"Gormenghast" (2000)TV mini-series

Director:

Andy Wilson

Writers:

Mervyn Peake (novels)
Malcolm McKay (screenplay)

Release Date:

10 June 2000 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Fantasy | Mystery

Tagline:

77 generations built the kingdom of Gormenghast... Will one kitchen boy bring it down?

Plot:

A villain threatens the rise of a new earl in an ancient kingdom.

Plot Keywords:

Art | Epic | Steampunk | Surreal | Ambition

Awards:

4 wins & 5 nominations

Cast

Celia Imrie	...	Lady Gertrude
John Sessions	...	Dr. Prunesquallor
Warren Mitchell	...	Barquentine
George Yiasoumi	...	Bookman
Ian Richardson	...	Lord Groan
Neve McIntosh	...	Lady Fuchsia
June Brown	...	Nannie Slagg
Christopher Lee	...	Flay
Richard Griffiths	...	Swelter
Jonathan Rhys Meyers	...	Steerpike
Zoë Wanamaker	...	Clarice Groan
Lynsey Baxter	...	Cora Groan
Fiona Shaw	...	Irma Prunesquallor
Olga Sosnovska	...	Keda
Eric Sykes	...	Mollocks
Sean Hughes	...	Poet
Windsor Davies	...	Rottcodd
Cameron Powrie	...	Titus (12 years)
Stephen Fry	...	Professor Bellgrove
Tim Barlow	...	Boatman
Lewis Rose	...	Doggit
Mark Williams	...	Professor Perch
James Dreyfus	...	Professor Fluke
Phil Cornwell	...	Professor Shred
Steve Pemberton	...	Professor Mule
Martin Clunes	...	Professor Flower
Spike Milligan	...	De'Ath
Gregor Fisher	...	The Fly
Caroline Nelson	...	Wild Girl
Andrew Robertson	...	Titus (17 years) (as Andrew N. Robertson)
Daniela Zocchi	...	Wild girl (17 years)

Directed by
Andy Wilson

Writing credits
Mervyn Peake		(novels "Titus Groan" and "Gormenghast")
Malcolm McKay		(screenplay)

Produced by
Al Burgess	....	line producer
Estelle Daniel	....	producer
Rebecca Eaton	....	executive producer: WGBH
Hilary Salmon	....	executive producer: BBC
Michael Wearing	....	executive producer: BBC

Original Music by
Richard Rodney Bennett

Cinematography by
Gavin Finney

Film Editing by
Paul Tothill

Casting by
Marilyn Johnson

Production Design by
Christopher Hobbs

Art Direction by
David Hindle
Andrew Munro		(senior art director)

Costume Design by
Odile Dicks-Mireaux

Makeup Department
Diane Chenery-Wickens	....	makeup artist
Julie Dartnell	....	makeup artist
Christine Greenwood	....	makeup designer
Joan Hills	....	makeup designer
Liz Michie	....	hair stylist
Sandra Shepherd	....	makeup artist
David White	....	prosthetics

Production Management
David Mason	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Giles Butler	....	second assistant director
Matthew Cope	....	second unit director
Alexander Gibb	....	third assistant director (as Alex Gibb)
Ryan Green	....	additional assistant director

Art Department
Robert Betts	....	stand-by painter
Paul Bradburn	....	storeman
Christine Buttner	....	graphic designer
Alan Chesters	....	construction supervisor
Mark Copeland	....	model maker
Joshua Critcher	....	stand-by props
Jenny Edwards	....	art department assistant
Trisha Edwards	....	set dresser
Danny Evans	....	dressing props
Paul Garner	....	storyboard artist
Ned Kelly	....	supervising carpenter
Ron King	....	scenic artist
Terence Meadows	....	stand-by stagehand (as Terry Meadows)
Wesley Peppiatt	....	stand-by props
Raymond Perry	....	property master (as Ray Perry)
Steve Rogers	....	stand-by carpenter
Annushka Russell	....	art assistant
Ben Smith	....	assistant art director
Zoe Smith	....	art department runner
Tom Still	....	set designer
Tom Wales	....	assistant art director
Ian Young	....	dressing props

Sound Department
Keith Batten	....	boom operator
Paul Carr	....	dubbing mixer
Lee Crichlow	....	dubbing editor
Alistair Crocker	....	sound recordist
Jon Hemming	....	dubbing editor
Ben Norrington	....	adr editor
Michael Redfern	....	dubbing editor

Special Effects by
Tom Harris	....	special effects
Nicky O'Sullivan	....	special effects technician
Graham Riddell	....	animatronics designer
Chris Watson	....	shatterglass effects

Visual Effects by
Angela Bailey	....	visual effects editor
Serena Cacciato	....	special effects animator
Alan Church	....	visual effects producer
Virginie Degorgue	....	assistant scenic artist/prop painter
Simon Giles	....	visual effects supervisor
Diane Kingston	....	visual effects production coordinator
Alan Maiden	....	visual effects
Jason McDonald	....	lead animator
Chris Petts	....	special effects animator
Nigel Stone	....	model photography
Trevor Young	....	3D effects coordinator: The Film Factory at VTR (uncredited)

Stunts
Andy Bradford	....	stunt coordinator
Steve Griffin	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Tommy Brown	....	electrician
Dick Conway	....	electrician
Robert Diebelius	....	stand-by rigger
Graham Driscoll	....	electrician
Jack English	....	still photographer
Danny Espey	....	electrician
Simon Finney	....	focus puller
Amy Gilliam	....	assistant camera: second unit
Tony Hannington	....	rigging gaffer
Pip Hare	....	assistant camera
Terry Hunt	....	gaffer
Dick Lee	....	crane grip
Rod Marley	....	clapper loader
Karl Morgan	....	focus puller: second/model unit
Phil Penfold	....	electrician
Richard Potter	....	best boy
Mike Proudfoot	....	camera operator
Tony Turner	....	camera grip

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Barbara Harrington	....	wardrobe assistant
Carin Hoff	....	assistant costume designer
Samantha Mealing	....	wardrobe assistant
Sara Meek	....	wardrobe assistant
Marion Weise	....	assistant costume designer

Editorial Department
Mark Gravil	....	assembly editor

Music Department
Jake Arditti	....	musician
John Tavener	....	composer: choral music
John Wilson	....	orchestrator

Other crew
Phyl Allarie	....	production coordinator
Maggie Anson	....	contracts executive
Richard Bonehill	....	sword master
Sue Clark	....	animal consultant
Peter Eardley	....	assistant production accountant
Sarah Fisher	....	production accountant
Steve Harty	....	animal consultant
Nick Hopkins	....	floor runner (as Nicholas Hopkins)
Andrew Jack	....	voice coach
Karen Jones	....	script supervisor
Howard Kingston	....	production executive
Ashley Russell	....	assistant to producer
Mark Sparrow	....	script editor
Eleanor Watmore	....	secretary to producer

Production Companies

• British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) (as BBC)
• WGBH

Distributors

• British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) (2000) (UK) (TV) (original airing)
• BBC Video (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• Chum Television (????) (Canada) (TV)
• Ekaterinburg Art Home Video (EAHV) (????) (Russia) (VHS)

Special Effects

• The Film Factory at VTR (uncredited)

Other Companies

• BBC Philharmonic Orchestra  music played by (as The BBC Philharmonic)
• The Academy of Ancient Music  music played by
• The Temple Church Choir  music played by
• Lee Lighting  lighting (uncredited)

Runtime:

232 min (4 parts)

Country:

USA | UK

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Singapore:PG | Canada:PG (Ontario) | UK:12 | USA:Unrated

Filming Locations:

Shepperton Studios, Shepperton, Surrey, England, UK

Company:

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)

Trivia:

To create a sense of scale and depth when they were photographed, the castle miniatures were placed into large tanks of water to which disinfectant (Jeyes Fluid) had also been added to make it slightly cloudy. The post production house responsible for compositing and other special effects were in awe of the skills and ingenuity of the traditional model makers, but exasperated by the variability of the images that this "organic" method generated, making their colour-correction and image matching tasks much more difficult than with computer generated images.

Quotes:

Lady Fuchsia: [dancing along] I am Fuchsia! I am me! Don't be frightened, wait and see!

Movie Connections:

Featured in Goodbye 2000 (2000) (TV)

brilliant steerpike in fantastic mad world

i happened to see the last episode of gormenghast in the middle of the night one day and was instantly intrigued. although i had no idea what was going on i was glued to my seat by the surreal sets and costumes and, above all, by the intense and brilliant acting!

i bought the books and dvd at once and soon realized the difference. the books are beautifully written and have a life of their own that does indeed compare to tolkiens middle earth. but the tv-series is marvelous. i think the whole story is very close to the books and all the actors are amazing.

jonathan rhys meyers as steerpike is the main focus of attention, every time hes onscreen the whole story gets incredibly dynamic and his villain is the most attractive person ive seen in a film in a long time. his characters brilliance, but also suffering, are the main themes of the film, since titus doesnt really seem convincing. most of the other characters are rather one dimensional, but thats intended, since no one wants to change in gormenghast except steerpike. even fuchsia, who is so miserable cant overcome her prejudices in the end.

whats strange in the film is that, given rhys meyers steerpikes attraction and intelligence and force, still everybody is unwilling to accept his qualities. he stays forever the kitchen boy, even when the whole castle couldnt do without him anymore. his despair and ultimate madness are the result of that constant rejection.

the books especially, but also the film, are ultimately a description of a world without love, compassion or warmth. everyone is doomed to remain unhappy within the strict hierarchy and no talents whatsoever will elevate you.

steerpike in the books is primarily a monster and sadistic murderer, whose motive is simply to gain power. why mervyn peake wrote him as the one to propel the whole story forward and at the same time didnt make him into a positive figure, i dont understand. i know its criticising the british monarchy, but thats what makes the books so depressing, in my opinion.

in the film steerpike is the central character, hes extremely good looking and has plenty of emotions, mostly rage and the supressing of rage, (contrary to the books i think, where hes always cold). still the ending is inevitable, because in gormenghasts world no one is allowed to succeed.

the film itself is beautifully shot, the music is great, the sets a little disappointing, but the costumes are truly beautiful. what does outshine most other tv-productions however, is the brilliant acting from the entire cast, but mainly rhys meyers powerful performance.