Smashey and Nicey, the End of an Era (1994) (TV)

Director:

Daniel Kleinman

Writers:

Harry Enfield (writer)
Paul Whitehouse (writer)

Release Date:

4 April 1994 (UK)

Plot Keywords:

Character Name In Title

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Harry Enfield	...	Dave Nice
Paul Whitehouse	...	Mike Smash
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Tony Blackburn	...	Himself
Angus Deayton	...	Himself
Alan Freeman	...	Himself
Bob Geldof	...	Himself
John Peel	...	John Past-Bedtime
John Thomson

Company:

Tiger Aspect Productions

Movie Connections:

Spoofs "The Kenny Everett Video Show" (1978)

A poptabulous rockumentary, mate? Not 'alf!

Paul Whitehouse and Harry Enfield's radio DJ characters Mike Smash and Dave Nice (aka "Smashie and Nicey") are among their best ever.

Having first appeared in "Harry Enfield's Television Programme", the characters quickly - and ironically - became a national institution in the UK. Immediately recognisable in look, tone and character to any number of BBC Radio 1 DJs, Smashie (Whitehouse) and Nicey (Enfield) are probably the most devastatingly accurate parodies of this character type ever seen.

This spoof documentary, which begins with the duo announcing their shock resignation from fictional radio station Fab FM, tells the story of Smashie and Nicey's rise to national fame in the 1960s as Fab Radio DJs and "Top Of The Pops" presenters, and charts their respective careers right through to the 1990s. Naturally, they both claim to have been at the forefront of every fashion and musical trend on the way - "I'm Dave Nice and I invented the sixties!"

As well as being a sharp satire on the egotistical and pompous nature of British radio DJs, "End Of An Era" is also an immensely fun journey through British pop history, with Smashie and Nicey being cleverly spliced into old television footage - Nicey, for example, "interviews" the Beatles and makes a pass at Paul McCartney, and also claims the credit for "accidentally" inventing punk rock after interviewing the Sex Pistols!

There are also cameos from a number of real DJs (including Tony Blackburn and John Peel) and rock stars (Bob Geldof describes how they blackmailed him into letting them sing on "Do They Know It's Christmas"...), as well as lots of other very neat satirical touches, like the candid interviews which show a darker side to the duo never previously seen.

"End Of An Era" is well-written, well-executed and, as you would expect, brilliantly performed by Enfield and Whitehouse. It's also an excellent parody which treats its subject with some derision, but also with a great deal of affection.

Poptastic!