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Guest House Paradiso
UK 1999
Reviewed by Andy Medhurst
Synopsis
Our synopses give away the plot in full, including surprise twists.
Richie and Eddie own and run Guest House Paradiso, a seedy B&B near a nuclear power plant. Their few guests risk Richie's aggression, moralistic judgements and propensity for theft. He rifles through the luggage of the Nice family, finding and trying on some exotic rubber underwear which becomes difficult to remove, leading to an accident on the road outside.
One by-product of the accident is a windfall of fresh fish which Eddie and Richie serve to their guests. The only guest to decline is Gina, a famous Italian actress hiding out at the Paradiso after jilting her boyfriend Gino. Mr Nice finds evidence of Richie's thieving, but all the guests except Gina fall violently ill since the fish had been contaminated with nuclear waste. Gino arrives in search of Gina, but Richie and Eddie rescue her from him, helped by the radioactive vomit now pouring through the guest house. Investigators from the nuclear plant buy Richie, Eddie and Gina's silence by offering them money, new identities and a new life in the Caribbean.
Review
As an exercise in the relentless accretion of grossness, Guest House Paradiso is so in love with filth it makes There's Something about Mary look like The Importance of Being Earnest. But it's impossible not to have some sort of aghast admiration for this film's single-minded devotion to the lower portions of the human body. Six-year-old boys of all ages will love it. Alongside Guest House Paradiso's swirling tides of piss, phlegm, blood and snot, the exploding-diner sequence in Monty Python's The Meaning of Life is a paradigm of delicacy and restraint. The film has its roots, of course, in stars Rik Mayall and Adrian Edmondson's similarly infantile sitcom Bottom. The greater budget, time and technology of film production have enabled the pair to take the basic dynamic of that relationship and garnish it with even more violence, destruction and special effects. The plot of the film is ostentatiously irrelevant, a thin excuse for a series of set pieces involving swearing, maiming, perversity and fluids.
Many of these are not only impressively unpleasant - eyes are burned, nipples suffer, testicles go through torment - but are driven by underlying desires. Richie and Eddie's vicious fight in the hotel kitchen is the logical endpoint of all those displaced-gay slapstick spats in Laurel and Hardy films. An extended routine with rubber underpants offers a ballet of barely disguised buggery. Guest House Paradiso is, if nothing else, the film where the disavowed homoeroticism of the male comedy double act finally takes centre stage. At one point Richie and Eddie even blow smoke to each other through a hole in a connecting wall, which is either a homage to Jean Genet's classic Un Chant d'amour (1950) or has been put there precisely to trap pretentious queer intellectuals like me.
Faced with the intensity of the central pair's sado-masochistic besottedness, it's no wonder the other actors merely go through the motions. All that matters is Richie and Eddie, and their fans aren't likely to feel short changed. What anyone who hadn't seen Bottom would think is a mystery - those unaware of Mayall and Edmondson's ongoing affair with damaging each other might see only a curious hybrid of Fawlty Towers and Ren and Stimpy or be left wondering why educated Englishmen never seem to tire of puke and poo.
Credits
- Director
- Adrian Edmondson
- Producer
- Phil McIntyre
- Screenplay
- Adrian Edmondson
- Rik Mayall
- Director of Photography
- Alan Almond
- Editor
- Sean Barton
- Production Designer
- Tom Brown
- Music/Orchestrations
- Colin Towns
- ©Vision Video Limited
- Production Company
- Universal Pictures presents a Phil McIntyre production
- Executive Producers
- Helen Parker
- Marc Samuelson
- Peter Samuelson
- Line Producer
- Shellie Smith
- Production Co-ordinator
- Polly Jeffries
- Location Manager
- David Seaton
- Post-production Supervisor
- Virginia Arendt
- 2nd Unit Director
- Jason Lehel
- Assistant Directors
- Melanie Dicks
- Jim Wilkinson
- Alex Hester
- 2nd Unit:
- Paul Ritchie
- Additional Dailies:
- Jane Burgess
- Script Supervisors
- Caroline O'Reilly
- 2nd Unit:
- Sheila Wilson
- Additional Dailies:
- Emma Thomas
- Casting Director
- Lucy Boulting
- Optical Cameraman
- Richard Clare
- Camera Operator
- Additional Dailies:
- Bob Shipsey
- Miniature Lighting Cameraman
- Stuart Galloway
- Visual Effects
- Supervisor:
- Leigh Took
- Producer:
- Ben Hall
- Digital Effects Producer
- Craig Chandler
- Digital Effects Compositor
- Richard Orpin
- Models/CGI
- Mattes & Miniatures
- Wire Removal
- Frans Wamelink
- Kieran Reed
- Special Effects
- Supervisor:
- Paul Dunn
- Floor Supervisor:
- Tim Stracey
- Co-ordinator:
- Wilma Dunn
- Senior Technicians:
- Jason McCameron
- Tim Jordan
- Technician:
- Tim Itchell
- Modeller:
- Barry Jones
- Senior Pyrotechnician
- Jeff Clifford
- Senior Modelmaker
- Bob Ballin
- Modelmakers
- Richard Thomas
- Richard Grant
- Jenny Dodwell
- Neil Damman
- Kelly Duell
- 3D Animator
- Adrian Platt
- Motion Control
- Rex Neville
- Supervising Art Director
- David Allday
- Art Director
- Keith Pain
- Set Decorator
- Brian Read
- Storyboard Artists
- Jane Clark
- Jo Berger
- Sculptures
- Robin Schoonrad
- Costume Designer
- Pam Downe
- Wardrobe
- Supervisor:
- Tim Aslam
- Additional Dailies:
- Sally Puttock
- Make-up/Hair Designer
- Eileen Kastner-DeLago
- Hair/Make-up Artists
- Jocelin Andrews
- Kelly Marazzi
- Make-up
- Additional Dailies:
- Renata Gilbert
- Kerry September
- Prosthetics
- Supervisor:
- John Schoonrad
- Effects Design:
- Paul Catling
- Make-up Designer:
- Stuart Bray
- Hair Effects
- Jane Catling
- Mouldmaking Supervisor
- Tristan Schoonrad
- Mouldmakers
- Doug Allen
- Michael Ricci
- Allen Douglas
- Foam Supervisor
- Keith Wilson
- Silicone Technician
- Michelle Wright
- Effects Artist
- Karl Derrick
- Foam
- Sparky
- Title Design
- Richard Morrison
- Titles Producer
- Olive Segré
- Titles/Opticals
- General Screen Enterprises
- Score Performed by
- Colin Towns' Mask Orchestra
- Music Editor
- Alan Sallabank
- Soundtrack
- "Jazz Delicious Hot, Disgusting Cold" by Vivian Stanshall, Neil Innes, Larry Smith, Rodney Slater, Roger Spear, Vernon Bohey-Nowell, Martin Ash, performed by Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band
- Sound Recordists
- John Hayes
- Additional Dailies:
- Simon Hayter
- Re-recording Mixers
- David Humphries
- Robert Thompson
- Supervising Sound Editor
- Kevin Brazier
- Dialogue Editor
- Phil Barnes
- Effects Editor
- Blair Jollands
- Foley
- Artists:
- Jason Swanscott
- Trevor Swanscott
- Mixer:
- Robin Brazier
- Stunt Co-ordinator
- Tom Delmar
- Cast
- Rik Mayall
- Richie Twat
- Adrian Edmondson
- Eddie Elizabeth Ndingobaba
- Vincent Cassel
- Gino Bolognese
- Hélène Mahieu
- Gina Carbonara
- Bill Nighy
- Mr Johnson
- Simon Pegg
- Mr Nice
- Fenella Fielding
- Mrs Foxfur
- Lisa Palfrey
- Mrs Nice
- Kate Ashfield
- Mrs Hardy
- Steve O'Donnell
- chef
- Charles Cartmell
- newscaster
- Paul Garcia
- screen lover
- Sophia Myles
- Emma Pierson
- Anna Madley
- saucy wood nymphs
- Joseph Hughes
- Damien Nice
- Jessica Mann
- Charlene Nice
- Richard Hammatt
- truck driver 1
- James D'Arcy
- young groom
- Kate Loustau
- young bride
- Bob Mason
- chatty worker
- Philip Lester
- sickly worker
- Richard Strange
- worried worker
- David Sibley
- intimidating man
- Certificate
- 15
- Distributor
- Universal Pictures International
- 8,082 feet
- 89 minutes 49 seconds
- Director
- Adrian Edmondson
- Producer
- Phil McIntyre
- Screenplay
- Adrian Edmondson
- Rik Mayall
- Director of Photography
- Alan Almond
- Editor
- Sean Barton
- Production Designer
- Tom Brown
- Music/Orchestrations
- Colin Towns
- ©Vision Video Limited
- Production Company
- Universal Pictures presents a Phil McIntyre production
- Executive Producers
- Helen Parker
- Marc Samuelson
- Peter Samuelson
- Line Producer
- Shellie Smith
- Production Co-ordinator
- Polly Jeffries
- Location Manager
- David Seaton
- Post-production Supervisor
- Virginia Arendt
- 2nd Unit Director
- Jason Lehel
- Assistant Directors
- Melanie Dicks
- Jim Wilkinson
- Alex Hester
- 2nd Unit:
- Paul Ritchie
- Additional Dailies:
- Jane Burgess
- Script Supervisors
- Caroline O'Reilly
- 2nd Unit:
- Sheila Wilson
- Additional Dailies:
- Emma Thomas
- Casting Director
- Lucy Boulting
- Optical Cameraman
- Richard Clare
- Camera Operator
- Additional Dailies:
- Bob Shipsey
- Miniature Lighting Cameraman
- Stuart Galloway
- Visual Effects
- Supervisor:
- Leigh Took
- Producer:
- Ben Hall
- Digital Effects Producer
- Craig Chandler
- Digital Effects Compositor
- Richard Orpin
- Models/CGI
- Mattes & Miniatures
- Wire Removal
- Frans Wamelink
- Kieran Reed
- Special Effects
- Supervisor:
- Paul Dunn
- Floor Supervisor:
- Tim Stracey
- Co-ordinator:
- Wilma Dunn
- Senior Technicians:
- Jason McCameron
- Tim Jordan
- Technician:
- Tim Itchell
- Modeller:
- Barry Jones
- Senior Pyrotechnician
- Jeff Clifford
- Senior Modelmaker
- Bob Ballin
- Modelmakers
- Richard Thomas
- Richard Grant
- Jenny Dodwell
- Neil Damman
- Kelly Duell
- 3D Animator
- Adrian Platt
- Motion Control
- Rex Neville
- Supervising Art Director
- David Allday
- Art Director
- Keith Pain
- Set Decorator
- Brian Read
- Storyboard Artists
- Jane Clark
- Jo Berger
- Sculptures
- Robin Schoonrad
- Costume Designer
- Pam Downe
- Wardrobe
- Supervisor:
- Tim Aslam
- Additional Dailies:
- Sally Puttock
- Make-up/Hair Designer
- Eileen Kastner-DeLago
- Hair/Make-up Artists
- Jocelin Andrews
- Kelly Marazzi
- Make-up
- Additional Dailies:
- Renata Gilbert
- Kerry September
- Prosthetics
- Supervisor:
- John Schoonrad
- Effects Design:
- Paul Catling
- Make-up Designer:
- Stuart Bray
- Hair Effects
- Jane Catling
- Mouldmaking Supervisor
- Tristan Schoonrad
- Mouldmakers
- Doug Allen
- Michael Ricci
- Allen Douglas
- Foam Supervisor
- Keith Wilson
- Silicone Technician
- Michelle Wright
- Effects Artist
- Karl Derrick
- Foam
- Sparky
- Title Design
- Richard Morrison
- Titles Producer
- Olive Segré
- Titles/Opticals
- General Screen Enterprises
- Score Performed by
- Colin Towns' Mask Orchestra
- Music Editor
- Alan Sallabank
- Soundtrack
- "Jazz Delicious Hot, Disgusting Cold" by Vivian Stanshall, Neil Innes, Larry Smith, Rodney Slater, Roger Spear, Vernon Bohey-Nowell, Martin Ash, performed by Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band
- Sound Recordists
- John Hayes
- Additional Dailies:
- Simon Hayter
- Re-recording Mixers
- David Humphries
- Robert Thompson
- Supervising Sound Editor
- Kevin Brazier
- Dialogue Editor
- Phil Barnes
- Effects Editor
- Blair Jollands
- Foley
- Artists:
- Jason Swanscott
- Trevor Swanscott
- Mixer:
- Robin Brazier
- Stunt Co-ordinator
- Tom Delmar
- Cast
- Rik Mayall
- Richie Twat
- Adrian Edmondson
- Eddie Elizabeth Ndingobaba
- Vincent Cassel
- Gino Bolognese
- Hélène Mahieu
- Gina Carbonara
- Bill Nighy
- Mr Johnson
- Simon Pegg
- Mr Nice
- Fenella Fielding
- Mrs Foxfur
- Lisa Palfrey
- Mrs Nice
- Kate Ashfield
- Mrs Hardy
- Steve O'Donnell
- chef
- Charles Cartmell
- newscaster
- Paul Garcia
- screen lover
- Sophia Myles
- Emma Pierson
- Anna Madley
- saucy wood nymphs
- Joseph Hughes
- Damien Nice
- Jessica Mann
- Charlene Nice
- Richard Hammatt
- truck driver 1
- James D'Arcy
- young groom
- Kate Loustau
- young bride
- Bob Mason
- chatty worker
- Philip Lester
- sickly worker
- Richard Strange
- worried worker
- David Sibley
- intimidating man
- Certificate
- 15
- Distributor
- Universal Pictures International
- 8,082 feet
- 89 minutes 49 seconds
- Dolby digital
- In Colour
- Anamorphic [Arriscope]
- Dolby digital
- In Colour
- Anamorphic [Arriscope]