Forsyths next film was the 1984 comfort and joy, about a glasgow radio dj caught in a rivalry between ice cream companies, which again featured clare grogan. I happened to catch this on lifetime when it aired and was thrilled when it was released to dvd. The deaths of vandriver andrew boyle who had resisted being involved in drug dealing and his family happened in april 1984, four months before comfort and joy was released, and as star bill paterson acknowledges, this had an impact on the film s reception. It begins as a story about those dim, lonely days following a breakup, and turns into a fantastical tale of the dark underworld behind ice cream vendor territorial disputes. Bill paterson plays alan dickie bird, a popular radio personality experiencing a midlife crisis. Comfort and joy 1984 written and directed by bill forsyth whats it about. Mark knopfler joy from comfort and joy official video. After his girlfriend unexpectedly leaves him, allan dicky bird, a dj in glasgow, is headed towards a lonely christmas when he gets wrapped up in an odd, escalating war between rival ice cream vendors. This film is not currently playing on mubi but 30 other great films are. A melancholy radio disc jockey who finds himself mediating between two rival ice cream families. Comfort and joy is a 1984 film about a radio host who tries to settle a feud between two families. Mark knopfler music from the film comfort and joy discogs. Jonathan coe on comfort and joy bill forsyth, 1984. Comfort and joy is still a treat, though, its dry humour a return to the style of forsyths zerobudget debut.
A disc jockey from glasgow scotland loses his neerdowell shoplifting girlfriend and then becomes involved with a couple of mafia clans who are in the midst of warring over territorial rights. Comfort and joy, starring nancy mckeon comfort and joy justice league episode, an episode of the animated series. Comfort and joy 1984 film comfort and joy quotes at the internet movie database. And it somehow avoids offputting levels of cynicism. His nickname is dickey bird, and he specializes in the 6. After he witnesses an attack on an ice cream van by angry competitors, he is led into the struggle between two italian families over the ice cream market of glasgow. Joy is taken from the original soundtrack of the 1984 scottish comedy film comfort and joy directed by bill forsyth and starring bill paterson. Oscars best picture winners best picture winners golden globes emmys san diego comiccon new york comic con sundance film festival. Comfort and joy 1984 marks a watershed in several respects. Here, for example, is bill forsyths comfort and joy, one of the happiest and most engaging movies you are likely to see this year, and it comes from a glasgow director who. When his girlfriend walks out on him, alan dicky bird paterson grits his teeth and plugs away at his sugarcoated job as a dj on a glasgow local. Like most forsyth films, comfort and joy is warm and gentle without being cloying or maudlin. It wasnt a great time to launch a lighthearted look at the icecream business in. Born today most popular celebs most popular celebs celebrity news.
The album contains music composed for the 1984 film comfort and joy, written and directed by bill forsyth. Comfort and joy, directed by bill forsyth comfort and joy, soundtrack album to the film. The 1987 film housekeeping, an adaptation of marilynne robinsons 1981 novel, was forsyths first american work. Dont be alarmed by the slightly misty, lower quality main titles sequence. In comfort and joy, alan bill paterson is a glasgow radio disc jockey whose air name is the chirpy dickey bird. Oscars best picture winners best picture winners golden globes emmys san diego comiccon new york comic con sundance film festival toronto intl film festival awards central festival central all events. And then, in the late summer of 1984, forsyth presented his latest comedy to the world.
A wonderful film, rivaling many of forsyths more wellknown efforts, including local hero and gregorys girl. Comfort and joy is a charming film on its own, but something of a disappointment when compared to gregorys girl and local hero, in which the inventions were more consistently comic. Bill patersons alan dickie bird is a partridgesque local radio dj whose life starts to unravel when his kleptomaniac girlfriend leaves him. With bill paterson, eleanor david, clare grogan, alex norton. Comfort and joy is a charming film on its own, but something of a disappointment when. Mark knopfler music from the film comfort and joy 1984.
Comfort and joy 1984 rotten tomatoes movie trailers. Dec 05, 2009 jonathan coe on comfort and joy bill forsyth, 1984. Comfort and joy is a soundtrack album by british singersongwriter and guitarist mark knopfler, released in 1984 by vertigo records. The hero, alan bird, is a radio announcer from 6 to 9 every morning. Comfort and joy is an underrated gem of a christmas movie. Winners best picture winners golden globes emmys san diego comiccon new york comiccon sundance film festival toronto intl film festival awards central festival central all events.
Why comfort and joy was underrated ill never know for i found this movie to be both comforting and a joy so to speak. The other actors including the italians who own mr. Alan bird witnesses how an ice cream van is attacked and destroyed by an angry competitor. A lyric from the christmas carol god rest you merry, gentlemen. Oscars best picture winners best picture winners golden globes emmys san diego comiccon new york comiccon sundance film festival toronto intl film festival awards central festival central all events. The deaths of vandriver andrew boyle who had resisted being involved in drug dealing and his family happened in april 1984, four months before comfort and joy was released, and as star bill paterson acknowledges, this had an impact on the films reception.
Comfort and joy 1984 filming locations 1 glasgow, strathclyde, scotland, uk get the imdb app. Studiocanals region b bluray of comfort and joy is a bfi restoration of this feature from 1984. Joy of sex sometimes referred to as national lampoons joy of sex is a 1984 film directed by martha coolidge. Comfort and joy is a 1984 scottish comedy film written and directed by bill forsyth and starring bill paterson as a radio disc jockey whose life undergoes a. In the midst of the halloween season, when the movies are mostly about murders with power drills, its time to observe that cheerful, goodhearted people do still exist on the screen. In local hero, the american played by peter riegert finds himself enchanted by the people and ambience of a scottish village he has been dispatched to purchase for an oil company. Here, for example, is bill forsyths comfort and joy, one of the happiest and most engaging movies you are likely. Comfort and joy 1984 cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. And now comes comfort and joy, about disc jockeys and ice cream wars. Best bit would have to be bill paterson opening his car door one morning to find the front seat covered in ice creams.
Comfort and joy is the forsyth film i come back to most often, and with the most satisfaction. The star of comfort and joy is bill paterson, an offhand, pleasant chap who is always polishing his car. Comfort and joy is a 1984 scottish comedy film written and directed by bill forsyth and starring bill paterson as a radio disc jockey whose life undergoes a bizarre upheaval after his girlfriend leaves him. Bill paterson plays alan dickie bird, a popular radio personality experiencing a midlife crisis sparked by his girlfriends unexpected departure a marvelously written and realized scene. Mark knopfler joy from comfort and joy official video youtube. Comfort and joy, comedy from scotland the new york. Oct 10, 1984 comfort and joy is a charming film on its own, but something of a disappointment when compared to gregorys girl and local hero, in which the inventions were more consistently comic. A tribute to all radio announcersstaff who work holidays. Actor bill patersons portrayal of morning announcer alan dickie bird is spot on. Purchase comfort and joy hopefully released on dvd region 1 soon, as that is my only reason for witholding the coveted 5th star for your christmas film library. Its an optical that must have given the colorist unexpected trouble. This leads him into the struggle between two italian families, the bernardis and the rossis, over whose ice cream vans can sell where in glasgow.
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