Matthew Warchus Archives - Big Gay Picture Show

Pride (Blu-ray Review)

March 8, 2015 By Tim Isaac Leave a Comment

Starring: Ben Schnetzer, George MacKay, Imelda Staunton, Bill Nighy, Andrew Scott
Director: Matthew Warchus
Running Time: 120 mins
Certificate: 15
Release Date: March 2nd 2015 (UK)

For many people Pride was one of the best films of 2014, if not the best. It’s well made, genuinely funny, angry, smart and heartfelt; and while tinged with tragedy, overall it’s astonishingly uplifting.

It’s the early 1980s and the National Union Of Miners is on strike due to theThatcher government’s decision to close a number of coal pits. The strike is dragging on and the nation is divided, including in London where a group of gays and lesbians decide to come together to raise cash for the miners. There’s a problem though, as when they try to donate the cash they find out that the Union and various other groups don’t want to take the money as they’d preferred not to be associated with a bunch of ‘poofs’. Although LGSM (Lesbians and Gays Support the Miners) could donate anonymously, de facto group leader Mark (Ben Schnetzer) is determined that gay people raised the cash and they should be able to donate without hiding their sexuality. [Read more…]

Pride Director Matthew Warchus Says He ‘Understands’ Why All Gay References Were Removed From The US DVD Cover

January 7, 2015 By Tim Isaac Leave a Comment

In the last few days there’s been a firestorm of protest about the fact that the DVD cover of the US version of the film Pride removed all reference to homosexuality, despite the fact gay visibility is one of the main themes of the movie. What made people most angry wasn’t just that the blurb of the back cover ‘straightwashed’ the plot, but that one of the images had been photoshopped to remove a banner referencing the main group in the movie, ‘Lesbians & Gay Support The Miners’.

Now the film’s director, Matthew Warchus, has stepped forward with his thoughts on the DVD cover. Talking to BBC Radio 5’s Phil Williams, he said that, “Changing the cover is kind of clumsy and a bit foolish, but this is a film that is loved by people of all political persuasions and sexual orientations. I’m just keen for as many people who have yet to see the film to see it.”

He added, “I think someone in the marketing department in the US used their marketing judgement to try to remove any barrier to the widest possible audience. It’s clumsily done but I understand it and it’s a valid instinct.”

He also talked about “the nature of marketing” being “over-simplification [and] reductive”, as well as that he “didn’t want to preach to the converted” and hoped the movie would “find a mainstream audience [and] broaden people’s minds”.

Although we can understand what Warchus is saying, there are ways of appealing to a broad audience without creating a cover that effectively feels like it’s lying (by omission) about the movie, as well as going against its spirit.

While CBS Films owns the distribution rights to the film in the US, it’s believed that when they handed the DVD release to Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, they also took control of the DVD cover and that if was them who made the alterations.

Despite the controversy, Pride continued to be extremely well received, winning several awards at the British Independent Film Awards last month, and also scoring a Golden Globe Best Film nomination. (Quotes via PinkNews) [Read more…]

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DIRECTORS: Matthew Warchus FILMS: Pride

Hit Gay-Themed Brit Flick Pride Could Become A Musical

September 20, 2014 By Tim Isaac 1 Comment

After getting almost universally great reviews, Pride opened in the UK last week placing third on the chart, which isn’t bad considering few gay-themed British movies even make it into mainstream cinemas. However it appears it may not end with a movie, because as with fellow miner’s strike movie Billy Elliot, it may become a musical.

The idea has been floated by the movie’s writer Stephen Beresford, who told London Live (via THR) that he’s talked about it with the film’s director, Matthew Warchus and has also spoken to some West End producers about it. Warchus made his name in the theatre, including directing the acclaimed musical version of Roald Dahl’s Mathidla. He also recently took over from Kevin Spacey as the creative director of the Old Vic Theatre in London, so he’s certainly a good person to have on board to get Pride on to the stage.

However it’s far from a done deal and appears to be merely in vague discussions at the moment. Beresford says, “[Warchus] came up with nine reasons why we shouldn’t do it, but by the end of the journey we had turned them into reasons why we should. He adds, “These days, when films are created, all those things, these possibilities, are taken into account when they are sorting out the rights. We’ll see.”

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DIRECTORS: Matthew Warchus FILMS: Pride (2014)

Pride (2014) (Cinema Review)

September 11, 2014 By Matt Peake 1 Comment

Pride opens at the London Gay Rights March in 1984, with openly gay men and women walking down the street with banners protesting their rights to love who they want. They’re suddenly joined by a young, fresh faced Joe (George MacKay), who’s quickly nicknamed Bromley, who nervously joins them in their crusade for equal rights.

There he meets Mark (Ben Schnetzer), a man who’s always keen to support a cause. Mark has the brainwave that the miners, who are striking and facing massive oppression from the government, have many goals that mirror those of LGBT. He decides that they should start fundraising for the miners, and to do it out and proud as the newly formed group, LGSM (Lesbian and Gays Support the Miners). [Read more…]

Pride Film Clip – George MacKay goes on his first gay liberation march in the 1980s

August 27, 2014 By Tim Isaac Leave a Comment

We were lucky enough to see Pride yesterday, and our reviewer absolutely loved it. The Queer Palm winning movie is out on September 12th in the UK, so keep eye out for our review in the days beforehand.

A new clip from the film has been released, which features George MacKay as Joe, who plucks up the courage to join a 1980s gay liberation march, and becomes more involved than he’d expected.

Here’s the synopsis: ‘Pride is inspired by an extraordinary true story. It’s the summer of 1984, Margaret Thatcher is in power and the National Union of Mineworkers is on strike, prompting a London-based group of gay and lesbian activists to raise money to support the strikers’ families. Initially rebuffed by the Union, the group identifies a tiny mining village in Wales and sets off to make their donation in person. As the strike drags on, the two groups discover that standing together makes for the strongest union of all.‘

The likes of Bill Nighy, Imelda Staunton, Dominic West, Andrew Scott and Paddy Considine star, with Tony Award-winning theatre director Matthew Warchus making his feature helming debut with the movie.

Take a look at the clip below and watch the full trailer here. [Read more…]

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ACTORS: George MacKay, Andrew Scott DIRECTORS: Matthew Warchus FILMS: Pride (2014)

New Pride Trailer – Fresh look at the acclaimed British, gay-themed miners’ strike film

August 9, 2014 By Tim Isaac 2 Comments

After winning the Queer Palm at Cannes earlier this year, Pride is due to hit cinemas on both sides of the Atlantic in September (on the 12th in the UK and the 19th in North America). We’ll have a review of the movie for you before then, but you can get a fresh taste with the new US trailer below.

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ACTORS: George MacKay, Bill Nighy, Imelda Staunton, Dominic West, Andrew Scott, Paddy Considine DIRECTORS: Matthew Warchus FILMS: Pride (2014)

Pride Trailer – It’s Gay-Straight culture clash for Imelda Staunton, Andrew Scott, Paddy Considine and Dominic West

June 30, 2014 By Tim Isaac Leave a Comment

After a great response at Cannes – where it won the Queer Palm – the Brit flick Pride is heading for a September 12th UK release. We had a clip a few weeks ago, but now the full trailer has arrived (watch it below), showcasing this film about two very different groups of people wanting to support the same cause.

Based on a true story, Pride is set during the summer of 1984, with Margaret Thatcher in power and the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) on strike. At the Gay Pride March in London, a group of gay and lesbian activists decides to raise money to support the families of the striking miners. But there is a problem. The Union seems embarrassed to receive their support.

But the activists are not deterred. They decide to ignore the Union and go direct to the miners. They identify a mining village in deepest Wales and set off in a mini bus to make their donation in person. This brings together two seemingly alien communities who form a surprising and ultimately triumphant partnership. But as you can see in the trailer, it’s not initially an easy alliance.

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ACTORS: Bill Nighy, Imelda Staunton, Dominic West, Andrew Scott, Paddy Considine DIRECTORS: Matthew Warchus FILMS: Pride (2014)

Gay-Themed Miners’ Strike Brit Flick Pride Takes The Queer Palm At Cannes

May 24, 2014 By Tim Isaac 1 Comment

A few days ago we posted the first clip from the gay-themed Brit flick Pride, ahead of its May 23rd premiere as closing film of the Directors’ Fortnight at the 2014 International Cannes Film Festival.

If that weren’t honour enough, it’s now picked up the Queer Palm, handed out each year to the best LGBT themed movie showing at the festival. Previous winners include the excellent Stranger By The Lake, Laurence Anyways, Beauty and Gregg Araki’s Kaboom!.

Based on a true story, Pride is set during the summer of 1984, with Margaret Thatcher is in power and the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) on strike. At the Gay Pride March in London, a group of gay and lesbian activists decides to raise money to support the families of the striking miners. But there is a problem. The Union seems embarrassed to receive their support.

Pride was one of 13 movies up for the Queer Palm, including previous winner Xavier Dolan’s Mommy, Bertrand Bonello’s Saint Laurent, Melanie Laurent’s Respire, and Thomas Cailley’s Love At First Sight. It’s the first time a British movie has picked up the award.

Organiser Franck Finance-Madur tolc AFP, “It’s important here in Cannes to think together about problems inherent to the production of queer films that promote sexual diversity.”

Pride is due out in the US in September.

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DIRECTORS: Matthew Warchus FILMS: Pride (2014)

First Clip From Gay-Themed Miners’ Strike Brit Flick Pride Arrives

May 21, 2014 By Tim Isaac Leave a Comment

A few weeks ago the first image from the gay-themed British movie Pride arrived, along with the news it will close the Directors’ Fortnight at the 2014 International Cannes Film Festival on 23rd May.

With just a couple of days to go until that premiere, the first clip from the movie has arrived (via Pathe France’s Youtube channel), which you can watch above.

The movie is set during the summer of 1984, when Margaret Thatcher is in power and the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) is on strike. At the Gay Pride March in London, a group of gay and lesbian activists decides to raise money to support the families of the striking miners. But there is a problem. The Union seems embarrassed to receive their support.

But the activists are not deterred. They decide to ignore the Union and go direct to the miners. They identify a mining village in deepest Wales and set off in a mini bus to make their donation in person. And so begins the extraordinary story of two seemingly alien communities who form a surprising and ultimately triumphant partnership.

Director Matthew Warchus (best known for his theatre work such as Matilda: The Musical and God of Carnage) has also written a piece for The Guardian, talking about why he wanted to make the film – which was not least because the picket lines of the Miner’s Strike were part of the background of his youth. It’s well worth a read. [Read more…]

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DIRECTORS: Matthew Warchus FILMS: Pride (2014)

First Pic From The Gay-Themed Brit Flick Pride, Which Is Set To Close The Directors’ Fortnight At Cannes

April 22, 2014 By Tim Isaac 2 Comments

Last autumn the gay-themed Pride went into production with a cast full of great British actors including Bill Nighy, Imelda Staunton, Dominic West, Andrew Scott and Paddy Considine.

Now the first image from the movie has been released to tie in with the announcement that the movie will close the Directors’ Fortnight at the 2014 International Cannes Film Festival on 23rd May.

But the activists are not deterred. They decide to ignore the Union and go direct to the miners. They identify a mining village in deepest Wales and set off in a mini bus to make their donation in person. And so begins the extraordinary story of two seemingly alien communities who form a surprising and ultimately triumphant partnership.

Pride is directed by the Tony Award winning theatre director Matthew Warchus (Matilda: The Musical, God of Carnage), with a screenplay by Stephen Beresford whose debut stage play, The Last of the Haussmans (starring Julie Walters), was a critical and commercial hit at the National Theatre in 2012.

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ACTORS: Bill Nighy, Imelda Staunton, Dominic West, Andrew Scott, Paddy Considine DIRECTORS: Matthew Warchus FILMS: Pride (2014)