The hippopotamus is charming adaptation of the stephen fry. Lightyear entertainment has set a june 15 domestic release for mysterycomedy the hippopotamus. Based on the novel by stephen fry, the hippopotamus has some truly inspired lines and scenes, but the resulting movie is uneven, both in terms of tone and general quality. Aug 05, 2004 buy the hippopotamus by fry, stephen from amazons fiction books store. This is the film thats based on stephen frys bestselling novel of the same name. Roger allam plays a whiskeyswilling washedup poet in the hippopotamus, a comedy that marks the first screen adaptation of stephen frys. Based on the bestselling novel by stephen fry, the hippopotamus tells the story of disgraced poet ted wallace roger allam, who is summoned to swafford hall, the country manor of his friends. Pr company handout t his adaptation of stephen frys novel leans heavily on the elegant profanity of the source material. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read the hippopotamus. Now a major motion picture stephen fry s charmingly misanthropic sendup of the english mystery features an unlikely but necessary hero. Trinians stephen fry 2007 adolf eichmann minister tormer 2007 the secret show lucky leo 2007. Movie clip three months to live the hippopotamus synopsis ted is summoned to his friends country manor to investigate a series of unexplained miracles.
This is the first stephen fry novel to be adapted as a feature film. Im surprised this was never addressed at all in the movie. As the mysteries deepen, the hippopotamus builds into a rollicking sendup of the classic british mystery that is tremendously funny christopher buckley and a nearperfect book entertainment weekly. The hippopotamus is a 2017 british film, adapted from stephen frys 1994 novel of the same name. The hippopotamus by stephen fry, hutchinson pounds 14. Jul 08, 2017 there arent many actors who can take a role tailormade for stephen fry s prosaic, upper middle class cutting wit and make it their own, but roger allam makes the trick work with the hippopotamus. The hippopotamus is based on a novel written by our local boy stephen fry, and that should tell you a lot about it, but it probably wont. Sep 24, 2015 the first poster and image from john jencks adaptation of stephen fry s the hippopotamus are here. Like in a dung heap, even a plastic bead can gleam like a sapphire. The hippopotamus trailer 2017 written by stephen fry. The hippopotamus veers back and forth between the genres of genteel comedy of manners and bawdy sex romp.
Jan 18, 2017 roger allam plays a whiskeyswilling washedup poet in the hippopotamus, a comedy that marks the first screen adaptation of stephen frys work as a novelist. Youll notice we replaced the 5star fan ratings with the rotten tomatoes audience score to help you choose a movie to watch. Roger allam stars as the disgruntled, cantankerous semifamous poet ted wallace in the adaptation of stephen fry s novel the hippopotamus. Stephen fry remains one of our foremost contributors to popular culture and creatively capable in almost every arena. He is the bestselling author of four novels, as well as several works of nonfiction. Ted wallace is an old, sour, womanising, cantankerous, whiskysodden beast of a failed poet and drama critic, but he has his faults too. Everyday low prices on a huge range of new releases and classic fiction. The hippopotamus by stephen fry 9781784755003 paperback 2016. Roger allam plays a whiskeyswilling washedup poet in the hippopotamus, a comedy that marks the first screen adaptation of stephen frys work as a novelist. The story is of ted wallace roger allam, an old poet, brilliant despite his toxic personality and propensity for whisky. Stephen frys book of the same name came out over 20 years ago but the hippopotamus is still very relevant today. Stephen fry was at the height of his popularity, he was clever, droll and sharp. The hippopotamus feels like a souffl that has failed to rise, leaving a film that can only. Guns and hippos dont mix well since i enjoyed so much reading the gun seller by hugh laurie, and due stephen fry is a very good friend of laurie, and it seemed that fry s style in novels can be quite similar to lauries, i thought that it could be a good idea to try some book by stephen fry.
Disgraced poet ted wallace is summoned to his friends country manor to investigate a series of unexplained miracles. The hippopotamus 2017 cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. His comedic screen credits include his roles as peter mannion mp in the thick of it 2007, nicholas hardiment in tamara drewe. May 28, 2017 despite much tweaking with the plot, the wit and erudition of stephen fry s bestseller survives this fudged adaptation, which often feels as though p. See all 23 formats and editions hide other formats and editions. With roger allam, tim charles, rod glenn, amanda holt. A film of the hippopotamus was shot in 2015 and released in 2017. At the time the book was mildly shocking, moderately funny and quite witty. The main character is a horrible misogynist and there are two sexual assaults that happen in this movie that are completely glossed over with a boys will be boys attitude. The film was directed by john jencks and stars roger allam as ted wallace and matthew modine as lord michael logan. Ted wallace, aka the hippopotamus, a failed and disolute poet, recently fired theater critic, and muckraker of modern irrationality, whose war against the unreasonable finds sudden purpose investigating a series of supposed miracles at a mansion in the country.
The main character is rounded out, but hes the only one, with everybody else playing bit parts around the edges, just enough to move the narrative forward without getting to the root of the plot. Wallace is an alcoholic washedup poet and theatre critic who, having been fired from his newspaper job, accepts a lucrative commission from his terminally ill goddaughter to investigate rumours of miracle healings at swafford hall. In rogers illustrious career, he has starred in some of britains best loved and most internationally recognized comedies. The hippopotamus is the story of a poet who is summoned to his friends country manor to investigate a series of unexplained.
Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. This adaptation of stephen frys comic novel relies so. Apr 12, 2017 disgraced poet ted wallace is summoned to his friends country manor to investigate a series of unexplained miracles. Adapted from frys 1994 book of the the hippopotamus, 2017 directed by john jencks.
The film never seems to comprehend how tawdry some of the material. The hippopotamus, as mentioned before, is not for the faint of heart. Aug 17, 2010 the hippopotamus ebook written by stephen fry. Its an adaptation of stephen frys excellent book, and seems rather too much in thrall to the text rather than developing it as a film. Once again, from the author of the liar 1993, plenty of penetration and unabashed chauvinism. Its an adaptation of stephen fry s excellent book, and seems rather too much in thrall to the text rather than developing it as a film. Black adder television series is the place where i first noticed fry and his enormous talent, and if.
Black adder television series is the place where i first noticed fry and his enormous talent, and if you havent checked it out yet, nows the perfect time. Guns and hippos dont mix well since i enjoyed so much reading the gun seller by hugh laurie, and due stephen fry is a very good friend of laurie, and it seemed that frys style in novels can be quite similar to lauries, i thought that it could be a good idea to try some book by stephen fry. Stephen frys charmingly misanthropic sendup of the english mystery features an unlikely but necessary hero. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading the hippopotamus. The basis for the recent movie starring roger allam, matthew modine. Jun 02, 2017 based on the bestselling novel by stephen fry, the hippopotamus tells the story of disgraced poet ted wallace roger allam, who is summoned to swafford hall, the country manor of his friends.
Despite much tweaking with the plot, the wit and erudition of stephen fry s bestseller survives this fudged adaptation, which often feels as though. It centers on a lapsed poet, failed drama critic, redundant husband and hardworking drunk, ted wallace the mellifluously voiced roger allam in a rare starring role. Its a bad sign when a story begins with a warning from the narrator about its 94,536 words. The hippopotamus 2017 rotten tomatoes movie trailers. John jencks adaptation of the stephen fry novel is all allam, all the time. Based on a novel written by the almighty stephen fry, the hippopotamus did not disappoint. John jencks completed comedy the hippopotamus, based on stephen frys novel and taken on from metrodomes former sales slate, stars roger allam, matthew modine and fiona shaw in the story of a disgraced poet seeking redemption at a friends country estate.
A country manor mystery thats actually a deliciously wicked comedy of manners, the hippopotamus is a rollicking adaptation of the bestselling novel by stephen fry. Written in part as an epistolary novel, it is largely narrated by the main character edward ted wallace. May 04, 2017 the hippopotamus movie take a look to those three new posters of the hippopotamus, the upcoming comedy movie directed by john jencks and starring roger allam, fiona shaw, matthew modine, tim mcinnerny, russell tovey, emily berrington, geraldine somerville, lyne renee, john standing, and tommy knight. If you dont like the alter ego fry created for tv, theres always a.
Hippopotamus covers an aging, broke lothario poets time at a friends country house and his relationships. He made his film debut in the mid 80s with the film the good father, where he played a small role. The first 20 pages are rough, because the hippopotamus is pretty vicious like they are and he talks alot about the state of modern british theatre one of the few areas i know little and care less about. Roger allam in the hippopotamus 2017 rod glenn in the hippopotamus matthew. The hippopotamus 1994 is a comic novel by stephen fry. Stephen fry is humorous in person but ive found his prose to be less than enthralling. Despite being a technologicallyupdated ted texts rather than writes letters to keep jane abreast of his progress adaptation of stephen frys 1994 book. Stephen fry based on the novel by, blanche mcintyre 3 more credits. This adaptation of stephen frys novel leans heavily on the elegant profanity of the source material. The hippopotamus quotes showing 126 of 26 but you cant argue that the world isnt in an unhealthy moral state. Stephen fry is an actor, producer, director, and writer who has appeared in numerous tv series and movies, including jeeves and wooster, wilde, gosford park, v for vendetta and the hobbit. I think that the hippopotamus wasnt the best first choice. There are some passages that many may find extremely disturbing, so readers with a moral mission, as described above, should best look elsewhere. Russell tovey, scott chambers and rod glenn also star.
Stephen fry has a remarkable gift for writing comedic novels. This movie contains four game of thrones 2011 cast members, including. Stephen frys charmingly misanthropic sendup of the english mystery, the hippopotamus is now a critically acclaimed major motion picture. This adaptation of stephen frys comic novel about an ageing alcoholic and his apparently miraculous godson relies so heavily on voiceover.
The hippopotamus is a 2017 british film, adapted from stephen fry s 1994 novel of the same name. The first trailer arrives for stephen frys the hippopotamus. Stephen fry is an actor, producer, director, and writer who has. Directed by john jencks the fold, the hippopotamus tells the story of disgraced poet ted wallace roger allam who is summoned to his. This adaptation of stephen fry s novel leans heavily on the elegant profanity of the source material. Ted wallace, aka the hippopotamus, a failed and disolute poet, recently fired theater critic, and muckraker of modern irrationality, whose war against the unreasonable finds sudden purpose investigating a series of supposed miracles at. This british satirical comedy may be a bit of a mess, but since its based on a stephen fry novel, the snappy wit in the dialogue zings with his specific. Partly as, to twist a phrase, in britain the aristocracy will always be with us, but mainly because humans as a species seem hardwired with a bizarre mix of practicality and credulity. May 25, 2017 despite being a technologicallyupdated ted texts rather than writes letters to keep jane abreast of his progress adaptation of stephen fry s 1994 book of the same name, the hippopotamus feels.
Youre entirely entitled to prefer peter barnes to stephen fry theyre very different but dont judge a book by its cover. The hippopotamus movie tiein edition by fry, stephen a copy that has been read, but remains in clean condition. Starring roger allam, emily berrington, matthew modine and fiona shaw. Pages can include limited notes and highlighting, and the copy can include previous owner inscriptions. The first poster and image from john jencks adaptation of stephen frys the hippopotamus are here. The hippopotamus 2017 cast and crew poet ted wallace is summoned to his friends country manor to investigate a series of unexplained miracles. Roger allam elevates a wonky country house mystery with a wholeheartedly verbose performance. Roger allam elevates a wonky country house mystery with a. Filmed in 2015 under the direction of john jencks, the film. Filmed in 2015 under the direction of john jencks, the film chronicles a failed poet who is summoned to his friends country manor to investigate a series of unexplained miracles. Stephen fry started his acting career in the 80s with the cellar tapes and continued his successful run with more television shows, such as theres nothing to worry about and alfresco. Lightyear sets release for whiskeyagogo stephen fry mystery.
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