters , generally , will target audiences through the suggestions of genre , narrative or star value . solondz’s audience was less definable than that of a mainstream film and many arthouse movies’ ( murray 2011 p 228 ) . the poster , a cartoon re - imagining of the main characters , shows everyone looking on edge , as if they’re worried someone will discover their secrets . incidentally , in the film their secrets are laid out for us to see .
after his successful 1996 film welcome to the dollhouse , todd solondz’s follow - up film , happiness , takes a turn towards the darker side of the human condition . the film loosely follows the stories of three middle - class sisters from new jersey ( and their parents ) and their pursuit of happiness in what can be a harsh world without much understanding . trish ( cynthia stevenson ) , the first sister , lives in the suburbs and is married to a paedophile ( dylan baker ) , whose raping of a young boy brought the film under much fire from critics and the mpaa alike . another sister , helen , ( lara flynn boyle ) is a writer whose neighbour ( philip seymour hoffman ) begins an obsessive love affair from the other side of her apartment wall , while he himself is being chased romantically by a woman from down the hall ( camryn manheim ) . jane adams plays joy , the unlucky - in - love third sister , struggling to find stability and acceptance in new york city .
i’d seen most , though not all , of solondz’s films and the only one that made me almost violently reject it was happiness . maybe i couldn’t figure it out , or maybe i just didn’t want to go there .
biskind , p 2004 , down and dirty pictures : miramax , sundance and the rise of independent film , simon and schuster paperbacks , new york .
aviva is nine . she studies in chatrabhuj narsee school , in grade five . her favourite film character is harry potter and she wants to go travelling through france . a good film is… “something that attracts the interest of the audience and for me , it is more about communicating through storytelling . ”
john philip madden is an english director of film , television , theatre , and radio . an alumnus of the university of cambridge with a b . a . in english literature , he began his career with theatre , before moving on to the bbc and entering the world of radio and television . with several prominent television titles to his credit , including prime suspect 4 and episodes of sherlock holmes , madden turned his focus to feature films in the early nineties . his film shakespeare in love won the oscar for best picture in 1998 as well as the silver bear at the 49th annual berlin international film festival . his recent successes include much - loved the best exotic marigold hotel series and miss sloane ( 2016 ) . along with his work as a director , madden serves as a jury member for the digital studio filmaka , a platform for undiscovered filmmakers to showcase their work to industry professionals .
renuka is an actress , director and writer . she has been an actress in indian theatre , television and film for the last 30 years . her first directorial feature film rita ( 2009 ) was screened at several festivals . it was critically acclaimed , and won her awards for her direction and screenplay .
sloppy , heavy - breathing phone - sex fetishist with coke - bottle glasses . a grossly overweight young tenant who calmly dismembers then refrigerates her building superintendent . a horny manhattan cab driver from russia who serenades a shy new jersey misfit with you light up my life . these are just some of the socially maladroit , sexually frustrated loners who populate todd solondz ' s film , happiness .
why see the film ?
happiness
is about its unhappy characters , in a way that helps us see them a little more clearly , to feel sorry for them , and at the same time to see how closely tragedy and farce come together in the messiness of sexuality . does
happiness
exploit its controversial subjects ? finally , no : it sees them as symptoms of desperation and sadness . it is more exploitative to create a child molester as a convenient villain , as many movies do ; by disregarding his humanity and seeing him as an object , such movies do the same thing that a molester does .
the ballad of narayama
is a japanese film of great beauty and elegant artifice , telling a story of startling cruelty . what a space it opens…
nitya mehra studied literature in delhi university and filmmaking at new york university . after working on a spike lee production as a production assistant , she returned to india to pursue her dream of making films . in 2016 , she released her first feature film , baar baar dekho . the film was produced by excel entertainment ( farhan akhtar & ritesh sidhwani ) & co – produced by dharma productions ( karan johar ) . she is now working on her next film script .
for her performance in omkara in 2006 , which was also the year she debuted as director with her short film naamkoron . in 2016 , she established herself as a director with her debut feature film a death in the gunj , while continuing her work as an acclaimed actress with alankrita shrivastava’s lipstick under my burkha .
helly is 15 and studies at lodha world school ( palava ) . on top of her list of places to visit is spain . her favourite film character is the black widow from the avengers series . a good film is… “one that makes you laugh , cry , experience everything and leaves a deep impression on you forever . ”
beware , films of sundance :
wiener - dog
already has our vote for the festival ' s most charming movie , sight - unseen . it chronicles a dachshund that inspires the lives of several individuals , including dawn wiener , the ridiculed protagonist of todd solondz ' s grand jury prize winner
welcome to the dollhouse .
greta gerwig , who is joined by an all - star cast , plays adult dawn . solondz has a rich history with sundance , with
dollhouse
jump - starting his career before festival rejected his second feature , 1998 ' s
happiness ,
because of its tough depiction of pedophilia . we expect
wiener - dog
will skip the controversy in favor of joyful tears . - -
what surprises him , however , is that
people took a studio seriously when they said they found the film ' morally objectionable ' . the idea of attaching any morality to a studio is naive ,
he says . he complains that , contrary to the negative buzz that happiness generated , daytime talk shows are able to address subjects like paedophilia :
they offer entertainment under the guise of a serious discussion .
the film was offered up to the major indie festivals , riding on the coat tails of its success at cannes : ‘the strategy was to release it to film festivals , thus capitalising on its critical success and gaining free exposure’ ( murray 2011 pp 228 - 229 ) . interestingly , the film was not accepted to sundance ; a festival which had well and truly made a name for itself as the place for independent cinema to thrive , especially when it contained subject matter that might struggle to thrive in any other public forum .
the film was highly controversial for its heavy sexual themes , especially its portrayal of bill , a pedophile and rapist , as a three - dimensional human being with redeeming qualities .
happiness is about the people that movies usually banish to the far corners : the lonely and the depraved , the ”losers” trapped in neurotic , even sick dreams of pleasure and transcendence . at times , the film’s intimacy is almost too lurid , too much , to bear , yet solondz , a scampish showman , has a gift for tweaking our curiosity , so that , like children waiting for a monster to leap from the shadows , we’re left giddy with anticipation at whatever seamy private horror is coming next . for all its taboo - smashing bravado ( graphic ejaculations , a sex offender portrayed with something close to sympathy ) , the film’s true shock is one of recognition . these characters are really us ; one way or another , we’re all slaves to the siren song of sexual craving . solondz’s last film , welcome to the dollhouse ( 1996 ) , was also a comedy of desperation , but an elegantly small - scale one . happiness breaks through to haunted levels of erotic compulsion that place it closer to the hypnotic artistry of blue velvet . it marks the emergence of a major american filmmaker .
the individual sessions 1 . the hollywood model : strangers on a train , 1951 , alfred hitchcock / case study : diarios de motocicleta ( the motorcycle diaries ) , 2004 , walter salles ( 18 jan ) 2 . the linear plot , european versus american : spoorloos , 1988 , george sluizer / case study : the vanishing , 1993 , george sluizer ( 25 jan ) 3 . the nonlinear plot : reservoir dogs , 1992 , quentin tarantino / case study : happiness , 1998 , todd solondz ( 8 feb ) 4 . the literary adaptation : wuthering heights , 1939 , william wyler / case study : the great gatsby , 2013 , baz luhrmann ( 15 feb ) 5 . the dream structure : belle de jour , 1967 , luis buñuel / case study : dans la maison , 2012 , françois ozon ( 22 feb )
‘october [ … ] was readying the film for a fall release when executives of october’s parent company , universal studios ( which is itself owned by the montreal - based seagram company ) , asked to screen the film in los angeles . while universal - executives were pleased with the overwhelmingly positive response to happiness at cannes , word of the film’s potentially controversial subject matter was causing concern . seagram is a publicly traded corporation whose primary business at the time of the screening was in the “consumer goods” sector - in this case , the tricky alcoholic beverage market . with significant regulatory legislation pending in the united states [ … ] executives were feeling vulnerable to the possibility that right - wing and christian organizations might target the company’s products for a consumer boycott should the film incite much controversy . the negative publicity generated by such a situation could have far - reaching consequences for many of seagram’s core businesses ; companies such as disney had come under fire in recent years for art - house films produced by its subsidiaries . ’ ( schamus 1999 p 35 )
happiness
occupies the emerging genre of the new geek cinema , films that occupy the shadowland between tragedy and irony . todd solondz also made
welcome to the dollhouse
( 1996 ) , about an unpopular 11 - year - old girl who defiantly improvises survival tactics .
happiness
is harder to take , and yet equally attentive to the suffering of characters who see themselves outside the mainstream - - geeks , if you will , whose self - image is formed by the conviction that the more people know about them , the less they ' ll like them .
“you hated happiness , ” he said . he wasn’t sticking the shiv in me . he seemed genuinely bewildered and perhaps a bit hurt , still , after all this time . and curious . “you said it was adolescent . i think you said something about it having a high - school mentality ? ”
in his review of the film , roger ebert wrote ,
. . . the depraved are only seeking what we all seek , but with a lack of ordinary moral vision . . . in a film that looks into the abyss of human despair , there is the horrifying suggestion that these characters may not be grotesque exceptions , but may in fact be part of the mainstream of humanity .
if the film is less overtly controversial than happiness , solondz reckons this is because the past decade has seen a considerable shift in attitudes to the material – in particular the issues surrounding paedophilia .
i suppose when i made happiness , 10 years ago , the subject matter was more shocking . i don ' t think there ' s anything shocking about it today . it ' s shocking when you don ' t read about this stuff . it ' s in all the media and so forth . i went to the park recently back home . there ' s a little sign and it says : ' no adults may enter unless accompanied by a minor . ' that kind of thing never existed when i was growing up , and i don ' t even know if it existed 10 years ago .
rajendra is the chief curator of film at the museum of modern art . he is also a member of the selection committee for new directors / new films and has served on numerous juries and selection committees
solondz’s deliberate pacing and tendency to run all his scenes at length make the film seem every bit as long as it is ; at two hours , 20 minutes , pic feels a bit indulgent and overextended .
dulquer made his acting debut in 2012 , with second show and won the filmfare award for best male debut . he has since garnered a following for his performances in award - winning films like kammatipaadam ( 2016 ) and charlie ( 2015 ) . over the past five years , he has acted in over 30 malayalam and tamil films , and is set to enter the hindi film industry with the upcoming film , kaarwaan .
by far solondz ' s best film , an original exploration of american suburban angst , with three chekhovian sisters at the center and a gallery of
deviant
characters that are presented with humor in non - judgmental way .
new york – last november , students at reed college in oregon were invited to a public screening of kimberly peirce’s 1999 film “boys don’t cry” in the presence of the director , an event intended to mark the . . .
perhaps solondz ' s most daring film , it ' s also his most gimicky , as eight different actors , of differing race , weight and sex , all take turns playing the same 12 - year - old girl . jm
the dark dementia lurking beneath placid everyday life bubbles to the surface in todd solondz’s “happiness , ” a disturbing black comedy that , at bottom , is about all the trouble sex causes people . a skillfully made examination of the problems a host of intercon - nected characters face even approaching the ideal represented by the title , overlong pic sees [ … ]
with its stylistic emphasis upon the facades that enforce “normalcy” and the codes of civilized behavior , combined with its urge to ex - pose the decidedly impolite , often warped impulses that variously stew or erupt in human beings , “happiness” often brings to mind “blue velvet . ” david lynch’s film may have drawn more directly upon an unmediated descent into its maker’s subconscious , and also served up more striking visual images , but solondz’s picture is unsettling for the similar reason that it explores taboo territory with moral ambiguity , acknowledging its forbidden nature while stressing a common , and undeniable , fascination with it .
i ' m telling you , you get it all in
happiness
- - masturbating adults , masturbating children , ejaculations splashing on bedroom walls , sexual predators getting chopped up and stuck in baggies , obscene phone calls , adultery , betrayal , and ( as a special bonus ) a pedophile father who drugs his young playmates and rapes them during sleep - overs .
based on brad land ' s 2005 memoir ,
goat
offers a portrait of
brotherhood
gone wrong in its depiction of a 19 - year - old college student who pledges his brother ' s fraternity and is brutally hazed . sundance touts the film as “part neorealism , part horror film , ” which is a description we can get behind , especially when it involves nick jonas in a key role . to top it off , james franco produced the movie . - -
little wonder he ' s shocked by the fact he has a new film to promote , life during wartime .
it ' s such an anomaly , particularly in these economic times . things are so grim for the non - studio film - maker . i ' m just lucky . it ' s just weird that this movie got financed , finished and so forth . i can ' t account for it .
admittedly , the financing failed several times before the film finally got off the ground . but given solondz ' s reputation and the
difficult
material contained within , that ' s hardly surprising .
if i had wanted to do something that would be more marketable , i think i wouldn ' t have had the same struggle .
with : joy jordan - jane adams bill maplewood - dylan baker helen jordan - lara flynn boyle lenny jordan - ben gazzara vlad - jared harris allen - philip seymour hoffman andy kornbluth - jon lovitz ann chambeau - marla maples trish maplewood - cynthia stevenson diane freed - elizabeth ashley mona jordan - louise lasser kristina - camryn manheim billy maplewood - rufus read rhonda - anne bobby joe grasso - dan moran johnny grasso - evan silverbergcamera ( duart color ) , maryse alberti ; editor , alan oxman ; music , robbie kondor ; music supervisor , susan jacobs ; production designer , therese deprez ; art director , john bruce ; set decorator , nick evans ; costume designer , kathryn nixon ; sound ( dolby ) , neil danziger ; sound designer , damien volpe ; assistant director , jude gorjanc ; second unit director , oxman ; second unit camera , storn peterson ; casting , ann goulder . reviewed at cannes film festival ( directors fortnight ) , may 15 , 1998 . running time : 139 min .
aviva is thirteen , awkward and sensitive . her mother joyce is warm and loving , as is her father , steve , a regular guy who does have a fierce temper from time to time . the film revolves around her family , friends and neighbors .
alankrita shrivastava is an award - winning film director and screenwriter with a penchant for telling women’s stories . she read journalism at lady shri ram college in delhi university and has worked with prakash jha productions on several films . she was the executive producer on khoya khoya chand ( 2007 ) . she is best known for being the director of the ‘lady - oriented’ film , lipstick under my burkha ( 2016 ) , which has been widely appreciated both commercially and on the festival circuit , having won 13 international awards .
elsaesser , t 2001 , the blockbuster : everything connects , but not everything goes , in j . lewis ( ed . ) the end of cinema as we know it : american film in the nineties , new york university press , new york & london .
it was a shock to the system . raised in a jewish household and sent to a series of private schools before he went to yale to study english , solondz was an academic high achiever . even his entry into the film industry was covered in glory .
born in slovakia and working in hungary since she was 18 , alexandra is a hungarian theatre , television and film actress . she played the role of maria in ildikó enyedi’s on body and soul ( 2017 ) , which won the golden bear at the berlinale .
strange thing , though : life during wartime floored me . it was one of my favorite films of its year , 2010 , and so profoundly affecting that it forced me to go back through my reactions to all of solondz’s films and second - guess them . this was especially vexing for me because wartime was essentially chapter two of happiness , albeit with new characters and an almost entirely new cast reprising roles from the original . and he was employing many of the same techniques , alternating a kind of sorrowful empathy with a satirical mercilessness that brushed up against outright cruelty . okay , cruelty is too strong , though i might have accused solondz of that in my happiness review ; you could certainly call him unsparing in the way that he showed people’s deluded self - images in order to puncture them .
todd solondz ' s
happiness
is a film that perplexes its viewers , even those who admire it , because it challenges the ways we attempt to respond to it . is it a portrait of desperate human sadness ? then why are we laughing ? is it an ironic comedy ? then why its tenderness with these lonely people ? is it about depravity ? yes , but why does it make us suspect , uneasily , that the depraved are only seeking what we all seek , but with a lack of ordinary moral vision ? in a film that looks into the abyss of human despair , there is the horrifying suggestion that these characters may not be grotesque exceptions , but may in fact be part of the mainstream of humanity . whenever a serial killer or a sex predator is arrested , we turn to the paper to find his neighbors saying that the monster
seemed just like anyone else .
happiness
is a movie about closed doors - - apartment doors , bedroom doors and the doors of the unconscious . it moves back and forth between several stories , which often link up . it shows us people who want to be loved and who never will be - - because of their emotional incompetence and arrested development . there are lots of people who do find love and fulfillment , but they are not in this movie .
this is a terribly difficult film to review because i think a lot of it works beautifully as a character study while remaining wholly distasteful when you consider that there are actual people being victimized in the real world while you ' re sitting there watching it . and they aren ' t snickering . everybody ' s talking about the pedophilia subplot , of course ( and it ' s certainly the most troublesome part of the film ) , but that ' s just the most obvious of solondz ' s over - the - top indulgences .
few enter the world of independent film expecting to get rich , but it doesn’t hurt to do well . in a screen daily interview , longtime producer and indie stalwart christine vachon says that “ still alice ” is the biggest success story in the company’s history . read more : metrograph & indiecollect announce world premiere of ‘gems unseen , ’ featuring early films from todd haynes & christine vachon “‘ still alice ’ is the movie that is sending my daughter to college , ” vachon tells screen daily from the glasgow film festival . “it was a big success and an honest company . it’s done very , very well for us . ” vachon co - founded killer films with pamela koffler in 1995 and has worked extensively with todd haynes , among many others . among her productions to receive critical praise but little in the way of financial success are “boys don’t cry , ” “ happiness ” and “ carol . ” read more : kickstarter campaign hopes to find lost
mainland china ’s film market might be volatile and unpredictable for many hong kong filmmakers , but that does not stop andy lo from trying . the long - time scriptwriter and director of “happiness” says he wants the best of both worlds , and he’s determined to achieve that . “i do want my films to succeed in both hong kong and mainland china , but the harder and more obvious you are , the more likely you will lose , ” says lo . “i think we should separate the two markets : you either make a film that is very hong kong , or one that targets mainland local culture . ” lo began as a scriptwriter for “ gorgeous ” ( 1999 ) , which starred jackie chan . he went on to co - write many titles including quirky crime drama “crazy ’n the city” ( 2005 ) , which won the screenplay prize at hong kong’s golden bauhinia awards in 2006 ; comedy “my name is fame” ( 2006 ) ; and last year’s blockbuster “ the adventurers . ” he made his
solondz has no illusions about universal ' s decision .
it was just about money . i don ' t think it was as insidious as ' we have a moral plan of what americans should or shouldn ' t see . ' quite the contrary . they are trying to get as large an audience as possible . happiness is just a little movie . there was a lot of controversy and flak that they weren ' t anticipating .
whether solondz admits it our not , part of his films’ disturbing appeal springs from their transgressive nature . they are , at times , like psychological horror films : one is scared by the sheer inappropriateness of what’s on screen . happiness is probably still his best picture . it was followed over a decade later by a very interesting , but flawed , semi - sequel called life during wartime . todd is still out there . sleep uneasy in your beds .
set mostly in suburban new jersey , the film takes its time revealing the ways its dozen or so characters are related , and that’s part of solondz’s design ; we seem to be discovering how their personalities complete each other . the nerd’s next - door - neighbor goddess is a trendy writer of transgressive poetry ( lara flynn boyle ) who lords it over her two sisters : melancholy joy ( jane adams ) , a guitar - strumming waif who suffers from pathological niceness , and trish ( cynthia stevenson ) , a chirpy , passive - aggressive housewife . their parents ( ben gazzara and louise lasser ) are ending a loveless 40 - year marriage , and happiness , indeed , views domestic life as a snake pit of secrets . in the film’s astonishing dramatic centerpiece , trish’s blandly unsmiling husband , bill ( dylan baker ) , turns out to be a feverish gay pedophile . between weirdly kinky fatherly chats with his preteen son ( rufus read ) , he uses sleep - over nights to drug his family into unconsciousness and do unspeakable things to the boy’s friends .
last month’s hong kong film awards was on a special mission . in addition to the usual star - studded glamour , the event was literally a stage for newcomers . lesser - known young actors were given the opportunity to present awards as well as giving speeches to introduce the best film contenders to the audience . the event , with 37 years of history behind it , has never felt so young and refreshing . the special treatment given to the young actors was seen as a response to a crisis of the hong kong film industry . as established stars ranging from chow yun - fat and andy lau to international action heroes jackie chan and donnie yen age well into their 50s and 60s , there’s no new generation of local younger stars to follow in their footsteps . “hong kong has a lot of great young talents but times have changed and they have less exposure and opportunities to practice their crafts in bigger ,
a few of the characters aren’t as richly imagined . boyle’s author vixen is a vindictive caricature , and there are winking throwaways like the deadbeat russian cabbie ( jared harris ) who offers joy a fleeting moment of amorous hope . yet all of the actors are inspired , and you’d hardly want everyone to be as painful to watch as allen , the masturbating phone perv ( played by hoffman with fearless lived - in wonkishness ) . darting from the tragic to the farcical to the scarily salacious , happiness stares at its characters with a voyeuristic candor so unflinching it becomes a kind of twisted benediction . the film is really inviting us to meditate on the chasm between our public and private selves ( a notion that may have special resonance in the age of monicagate ) .
perplexed , i watched happiness again 12 years after first reviewing it and thought it was amazing . not just the scene with dylan baker trying to drug and molest that kid — maybe one of the most notorious examples of how a filmmaker can twist an audience’s identification since the heyday of alfred hitchcock — but the entire movie . it was funny , sad , sincere , ugly , tough , weird , occasionally horrifying . you could not watch it and feel nothing .
bingham ray ( one of the founders of october films ) articulated the niche market that films such as happiness inhabit : ‘”i always wanted to be able to try things that were not necessarily commercially viable . i’m not some avant - gardist , i know the difference between something that’s truly experimental and something that’s wholly mainstream , but i’d like to think that somewhere in the middle is a comfort zone where there’s an audience . it might not be the largest , or the most lucrative , but for me the rewards there are the greatest ' ” ( murray 2011 p 234 ) . for him , at least , it’s not necessarily the monetary return that a film earns , but more about bringing issues of societal importance up for debate and into the consciousness of the audience .


the catherine tate show is a british television sketch comedy written by catherine tate and aschlin ditta .

tate also stars in all but one of the show 's sketches , which feature a wide range of characters .

the catherine tate show airs on bbc two and is shown worldwide through the bbc .

collectively , the show has been nominated for six bafta awards , two british comedy awards and an emmy award , and it has won two royal television society awards , two british comedy awards and a national television award since its debut in 2004 .

the catherine tate show

also available from kultur : d4266 the catherine tate show series 1 and d4267 the catherine tate show series 2 .
the catherine tate show : series 3 dvd ( 2007 ) catherine tatetitle : the catherine tate show : series 3 leading actor : catherine tate region : region 2 duration : 180 mins format : dvd / normal type : dvd no .
the catherine tate show : series 1 - 3 dvd ( 2007 ) catherine tate new title : the catherine tate show : series 1 - 3 leading actor : catherine tate region : region 2 duration : 600 mins format : dvd / box set typ . . .
the catherine tate show : nan ' s christmas carol dvd ( 2010 ) catherine tatetitle : the catherine tate show : nan ' s christmas carol leading actor : catherine tate region : region 2 format : dvd / normal type : . . .
celebrate the holiday season with this hilarious edition of the catherine tate show starring britain ' s hottest comedian the ' queen of catchphrase ' catherine tate .
producers have announced that catherine tate will take her critically acclaimed bbc series - the catherine tate show - on a live tour across the uk .
catherine tate returns for a second series of her award - winning sketch show .
the critically acclaimed , award - winning comedian and actor catherine tate will bring the catherine tate show – live to wolverhampton ' s civic hall tonight .
the catherine tate show : series 1 and 2 dvd ( 2006 ) catherine tatetitle : the catherine tate show : series 1 and 2 leading actor : catherine tate region : region 2 format : dvd / box set type : dvd no . of di . . .
sorry , we don ' t have any the catherine tate show tickets on sale at the moment .
the catherine tate christmas special dvd ( 2007 ) catherine tatetitle : the catherine tate christmas special leading actor : catherine tate region : region 2 format : dvd / normal type : dvd no . of discs : 1 . . .
ironically , there were characters on the miss jocelyn show that had a catherine tate feel to them .
the critically acclaimed , award - winning comedian and actor catherine tate is heading for the south coast next week as she takes the catherine tate show - live across the country this autumn .
comedian and actor catherine tate has announced that her popular bbc series the catherine tate show is taking to the stage , playing 21 venues across the uk in november and december 2016 .
catherine tate returns for series two of her sketch show featuring an extraordinary gallery of comic characters .
the catherine tate show collected more votes for the people ' s choice award , an independent report on the affair says .
joanie
nan
taylor ( née jackson ; born 7 july 1933 or 1938 ) is a fictional character in the catherine tate show . she is one of the main characters of the show and is portrayed by catherine tate .
the catherine tate show features catherine tate playing a wide range of characters , including the unforgettable lauren cooper , a stroppy teenager , and the equally spirited nan taylor , the scourge of meals on wheels .
award - winning comedian and actor catherine tate will take ' the catherine tate show - live ' across the country this autumn , with a 21 date uk tour starting on 1 november .
tate has won numerous awards for her work the catherine tate show as well as being nominated for an international emmy award and seven bafta awards .
comedian and actor catherine tate takes her popular bbc sketch show on the road . the catherine tate show live featuring new sketches and reunites old characters including nan taylor , geordie georgie and lauren ' am i bovvered ' cooper .
the queen meets catherine tate and other stars after the royal variety performance in cardiff .
hilarious ! all of the great catherine tate charaters come to life for the holidays .
catherine tate’s foul - mouthed grandmother joannie taylor is on her way back to bbc1 in new show nan .
the critically acclaimed , award - winning comedian and actor catherine tate , will take ‘the catherine tate show – live’ across the country this autumn , with a 21 date uk tour starting on 1 november .
the christmas special was the last episode of the catherine tate show . tate is now starring as assistant donna noble alongside david tennant in the current bbc1 series of doctor who .
the christmas day episode of catherine tate ' s comedy show has escaped being given a warning by tv watchdog ofcom .
here is the catherine tate show - series 2 on dvd . it is new and sealed and is in good condition .
catherine tate is an award winning comedian , actress and writer . her comedy sketch series , the catherine tate show , won a series of awards and she has also been nominated for an international emmy award and seven bafta awards . following the success of the catherine tate show , she undertook roles in doctor who and the us version of the office .
catherine tate is yet another brilliant british comedian . this dvd will stand the test of time like the fast show , still game etc .
the queen was asked
is one bovvered ?
by royal variety performance star catherine tate as wales staged the annual show for the first time .
the character of nan - whose real name is joannie taylor - first appeared in february 2004 as one of the characters in the catherine tate show .
catherine tate said :
i am delighted to be returning to doctor who .
catherine tate , mathew horne , ella kenion , michael brandon , et al .
catherine tate is one of the guest stars at this weekend’s mcm comic con in london .
catherine tate is an english comedian , actress and writer . she has won numerous awards for her work on the sketch comedy series the catherine tate show as well as being nominated for an international emmy award and seven bafta awards .
this award winning comedy tv show is filled with the same lovable , unique and quirky characters from the catherine tate show series 1 and 2 like teenage nightmare lauren and foul - mouthed nan .
the catherine tate show . dvd box set . complete series . series 1 2 & 3 . a few light marks here and there .
comedienne catherine tate has denied reports claiming that she has fallen out with david schwimmer .
catherine tate christmas special : contained swearing in the first sketch . photograph : tiger aspect / bbc
catherine tate currently stars as nellie bertram in nbc ' s hit comedy
the office .
the catherine tate show is an award - winning british television sketch comedy written by catherine tate who stars in all of the show ' s sketches as well as others . collectively , the show has been nominated for six bafta awards , two british comedy awards and an emmy award , and it has won two royal television society awards .
the catherine tate show - series 2 [ dvd ] [ 2004 ] . title the catherine tate show - series 2 [ dvd ] [ 2004 ] . format : dvd . publishers will often change book or cd cover designs , in a small number of cases t . . .
the critically acclaimed , award - winning comedian and actor catherine tate , will take the catherine tate show – live across the country this autumn , with a 21 date uk tour starting on 1 november . tickets for all shows are now on sale .
the catherine tate show ' s previous three series have been broadcast on bbc2 , which tends to take a more liberal editorial line on swearing .
catherine tate hits the road in november , bringing back her most well - known and loved characters .
catherine tate is
bothered
over reports that she has fallen out with david schwimmer .
tv special : children in need 2013 catherine tate ' s children in need 2013 special .
she is freaking hysterical . wish she us had access to more catherine tate ! ! !
catherine tate returns with her well - loved character , nan , for for sitcom episodes .
nan was one of the most popular creations from the catherine tate show , which ran from 2004 to 2009 and also featured schoolgirl lauren “am i bovvered” cooper .
catherine tate and david tennant starred in doctor who ( 2005 ) together . tennant played the tenth doctor and tate played his companion , donna noble .
the bbc has sparked a race row over plans to show catherine tate ' s nan character accusing a muslim man of being an isis bomber in the christmas special .
nan ' s christmas carol
is an episode of the catherine tate show starring catherine tate , roger lloyd pack , and ben miller . catherine tate ' s brilliant character gets the scrooge treatment with an extended christmas special all to herself . . . when mean - spirited , two - faced , foulmouthed nan welcomes the festive . . . see full summary »
the main focus of this tumblr is obviously the three series and specials / spin - offs of catherine’s show . however , any sketch featuring catherine tate will be here , too . we just love her that much .
the catherine tate comic relief special - limited edition ( . co . uk ) [ 2007 ] [ dvd ]
to pick your own seats for the catherine tate show - live at edinburgh playhouse simply find the performances you ' d like to see from the listings below and you ' ll be given the option .
perrier award nominated for her performance in lee mack ' s sketch show at the edinburgh festival 2000 and critically acclaimed for her one - woman sketch show at edinburgh 2001 , catherine tate now writes and stars in her own sketch show . catherine ' s irreverent characters include the rancid pensioner , the overprotective new parents and the randy nurse . the show ' s theme tune is
in these shoes ?
by kirsty maccoll .
catherine tate is so funny . i just wish they could get the other series to be able to play in the usa !
to pick your own seats for the catherine tate show - live at new theatre oxford simply find the performances you ' d like to see from the listings below and you ' ll be given the option .
the bbc today refused to apologise for the bad language on bbc1 ' s catherine tate christmas special , despite complaints now passing the 100 mark .
next year there will be a third series of the catherine tate show and appearances in four films alongside the likes of ewan mcgregor and brittany murphy . she also plans a national tour .
absolutely hilarious , never seen these specials before . catherine tate is a genius , we need more nan .
catherine tate gives charles dickens ' s classic christmas yarn the comedy treatment in this seasonal spin - off from her popular sketch show . when the foul - mouthed , mean - spirited nan tate whiles away her christmas eve by turning her relatives
here ' s a sample of british humor ! indeed , catherine tate , subject to any role . in this humorous show , she skillfully transforms into different characters .
we have enjoyed catherine tate ' s regular tv shows on netflix . this one is her christmas show - as enjoyable as her usual program , but nothing special .
the new specials will again be written by catherine tate , brett goldstein and dan swimer , and directed by geoff posner .
the new specials will again be written by catherine tate , brett goldstein and dan swimer , and directed by geoff posner .
in never seen before sketches , the tour will unite some of catherine’s best - known characters from her hugely successful bbc series the catherine tate show . the cast will include ‘nan’ taylor ; irish nurse bernie ; geordie georgie ; essex girl sam…and the return of a certain argumentative teenager…
in never seen before sketches , the tour will unite some of catherine’s best - known characters from her hugely successful bbc series ‘the catherine tate show’ . the cast will include ‘nan’ taylor ; irish nurse bernie ; geordie georgie ; essex girl sam…and the return of a certain argumentative teenager…
the critically acclaimed , award - winning comedian and actor catherine tate , will take the catherine tate show - live across the country this autumn , with a 21 date uk tour starting on 1 november . tickets for all shows will go on - sale on friday 29 april at 10 . 00am . in never seen before sketches , the tour will unite some of catherine ' s best - known characters from her hugely successful bbc series the catherine tate show . the cast will include ' nan ' taylor ; irish nurse bernie ; geordie georgie ; essex girl sam…and the return of a certain argumentative teenager…
tate has also featured as nellie bertram in the us version of the office .
london - ofcom has cleared the bbc of any breach of conduct after it received 42 complaints about ' the catherine tate christmas special ' .
it took three and a half hours each day for catherine tate to be made up as
nan
.
tv special : sport relief catherine tate may be doctor who ' s new assistant , donna , but catherine tate has found time to do a christmas special too . highlights include irish nurse bernie duetting with famous . . .
phil mcintyre entertainments proudly presents the critically acclaimed , award - winning comedian and actor catherine tate , will take ' the catherine tate show - live ' across the country this autumn , with a 21 date uk tour starting on 1 november . in never seen before sketches , the tour will unite some of catherine ' s best - known characters from her hugely successful bbc series ' the catherine tate show ' . the cast will include ' nan ' taylor ; irish nurse bernie ; geordie georgie ; essex girl sam . . . and the return of a certain argumentative teenager . . . age guidance ; 12 +
the catherine tate comic relief special - limited edition ( exclusive to amazon . co . uk ) [ 2007 ] [ dvd ]
catherine tate how do you do it ? it ' s had me in fits especially the one who goes off it if you guess correctly . for a good laugh this is the show for you .
catherine tate uk tour updated : 28 april 2016 comedian and actor catherine tate has confirmed a tour for november and december 2016 , where she will revisit some of her best - known characters . the tour is live adaptation of her television series , the catherine tate show , which aired on the bbc from 2004 to 2006 . catherine tate will bring to live some of the shows funniest characters , including “am i bovvered” lauren cooper , irish nurse bernie and geordie georgie , in brand new sketches . the tour will kick off on 1 november at manchester apollo and will run until 3 december . catherine tate’s tour will visit the likes of sheffield , leicester , glasgow , newcastle , leeds , london , bournemouth and birmingham .
comedian catherine tate is to play doctor who ' s new companion , reprising her role from the 2006 christmas special , the bbc has announced .
the critically acclaimed , award - winning comedian and actor catherine tate , will take the catherine tate show - live across the country this autumn , with a 21 date uk tour starting on 1 november . tickets for all shows will go on - sale on friday 29 april at 10 . 00am . . . . read more > >
love catherine tate and this series doesn ' t disappoint ! it arrived early and was packaged well ! thank you .
from start to finish never stopped laughing , it ' s brilliant xmas special as catherine tate fans will love this .
a sketch depicting a northern irish family as terrorists also prompted accusations of bigotry in tate ' s christmas day show .
in never seen before sketches , the tour will unite some of catherine ' s best - known characters from her hugely successful bbc series the catherine tate show . the cast will include ' nan ' taylor ; irish nurse bernie ; geordie georgie ; essex girl sam…and the return of a certain argumentative teenager…
the bbc received about 100 complaints through telephone and internet message boards . a spokesman for ofcom said : we have received complaints about offensive language and content in the catherine tate christmas show and we will look into the matter .
making of - the catherine tate show - christmas special 2007 . please donate ! david tennant is catherine tate ' s new english teacher in a sketch performed for comic relief 2007 . will she be . do you want to be like this couple ? surely not ! the better video start at 0 : 55 from this one if you want to see the all sketch stay here until 0 : 55 approximately : ) lauren gets worked up over her french exam . another hilarious moment from catherine tate ' s bbc comedy sketch show .
comedian catherine tate ' s most famous creation gets scrooged in this hilarious christmas special that finds the inimitable nan visited in succession by three ghosts who intend to show her the error of her foul - mouthed ways .
in never seen before sketches , the tour will unite some of catherine ' s best - known characters from her hugely successful bbc series ' the catherine tate show ' . the cast will include ' nan ' taylor ; irish nurse bernie ; geordie georgie ; essex girl sam…and the return of a certain argumentative teenager…
the controller of bbc2 , roly keating , scheduled the show in a summer double bill with extras , the eagerly awaited follow - up to the office . by the end of the run it had overtaken the ricky gervais show in the ratings .
the sketch show star , who is currently performing in west end show some girls alongside the friends actor , admitted that she struggles to look david in the eye . however , tate is now worried that her comments may have been misconstrued .
as a massive catherine tate fan this was a must have as have all others . this dvd did not let me down .
tate , 39 , was nominated for an emmy and won a british comedy award for her show , which began on bbc2 .
monday to saturday from 10am - 5pm on non - show days , 10am until 15 minutes after advertised performance time on show days .
the catherine tate christmas special aired on christmas day at 10 . 30pm - well after the 9pm watershed - and was watched by 6 . 4 million viewers .
ofcom agreed that the ' catherine tate ' characters are well - established and that the christmas special was typical of the normal series and was in keeping with viewers ' expectations .
love the catherine tate show . . . . so funny . . . love the old lady the best . . . . . . good dvd to put on when feeling down . . . a good pick me up . . . .
early career tate worked with the rsc and national theatre , and on tv dramas such as the bill and casualty . last year she appeared on stage in neil labute ' s some girls . as well as performing stand - up comedy , she has appeared in the sketch show big train ( 1998 ) and sitcom wild west ( 2002 ) . the first series of the catherine tate show was in 2004 .
the first three series of the hit character sketch comedy show are included in this fabulous box set .
ofcom will launch an inquiry into catherine tate’s comedy special after nutter complaints that it was the most offensive programme ever broadcast by the bbc on a christmas day . nutters complained of excessive use of the “fuck” by tate’s foul - mouthed character nan . a sketch depicting a northern irish family as terrorists prompted accusations of bigotry . the sketch show attracted 6 . 4 million viewers to bbc one at 10 : 30pm on christmas night . the bbc defended the show , describing tate as a comedy genius .
they say
she can appear quiet but you mustn ' t underestimate her . when she ' s focused on something , she ' s a tour de force .
- geoffrey perkins , producer of the catherine tate show
catherine tate ' s principal inspiration for
the old lady character
was a nursing home resident that her drama class gave performances too . the unnamed woman was irritated about the class blocking the television .
in response to the complaints , the bbc argued that the general tone of the programme is very well recognised and that several catherine tate characters are now iconic figures in their own right , including nan taylor the swearing pensioner .
the catherine tate show
won best comedy programme at the 2007 national television awards , best entertainment programme at the 2006 royal television society awards and the best comedy award at the 2004 banff film and television awards . further nominations include the 2007 bafta for best comedy programme and the 2006 rose d ' or for best comedy .
bbc two sketch show . 21 episodes ( 3 series ) , 2004 - 2009 . stars catherine tate , mathew horne , niky wardley , angela mchale , bruce mackinnon , jonathan mcguinness , ella kenion and others .
the new episodes , co - written by catherine , will be filmed later this year .
the new specials are being made by tiger aspect and waf liberty productions . catherine tate , brett goldstein and dan swimer will again write the scripts , with geoff posner directing .
the word began life as a phrase on the catherine tate show . lauren , a disrespectful , gobby youth , would stroppily snap ,
am i bovvered ?
when anyone so much as threatened to offend her , which happened quite a lot .
ofcom received 42 complaints about the 25 december sketch show , which featured tate’s foul - mouthed ‘nan’ character and a northern ireland family exchanging gifts of terrorist paraphernalia .
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following the success of the 2014 ‘nan’ special , catherine tate is to reprise her comedy creation of britain’s best - loved oap back to bbc one for two further half - hour episodes .
career bit parts in the bill , casualty and men behaving badly , before her breakthrough . during the 2000 edinburgh festival she appeared in the new brits show , where she performed a sketch about
her
nan . her edinburgh show the following year won her a part in the series wild west with dawn french . in 2004 the first series of the catherine tate show appeared . in 2005 she starred in the west end play some girl ( s ) . in 2006 she has had several film roles and a part in doctor who .
during our first interview catherine had to check out some catherine tate show - licensed merchandise : a calendar , and , fabulously , a talking beaker . the merchandising lady set down the beaker on the glass coffee table . ' am i bovvered ? ' said the beaker , crossly . she repeated the action , and the beaker huffed , ' how very dare you ! ' once more , and nan ' s voice - catherine ' s voice - cackled across the room . ' what a liberty ! ' that cup ' s got an attitude problem , i joked , and catherine got a bit embarrassed .
one of catherine tate’s most popular creations , nan could be all sweet and lovely one moment only to turn into a swearing monster the next when something or someone annoys her .
on boxing day , the skimmer noted how the catherine tate christmas special with its orgy of swearing was hardly suitable for bbc1 on christmas day . now , the times reports that ofcom is to investigate the show following a flurry of complaints from viewers about the
most offensive programme ever broadcast by the bbc on a christmas day” . even catherine tate seems to have realised that things went too far , telling the radio times : “i don’t know how this christmas special got so depraved because it isn’t what i set out to do” .
bbc one sitcom . 3 episodes ( pilot + 1 series ) , 2014 - 2015 . stars catherine tate , mathew horne , niky wardley and richard sandling .
although the year - long trial is designed to show that the treatment is safe , the researchers will also look at its effect on the patients ' symptoms .
i loved this show more than most anything i had seen in a while . it ' s quite unassuming at first but katherine tate is a comedy genius .
it is nine years since the catherine tate show was a regular television fixture , but judging by the cheers that greeted this live version one would have thought it was in this week’s schedules . character after character was welcomed like a close friend , underlining how much they still resonate .
catherine tate rules ! ! one solid laugh . some of the best
oddball
characters i ' ve seen . is series 3 ever going to be released for region 1 ?
the catherine tate comic relief special - limited edition ( . co . uk ) [ 2007 ] [ dvd ] . condition is good . dispatched with royal mail 2nd class letter .
it also said that it played a pre - transmission announcement that alerted viewers to the content of the programme , which said :
plenty of presents still under the tree here on bbc1 , including this . if the little ones are still up , be warned , there ' s strong language in the ' catherine tate christmas show '
.
they were presented with programmes for the show , placed in specially made boxes of welsh timber and copper .
she has said she has no plans to make a further series and wants to retire the show before the characters get stale .
they say ' she has described herself as a lazy control freak . but when the time comes to do it , she changes . her brain moves incredibly fast when she ' s performing , she ' s completely focused . ' - catherine tate show producer , geoffrey perkins .
bbc sketch show that while continuing to show the misadventures of a series of popular characters now also introduces a slew of new oddballs and misfits for us to enjoy including tory boy and the lovely wobbly randy old ladies .
in 2001 her show at the edinburgh festival was nominated for a perrier award . more significantly , it was seen by geoffrey perkins , the bbc ' s godfather of comedy . perkins , who had worked with harry enfield and paul whitehouse , saw similar talent in tate . he found her a part with dawn french in the sitcom wild west , while plans for a series of her own took shape . the catherine tate show began in 2004 , but tate was pregnant while it was being made , and then came erin ' s difficult birth and the post - natal depression , which she didn ' t wholly overcome until the end of the second series .
its already been confirmed that this is to be the final full series of the catherine tate show , and perhaps its right that it ends while its still on a high . because series three is a real delight , frequently funny , eminently quotable and , ultimately , downright entertaining . - - jon foster
it discovered that tate ' s show was the rightful winner of the people ' s choice award , but said there was
insufficient evidence
to explain why ant and dec ' s saturday night takeaway had been given the prize .
' had to post this to show he is still alive ' : horrified . . .
she ' s a decent actress , but her show isn ' t funny at all .
ofcom has said it will also look into the show , after it received a number of complaints as well .
a much awaited return for the show and this time it introduced the classic character “derek faye” . catchphrase : “how very dare you” .
the first series of the show aired in 2004 with the third and final series concluding in 2006 . since then tate has reprised characters for comic relief sketches and foul - mouthed joannie ' nan ' taylor has found herself the protagonist of a few seasonal specials .
most notably , the bbc broadcast a sitcom pilot based around tate ' s character in january 2014 , under the title catherine tate ' s nan . the show , which was seen by 4 . 3 million viewers , saw the rude grandmother paired up with school girl alice ( played by ami metcalf ) via the ' young and old buddy - up foundation ' . the pilot , which also featured tate ' s long - term collaborators mathew horne ( appearing as nan ' s grandson jamie ) and niky wardley ( as the officious miss donelly ) , observed as the central character caused havoc for the local council and hospital .
the official catherine tate dvd of the 2007 comic relief tv show . laugh your socks off as legendary characters nan , lauren and more join forces with tony blair , noel edmunds , daniel craig , david tennant and lenny henry for an unforgettable experience . the disc features all the hilarious sketches as shown on the night , and at least £2 per dvd goes to comic relief .
as doctor who’s former companion donna noble , catherine tate has been busy with variuos doctor who 50th anniversary events over the past few weks . nan was last seen in a children in need sketch as holby city’s ‘worst ever patient . ‘ her new show nan will be shown in early 2014 .
viewers had complained of excessive use of the word
fuck
by tate ' s foul - mouthed old nan character , joanie taylor , in the first sketch of the show . joanie ' s catchphrase is
what a fucking liberty
.
as you may remember , we have previously seen nan outside of the catherine tate show and charity sketches in nan’s christmas carol – tate’s 2009 reworking of the dickensian tale . even at fifty minutes , this special ( starring a host of comedy talent ) was a real treat – as was tonight’s episode , which saw the 75 year old cause mayhem at the council offices , mistreat a poor hospital patient and host a wedding party for her neighbours .
catherine tate stars as an aggressive nan living in london in a small flat . watch as she deals with problems at anger management sessions , refuses to sell her house and more .
i think catherine tate is amazing as she plays all these different characters . i did not think she was that good when i first started watching her but now i love her .
however , the body has ruled that the show , broadcast last year at 10 . 30pm on bbc1 , did not breach broadcasting standards .
unfunniest sketch show ever . she obviously thinks she ' s funny after the look she made when she didn ' t win at the baftas
tate won the best comedy performance award at the 2006 rts awards , best actress at the 2006 british comedy awards and was nominated for best comedy performance at the 2006 baftas .
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contains the six episodes of the first series , the seven episodes of the second series and the six episodes of the third series .
tate last appeared as nan earlier this year , appearing on michael mcintyre ' s easter night at the coliseum .
though out the day , tate posed with fans and was genuinely grateful and thrilled to meet so many fans .
however , success has come at a price and tate has suffered from occasional panic attacks .
catherine tate ' s my queen of comedy i loved her since i first saw her . this out of all series though is my favourite . i also disagree with a fellow viewer it ' s not a show that only people with low intelligence laugh at , what ' s that got to do with anything ? and anything catherine writes most of it anyway - high intelligence may i add
neither had watched the show on television before , but both agreed it was
wonderful
it had come to wales .
such a perfect princess ! cute charlotte steals the show again with her royal wave - and a very polite . . .
catherine tate is well known to doctor who fans for her portrayal of donna noble . she was a pivotal companion for the tenth doctor and was responsible for saving his life and the universe on several occasions . she posed for photographs and signed
catherine tate , winner of the 2004 british comedy award for best comedy newcomer , returns for series two of her sketch show featuring an extraordinary gallery of comic characters . from ' am i bovvered ? ' teenage nightmare lauren to the seemingly pleasant ' cockney nan ' who just happens to be a foul - mouthed racist , this . . .
using your social media to your advantage , pushing the limits of interaction , using your voice at the con , and ending with great reflection after the show is over .
she hasn’t yet seen the new series of doctor who , but plans to . but her current favourite show is the sopranos , which she has been binge - watching with her mum . which did prompt to question one new jersey fan on how realistic the sopranos was . she was delighted to hear that the show was filmed on real locations throughout the state . tony soprano may not be real , but every place in the show is .
sundays & public holidays the box office will open 2 ½ hours before the advertised performance time ( 1 hour beforehand for performances beginning at 11am or earlier ) and will close 15 minutes after the advertised performance time on show days . on non - show sundays and public holidays the box office is closed
part of that range needs to be our post watershed offering and we ' re delighted that catherine ' s show , recently winning the national tv award for most popular comedy programme , should be given the chance to reach a wider audience on bbc1 .
dame shirley bassey , charlotte church , katherine jenkins and bryn terfel ensured that the show had a definite welsh feel about it .
. featuring various hilarious characters including a lippy teenager named ' lauren ' and a rather rude old lady . the show managed to
following the hit bafta - nominated one - off which was broadcast on bbc one in 2014 , catherine tate is bringing her foulmouthed nan back for two further half hour episodes . the new instalments will be filmed later this year for broadcast in 2016 .
catherine tate is to return to tv . she will star in a new one - off comedy being made for gold entitled do not disturb set in a boutique hotel in stratford - upon - avon .
catherine tate is so much fun to watch . i was laughing so much my sides ached . . i highly rate this dvd . it ' s a must for chasing away the blues ! my pleasure to highly recommend this .
nonetheless carves its own niche , and thats thanks very much to the array of talents of its star . catherine tate can clearly both act and write , but more crucially for this endeavour , she cant half make you laugh .
the show also paved the way for her depiction of donna noble in the 2006 christmas special of doctor who . it was a role she later reprised as she became the doctor ' s companion for the fourth series in 2008 .
for me , the christmas special is somewhat uneven although generally i like it . i much favor certain skits like those involving posh people over others which can border on the tiresome . catherine tate is undoubtedly very talented , and i ' m amazed at the talent of the children who appear in skits .
the new theatre is equipped with an infrared sound amplification system . to access the infrared system please request receiving equipment from the box office on the day of the show . the box office staff can provide you with a ‘pack’ which includes a sterilised headset , charged battery and a user guide for the system . we do ask that these be returned after the show to a member of front of house staff .
the last of the classic variety shows and one of the finest tv programs of all time , the muppet show season 2 is an unrestrained delight from start to finish . this amazing production lit up the screens when it debuted in 1976 and the second season may be the best of the series ' run .
the sing - alongable theme song . the incredible guest stars . the crazy costumes . pigs in space . the crabby guys in the balcony . the love / hate relationship between piggy and kermit . all here to relive or experience for the first time . if you are encountering the muppet show for the first time , what a treat you ' re in for ; if you watched the show as a youngster you may find yourself uncontrollably singing along with the bizarrely choreographed tin pan alley tunes .
the comedian will be bringing many of her best - known characters along with her - including nan , bernie , georgie and sam - for the live show .
in 2005 , tate won the best television newcomer award at the british comedy awards and at the rts awards - as well as the variety club comedy award and the originality award at the women in film & television awards . 2005 also saw catherine nominated for an international emmy for best performance by an actress as well as for best actress and best tv comedy at the british comedy awards .
another good offering from ms tate . perhaps a shade below her first two series but still good !
nadine dorries , member of parliament for mid beds , says many children would have been subjected to foul language in comedian catherine tate ' s christmas special . she has lodged a formal complaint with the independent broadcasting regulators ofcom which is investigating .
the bbc said it was aware that the composition of audiences on christmas day is not typical , with a higher proportion of children , but the broadcaster said it aired the show at 10 . 30pm that day , well after the watershed .
in never seen before sketches , the tour will unite some of catherine ' s best - known characters from her hugely successful bbc series .
so , i loved nan , it being the perfect follow - up to the catherine tate show . could it sustain a series ? i’m not sure . as i said , some repeated jokes did slip through and there was nothing terribly original about it – which is not a criticism when judging it as a one - off , but for a six - part series or even a christmas special , catherine and her co - writers may have to brainstorm a few more ideas for the nation’s favourite foul - mouthed septuagenarian .
there are no upcoming dates for the catherine tate show but we don’t want you to miss out ! make sure you’re first in the queue by entering your email address above and we ' ll let you know if new dates are announced at arena birmingham . plus , when you sign up we’ll keep you in the loop with all the latest events , competitions and exclusive priority bookings with our handy weekly newsletter , what’s not to like ?
for me , series one is somewhat uneven although generally i like it . i much favor certain skits like those involving posh people over others which can border on the tiresome . catherine tate is undoubtedly very talented , and i ' m amazed at the talent of the children who appear in skits .
i love markers , i am going to show you how to color with them . its not as easy as you may think . marker coloring is becoming very popular and if you want to see how i do it then join me for the show .
the queen smiled politely , while the duke of edinburgh chuckled at the joke .
tate will be returning to her role as donna , the runaway bride who found herself transported into the tardis as she prepared for her wedding on christmas eve .
great laugh , and worth the money . came early and was a pleasure to watch the return of nan , but there ' s no need to buy the catherine tates nan xmas carol now !
catherine returns with one of her most beloved characters in a full comedy series following the life and hilarious antics of a potty - mouthed granny .
earlier in the evening , three guests arriving for the show - grandmother maureen mahoney with her daughter elaine dattani and teenage granddaughter bethan dattani - said they were especially looking forward to seeing the welsh stars on the bill perform .
this show has a maximum ticket purchase of 4 per customer . any tickets bought over the maximum limit of 4 per customer will be refunded .
so catherine tate is unlikely to
look bovvered
, but you can bet she ' s quietly delighted after a stellar year . her christmas special on bbc2 this week gave the channel one of its biggest hits of 2005 and confirmed her arrival at the top table of the corporation ' s comedy talent .
interesting to hear today that lee mack and catherine tate are going to star in a uk remake of the american sitcom everybody loves raymond entitled the smiths . i can ' t predict if the uk version , relocated to cheshire , will be a hit , but it sounds well cast . both mack and tate have a track record at the kind of broad comedy that raymond excelled at and they also have a track record of working well together .
donna was invited by the doctor to travel with him at the end of the episode , but the invitation was declined at the time .
last year ' s ceremony was not shown on tv , but production company michael hurll television told the bbc that 2008 ' s show was already
in the schedule
.
a year ago , her mother was her guest at the variety club awards at the hilton , park lane . but as their taxi approached the hotel , with a phalanx of photographers waiting , tate asked the cabbie to drop them off round the back . josephine was gutted : she ' d been looking forward to the glitzy entrance . sneaking in through the back door unnoticed by anyone except three swedish businessmen who didn ' t recognise her daughter anyway wasn ' t her idea of glitz . but it ' s fair to assume that she understands tate ' s psyche better than anyone . besides , she is herself a nervy person , said to be the inspiration for the character in the catherine tate show who screams at the slightest sound ( although she is possibly not so easily startled that she shrieks every time the christmas tree lights flash , as on last year ' s award - winning christmas special ) .
a self - titled sketch show from the perrier - nominated comedian . this hilarious series is a menagerie of instantly recognisable characters , from the hollywood actress with an over - enthusiastic penchant for botox to the screaming housewife who hollers every time her toast jumps from the toaster . characters from everyday life are parodied to the extreme as the talented actress morphs through ages , accents and wigs . the critics are hailing tate as the most exciting female comic performer around .
a self - titled sketch show from the perrier - nominated comedian . this hilarious series is a menagerie of instantly recognisable characters , from the hollywood actress with an over - enthusiastic penchant
born 1969 , london . raised by mother josephine family married to theatre manager twig clark , daughter erin , two education primary school in bloomsbury , catholic secondary school , central school of speech and drama 1990 - 93 career after drama school worked with the rsc and national theatre . moved to stand - up in 1996 , taking her own show to edinburgh in 2001 . has appeared with harry hill and peter kay , and worked on sketch show big train , 1998 , and sitcom wild west , 2002 . the catherine tate show , 2004 , won her best newcomer at the comedy awards and a bafta nomination . returned to stage in neil labute ' s some girl ( s ) this summer .
doctor who ' s executive producer and head writer , russell t davies described tate as an
absolute star
in the runaway bride episode .
catherine tate has got to be one of the most versatile and talented performers from england since tracey ullman . i have bought all of her seasons and the christmas special as well . nan , the grandmother , is one of my favorites and to hear her rake poor charlotte church over the coals was hilarious . charlotte must be such a good sport as well as a mega talent to appear on this special . i ' ve watched this over and over and each time it makes me laugh out loud . i hope catherine tate continues to make more seasons . all of her characters make me laugh .
details on the premise of the new episodes are expected to be revealed at a later date . tate will film the shows at the london studios on the 12th and 19th june , with each episode due to be record twice . to apply to be in the audience see our free tickets page
catherine tate’s schoolgirl parody , the loud - mouthed teen lauren cooper , has somehow got herself on a work experience placement at 10 downing street , and she doesn’t put on her best behaviour for anyone , especially not the prime minister . in tony blair , though , she might have finally met her match…
proving to be very popular with audiences , the cockney pensioner went on to be the central character in tate ' s 2009 christmas day special , nan ' s christmas carol .
the cast will include ' nan ' taylor , irish nurse bernie , geordie georgie , essex girl sam and a certain argumentative teenager . the show will also feature guest star mathew horne .
catherine tate , winner of the 2004 british comedy award for best comedy newcomer , returns for series two of her sketch show featuring an extraordinary gallery of comic characters . from ' am i bovvered ? ' teenage nightmare lauren to the seemingly pleasant ' cockney nan ' who just happens to be a foul - mouthed racist , this brilliantly observed series takes characters from everyday life , parodied to the extreme , as this talented actress morphs through ages , accents and wigs .
is an only child . never knew her father and was brought up by her mother and grandmother . was very shy until she discovered comedy and her ability to make people laugh . was a member of the national youth theatre . suffered from post - natal depression after the birth of her daughter in 2003 . was given her own show in 2004 - the catherine tate show , in which she both wrote and starred . in 2006 , became patron of the laura crane youth cancer trust . became dr . who ' s new companion in 2007 , reprising her role from the 2006 christmas episode . in 2011 , appeared in the cancer charity ' s calendar . speaks fluent french .