| GENERAL
DATA |
|
|
| other
titles |
|
Khoya
Bachpan Mila Payaar (Hindi)
Anbe Sugam (Tamil)
Preme Jeevitham (Telugu)
Grabgeflüster (German)
Plot With A View (English, misspelt)
Plots
With a View (English, original version)
Plotz With a View (English, play of words - Plotz is
the name of the funeral business)
Plots of Blue (attention, blooper! - probably a journalist got this
wrong)
|
| catch
phrases |
|
•
A comedy where love finds new life and death is something to laugh
about |
| release
category |
|
big-screen-movie |
| genre |
|
comedy/romance |
| length |
|
? Kabir's dubbed
version
91 minutes
(original English-version, 2002)
94 minutes (world-release-version, October 4, 2002, Dinard Festival of
British
Cinema)
|
theatrical
release
certificate |
|
- |
| release
dates |
|
Kabir's dubbed
version:
•
India - July 8, 2005 (Hindi)
also other dubbed versions Anbe Sugham (Tamil), Preme Jeevitham
(Telugu)
- and on the same day: original English version Plot With A View
original English-version - OV:
•
France - October 4, 2002 (Dinard Festival of British Cinema)
• Italy - December 4, 2002
• Norway - December 26, 2002
• Finland - April 25, 2003
• France - May 16, 2003 (Cannes Film Festival)
• Germany - June 12, 2003
• Greece - August 1, 2003
• Israel - August 21, 2003
• Austria - August 22, 2003
• Iceland - August 30, 2003 (British Film Festival)
• Netherlands - September 10, 2003 (Film by the Sea Film Festival)
• Argentina - September 18, 2003
• Spain - November 28, 2003
• Australia - March 11, 2004
• Belgium - June 9, 2004
• India - July 8, 2005 |
| |
|
|
| PRODUCTION |
|
|
| country
of production |
|
India
(Kabir's dubbed
version)
United Kingdom (OV)
|
| production |
|
Kabir's dubbed
version:
Nivelli International, New York, USA
Sunshan Enterprises, India
OV:
Great British Films, Spice Factory Ltd., Snowfall Films Inc., Plotz
With a View Ltd.,CF1 Cyf, Dream Fish Productions, Enterprise Films,
Future Film Financing, Investing in Enterprise Ltd. (all United
Kingdom)
Vine International Pictures
Telepool (Germany)
|
| executive
producers |
|
Marie
Vine, David Rogers, Alex Marshall, Terry Chase Chenowith (OV) |
| screenplay |
|
Frederick
Ponzlov (OV) |
| music |
|
Kabir's dubbed
version:
8 Songs (in all languages of the dubbed versions!)
MUSIC: production: Amar Lotte Arts
OV:
MUSIC:
Rupert Gregson-Williams (OV) |
| |
|
|
| choreography |
|
Peter
Darling (OV) |
| photography |
|
James
Welland (OV) |
| costume
design |
|
Ffion
Elinor (OV) |
| casting |
|
Kate
Rhodes James, CDG & Peter Wooldridge (OV) |
| distribution |
|
Kabir's dubbed
version:
Ramnord
Lab, Mumbai, India
OV:
Aurum Producciones S.A. (Spain)
Eurocine (Argentina)
Istituto Luce (Italy)
La Fabrique des Films (France)
Lady Film (Italy)
Miramax Films (US)
Palace Films (Australia, theatrical release)
Paradiso Entertainment (Netherlands)
Telepool (Germany, incl. German speaking territories)
Ottfilm GmbH (Germany)
|
| filming
location |
|
OV:
Wales, United Kingdom: Caldicot/Monmouthshire, Cardiff/South
Glamorgan, Cowbridge/Vale of Glamorgan, Llantrisant/Rhondda, Pontyclun/Denbighshire,
Talygarn/Rhondda, Treochy/Rhondda |
| |
|
|
| DIRECTOR |
|
Mickey
Nivelli (Kabir's dubbed
version)
Nick Hurran (OV) |
| |
|
|
| CAST |
|
Brenda
Blethyn (Betty
Rhys-Jones)
Alfred Molina (Boris Plotz (Plots), director of funeral
parlour Plotz)
Naomi Watts (Meredith (also spelled: Merideth (sic),
Rhys-Jones' lover)
Lee Evans (Delbert Butterfield, Featherbed's assistent)
Robert Pugh (Hugh Rhys-Jones, Councillor)
Christopher Walken (Frank Featherbed, American director
of another funeral parlour)
Jerry Springer (guest appearance, as himself)
SUPPORTING CAST
Ena Cohen (Candace)
Howell Evans (Dr. Owen)
Maggs Harries (pianist)
Beverly Hotsprings (Andrea Cass)
Dafydd Hywel (gravedigger)
Padrig Owen Jones (Willie)
Pat Kane (kindly old lady)
Miriam Margolyes (Thelma & Selma)
Peggy Mason (mourner 1)
Robert Page (Bob Murdock)
Stevie Parry (mourner 2)
Dawn Pritchard (Vegas showgirl)
Dafydd Wyn Roberts (pharmacist)
Stan Stennet (Albert Edwards)
Menna Trussler (Dilys Rhys Jones, Hugh's mother)
Noel Williams (Rev. Price) |
| |
|
|
| SUMMARY |
|
Boris
Plotz (Alfred Molina) lives in a pretty stone house in a small
town in green, rainy Wales.
He has two passions:
dancing and Betty (Brenda Blethyn).
But although
Betty is secretly in love with Alfred, her father
cruelly thwarts their blossoming love and forces her to marry a
nasty piece
of work who is only after her money.
With
a sigh, Boris buries his dreams, getting his first taste of the
funeral
business as he prepares to takes over from his father as the
local
undertaker.
The years pass, and Betty's husband is a womanising
local councillor
cavorting with his lover and secretary (Naomi Watts), while Betty
is entrusted with the
thankless task of looking after her demanding and loveless mother
in law
(Menna Trussler).
But on one fine morning, the ageing parent
chokes on her
cornflakes and when funeral director Boris prepares her for her
final
journey, love blossoms yet again between him and Betty.
Enter
Mr Featherbed (Christopher Walken), an American with a burning
ambition to show the world, and Wales in particular, what undertaking
is all
about. With his "coffin of the month" and themed funerals
- such as a Broadway version that includes a
tap dance number by Featherbed in person - he tries to put the
venerable
house of Plotz out of business.
When Boris and Betty are sure
of their love for each other, they decide to
leave Wales, and Betty's obnoxious husband. This involves a complex
conspiracy in which they must fake Betty's death during the autumn
fair.
Featherbed gets his first gig, a stunning "Star
Trek" show
in which the
dearly departed is tastefully floated towards the ceiling in
true "beam me
up, Scottie" style.
But the force is definitely not with
Featherbed when the
button pressed by his sidekick Butterfield (Lee Evans) jams and
the coffin
is unceremoniously ejected through the roof of the funeral chapel.
The
plot thickens as Boris enlists the help of Dr Owens (Howell Evans)
to
convince the townspeople of Betty's untimely demise.
But will
she survive
the procedure???
And how about her husband???
Will Mr Featherbed's business bloom???
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
MORE
PICTURES |
| KABIR
BEDI DETAILS |
|
|
| Kabir's
part |
|
Kabir shot
an introduction scene for the Hindi-version of the English movie,
he talks enthousiastically about the comedy in it: "A long
time after all the violence and sexy themes,
like a breath of fresh air comes a movie that uplifts the spirit."
Kabir also dubbed
in Hindi - please find more details in the production-diary further
down below. |
| |
|
|
| Kabir's
showstopper |
|
- |
| |
|
|
| tv
broadcasts |
|
want to
see Kabir in it?
check TV listings of Kabir's work - current/archives |
| not
to be confused with |
|
...Nick
Hurran's original
English version Plots With a View (2002); all stars are talking
English and there are no Bollywood-songs! |
| |
|
|
 |
HIT!
yum! |
|
|
British
comedy, a far cry from the usual Hollywood treatment of a sensitive
theme. Well liked by the
usually critical audience at film fairs. Excellent character acting,
including the minor parts such as Miriam Margolyes, the expert
for excentric comedy roles including
Professor Sprout in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002)
and in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004). Highly
visual, over-the-top comedy, for instance in Featherbed's hair
and clothing, Plotz' black lacquered hair and a
number of slapstick scenes. Good script and picturesque landscapes. |
| |
|
|
 |
MISS!
eek! |
|
|
The
film itself is something of a "featherbed" - the critics
agree it's funny but in a forceful kind of way, and you'll forget
about it pretty quickly. |
| |
|
|
 |
| IN
SHORT... |
|
|
Kabir, black,
English humour and Kabir's unmistakeable voice - an unbeatable
combination in the Hindi version of the British comedy! |
| |
|
|
| discussion |
|
discuss
this movie with others |
| |
|
|
| KABIR
BEDI PICTURES |
|
|
| Kabir
stills |
|
movie
picture galleries |
| reviews
w/ Kabir pix |
|
-
|
| other
links w/ Kabir pix |
|
- |
| |
|
|
| LINKS |
|
|
| official
website |
|
Plots
With A View (original version) |
| video
trailers |
|
•
- |
| reviews |
|
•
- |
| other
related links |
|
• Plots
With A View - 13e édition Festival du Film Britannique
de Dinard |
| |
|
|
| INFORMATION -
QUICK BITS |
• Nivelli's adaptation
of an English-speaking movie for the Indian mass market - using only a few new scenes, dubbing, and eight Bollywood
dance scenes built into the action - is considered unique in
Indian film history!
• attention,
blooper #1 - the English title
Plots of Blue which is mentioned on the internet is probably
a journalist's mistake.
• attention, blooper #2 - the movie Plots With A View
has not won an Oscar™. |
|
| INFORMATION -
GENERAL INFORMATION |
| • Mickey Nivelli first
saw Plots With A View on May 16, 2003 in France, at the
Cannes Film Festival, and was highly impressed. |
|
| INFORMATION -
PEOPLE |
• Kabir
Bedi has known Mickey Nivelli as
a producer since the beginning of his career, when
Nivelli
produced Kabir's movie MA,
BAHEN AUR BIWI (1973).
• Kabir Bedi worked
with Mickey Nivelli as early as 1982. He directed and
produced Kabir's only West Indies film, GIRL
FROM INDIA - which had a social/political
theme- and also shot the companion movie, Man from
Africa.
• Mickey
Nivelli currently
lives in New York, but the producer, script writer and
director is known in the international movie industry under
his
previous
name, Mickey 'Harbance' Kumar.
• Mickey Nivelli/Harbance Kumar is
from Mumbai and has pioneered the movie industry of the West
Indies. In 1970,
he shot a political drama, The Right and the Wrong,
which is about the struggle against colonialism.
• Mickey Nivelli wrote the epic bestseller
Echoes of Love from Heavens Above, based on the true life
story of
Lotte Sommers. The production company Distant
Horizons won the movie rights in February 2003. The prime minister of Guyana
and other politicians praised Nivelli's book because it tells a story of love
overcoming racial and religious barriers.
• Christopher Walken won an Oscar™ for his role in Catch Me If You Can.
• Much-loved British character actress Brenda
Blethyn won three Oscar™ nominations.
She shone in Secrets and Lies, Saving Grace and Little Voice
(with Michael Caine,
Kabir's co-star
in ASHANTI).
• The director of the original version, Nick
Hurran,
was nominated for a Golden Hitchcock Award at the Dinard
Festival of British Cinema in October, 2002. His
movie was shown for the first time at this French festival.
• Robert Pugh, a Welsh character actor with a long
stage career, appears alongide Russel Crowe in the historic
drama Master and Commander. |
|
| INFORMATION -
PRODUCTION DIARY |
»July
28, 2003 - The US agency PRNewswire reports
the American production company Nivelli
International is planning to release the successful comedy
Plots With A View in India, with a new, locally composed
music soundtrack. Together with the Indian distribution
company
Ramnord, Nivelli is looking for a telented Indian band,
which can write the background music as well as the Bollywood
song sequences - four of them, for the time being. Nivelli
International president Mickey Nivelli says Plots With A
View is full of emotional content that will go down a
treat with Indian movie audiences. "Adding an Indian
sound track to accentuate its ultra-romantic sentiments
will greatly
embellish Plots With A View," he says. "If Liverpool
could give the world The Beatles, then this vast reservoir
of Indian musical talent in India and overseas could achieve
greater wonders".
»February 13, 2004 - Dubbing for the
Hindi version has been completed. Kabir,
who has been filming sequences for the film, has also been
involved in the dubbing.
The film is to be released in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam
and Kannada.
»February 20, 2004 - Hindi dubbing took place
in the Rajkamal Kala Mandir studios at Mumbai's Royal Palms
Entertainment Complex and lasted only one day, it is announced
today. Eight songs in all were recorded. Kabir reportedly
only took a symbolic salary of 101 rupees (less than 2 euros!)
as he liked the film so much. Kabir allowed other actors
to dub his voice into Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada
and Singhalese.
»February 27, 2004 - Dubbing of the film into
Telugu and Tamil has begun - without Kabir - in the city
of Chennai (Madras).
»March 9, 2004 - To make the film more accessible
to India's movie-going millions, it will be dubbed into
other
mainstream
languages like Gujarati, Bengali, Punjabi, Oriya, Marathi,
Bhojpuri, Rajasthani, Sindhi, and Konkani etc. All eight
new songs are to be recorded not only in Hindi but also
in the other dubbing languages, and included in the original
English soundtrack - an unprecedented experiment in Indian
movie history!
»March 12, 2004 - Another report says the
Hindi dubbing at the Rajkamal studios has been completed
- although only on March 10, contrary to earlier reports.
»April 2, 2004 - The Ramnord laboratory in Mumbai
today announced it has made the first cinema copy for the
Indian market.
»April 13, 2004 - Another mention
of the first cinema copy.
The comedy is based on the theme of pure, eternal love.
Kabir is so
excited about the film and its message that he has agreed
to appear in the Hindi version.
»July 8, 2005 - Today Kabir's version
in Hindi and both other dubbed versions, in Tamil
and Telugu, are released in Indian cinemas - together with
the English original version Plots With
A View. |
|
|
