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Owzabout That Then? The Jimmy Savile Revelations & Aftermath

Ogdred Weary said:
I like his performances, no idea about him as a person. I can just see him doing Savile very well.
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Ah ok. I thought you were meaning that he was dodgy or something! I just misunderstood your post, sorry.

But you're right, I can see him playing him really well.
 
I don’t see why Steve Coogan playing Savile can be regarded as a serious examination of the events. I’m always going to be thinking ‘Monkey Tennis’. Getting a well-known comedian to play a character from one of the BBC’s darkest episodes is great in terms of Coogan showing off his impressionist versatility but tone deaf to the horror experienced by those kids who suffered at the hands of Savile. It belittles their experience. Also by not playing it straight as an investigation, they also leave themselves open to the thorny issue of accurate dramatisation and ultimately, agenda.

Imagine this.
’I thought long and hard before accepting the role of Jimmy Savile‘ said Keith Lemon.
 
Analogue Boy said:
I don’t see why Steve Coogan playing Savile can be regarded as a serious examination of the events. I’m always going to be thinking ‘Monkey Tennis’. Getting a well-known comedian to play a character from one of the BBC’s darkest episodes is great in terms of Coogan showing off his impressionist versatility but tone deaf to the horror experienced by those kids who suffered at the hands of Savile. It belittles their experience. Also by not playing it straight as an investigation, they also leave themselves open to the thorny issue of accurate dramatisation and ultimately, agenda.

Imagine this.
’I thought long and hard before accepting the role of Jimmy Savile‘ said Keith Lemon.
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Whoever writes the script and directs it will steer away from awkward items that show the BBC's institutional complicity in Savile's reign of abuse. It'll be watered down.
 
iu


Re Coogan as Savile: everyone raved about David Tennant’s portrayal of Dennis Nilsen, a man who actually and incontrovertibly murdered then butchered at least a dozen young men. l don’t recall any controversy concerning that on FTMB.

maximus otter
 
maximus otter said:
...Re Coogan as Savile: everyone raved about David Tennant’s portrayal of Dennis Nilsen, a man who actually and incontrovertibly murdered then butchered at least a dozen young men. l don’t recall any controversy concerning that on FTMB.

maximus otter
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I have to agree. Convicted villains (actually convicted, in a court of law) - from serial rapists to mass murderers to the perpetrators of genocide - have been portrayed on screen by mainstream actors. I have no idea why this would be an issue if those are not. Strikes me that for some it's just another stick to beat the BBC with, or maybe to have a go at an actor they don't particularly like. I can see Coogan making a good go of it.
 
maximus otter said:
iu


Re Coogan as Savile: everyone raved about David Tennant’s portrayal of Dennis Nilsen, a man who actually and incontrovertibly murdered then butchered at least a dozen young men. l don’t recall any controversy concerning that on FTMB.

maximus otter
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Dominic West also got high praise for his portrayal of Fred West (no relation)

Fred Wests daughter even said she was scared by Dominic's portrayal.

"Appropriate Adult's executive producer Jeff Pope has now told The Sun that Dominic West's portrayal of the serial killer was so uncanny that his daughter was unnerved by it."

https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/a336995/fred-west-daughter-unnerved-by-dominic-west-portrayal/

2_Dom-appjpeg.jpg
 
Spookdaddy said:
I have to agree. Convicted villains (actually convicted, in a court of law) - from serial rapists to mass murderers to the perpetrators of genocide - have been portrayed on screen by mainstream actors. I have no idea why this would be an issue if those are not. Strikes me that for some it's just another stick to beat the BBC with, or maybe to have a go at an actor they don't particularly like. I can see Coogan making a good go of it.
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There is a bit of a difference here though. Savile was never convicted of anything, and the apparent complicity of the BBC in covering up his conduct makes this a touch ironic. Nevertheless it will be interesting to hear how Coogan plays it and whether it touches on activities of which Savile is accused. I won't be watching, cos I simply couldn't stand the bloke. I saw more than enough of him decades ago, traipsing about in his various Rollers with company.:mad:
 
Analogue Boy said:
I don’t see why Steve Coogan playing Savile can be regarded as a serious examination of the events. I’m always going to be thinking ‘Monkey Tennis’. Getting a well-known comedian to play a character from one of the BBC’s darkest episodes is great in terms of Coogan showing off his impressionist versatility but tone deaf to the horror experienced by those kids who suffered at the hands of Savile. It belittles their experience. Also by not playing it straight as an investigation, they also leave themselves open to the thorny issue of accurate dramatisation and ultimately, agenda.

Imagine this.
’I thought long and hard before accepting the role of Jimmy Savile‘ said Keith Lemon.
Click to expand...

Alistair Macgowen played Savile in a serious play about him and his crimes, despite and no doubt because of having played him as a cartoon character for many years. Coogan has played serious roles, even if he is mostly known as a comedian.
 
Analogue Boy said:
I don’t see why Steve Coogan playing Savile can be regarded as a serious examination of the events. I’m always going to be thinking ‘Monkey Tennis’. Getting a well-known comedian to play a character from one of the BBC’s darkest episodes is great in terms of Coogan showing off his impressionist versatility but tone deaf to the horror experienced by those kids who suffered at the hands of Savile. It belittles their experience. Also by not playing it straight as an investigation, they also leave themselves open to the thorny issue of accurate dramatisation and ultimately, agenda.

Imagine this.
’I thought long and hard before accepting the role of Jimmy Savile‘ said Keith Lemon.
Click to expand...
Keith Lemon is a comedy persona, not an actor like Coogan.

Leigh Francis who plays Lemon might consider taking on a more serious role as Coogan has.
 
Mythopoeika said:
Whoever writes the script and directs it will steer away from awkward items that show the BBC's institutional complicity in Savile's reign of abuse. It'll be watered down.
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That's one of the most important and interesting aspects of the piece. How will it be dealt with? One expects to see a portrayal of ignorance, buck-passing, complicity, compromising of individuals, corruption, the list goes on.

This is an excellent source in itself for drama. Savile hardly even needs to appear in it.
 
escargot said:
Keith Lemon is a comedy persona, not an actor like Coogan.

Leigh Francis who plays Lemon might consider taking on a more serious role as Coogan has.
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I hope not, he, imo, is one of the most annoying people on TV atm, I saw an interview with him out of character with Jonathan Ross (I think) and it was one of the most awkward interviews I've ever seen, he has no personality of his own at all, idk if he has some form of autistic spectrum disorder, but he certainly doesn't like being out of character.
 
Ogdred Weary said:
Alistair Macgowen played Savile in a serious play about him and his crimes, despite and no doubt because of having played him as a cartoon character for many years. Coogan has played serious roles, even if he is mostly known as a comedian.
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Yeah he played the main detective in the recent drama about Stephen.

I was surprised at how good he was as I'd only seen him in non serious roles so I think he will do very well at playing Saville.
 
Nosmo King said:
I hope not, he, imo, is one of the most annoying people on TV atm, I saw an interview with him out of character with Jonathan Ross (I think) and it was one of the most awkward interviews I've ever seen, he has no personality of his own at all, idk if he has some form of autistic spectrum disorder, but he certainly doesn't like being out of character.
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I don't like him and don't get his comedy.
 
Ogdred Weary said:
Alistair Macgowen played Savile in a serious play about him and his crimes, despite and no doubt because of having played him as a cartoon character for many years. Coogan has played serious roles, even if he is mostly known as a comedian.
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This was a great success; the Guardian called Macgowan's performance 'repellently convincing'. High praise indeed. :chuckle:
 
Nosmo King said:
I hope not, he, imo, is one of the most annoying people on TV atm, I saw an interview with him out of character with Jonathan Ross (I think) and it was one of the most awkward interviews I've ever seen, he has no personality of his own at all, idk if he has some form of autistic spectrum disorder, but he certainly doesn't like being out of character.
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Yup, my point was that when you see Keith Lemon it's a performance by Leigh Francis.
The interview you saw with Francis as 'himself' might be another performance.

What you said about his appearing to have no personality of his own reminds me of what Peter Sellars used to say about himself.
 
escargot said:
Yup, my point was that when you see Keith Lemon it's a performance by Leigh Francis.
The interview you saw with Francis as 'himself' might be another performance.

What you said about his appearing to have no personality of his own reminds me of what Peter Sellars used to say about himself.
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Steve Coogan's a bit like that. I started reading his autobiography and he's as unlikable and bizarre as his Alan Partridge character .. he even admits that people have said to him "Oh my God, you're just like Alan Partridge." Sasha Baron Cohen (Borat, Ali G, Bruno for anyone who doesn't know) on the other hand comes across as a nice bloke when he's out of character but then his characters are lovable anyway IMO.
 
Swifty said:
Steve Coogan's a bit like that. I started reading his autobiography and he's as unlikable and bizarre as his Alan Partridge character .. he even admits that people have said to him "Oh my God, you're just like Alan Partridge." Sasha Baron Cohen (Borat, Ali G, Bruno for anyone who doesn't know) on the other hand comes across as a nice bloke when he's out of character but then his characters are lovable anyway IMO.
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SBC is a national treasure!
Along with his brilliant comic personas, he's played a couple of straight roles, like Inspector Gustav Dasté in Hugo.
 
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