Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning. Regal The canine way he reacts to tokaji suggests he has taken method acting to its high point. Refresh and try again. The lecture is also attended by the new local clergyman, Dean Spanley (Sam Neill). How it links to the death of Fisk's brother Harry in the Boer War is the dramatic crux of Alan Sharp's script (adapted from a novel by Baron Dunsany), and the only drawback to its fey shaggy-dog story is the ponderous pace. Watchlist. Parents Guide. Summaries. Offbeat, whimsical, period-set shaggy dog story with daffy performances from Sam Neill and Peter O'Toole. 1972 [12][13] However, rather than opening in theatres in the U.S., it went straight to cable. Then, like magic, inside a scene or two, Dean Spanleyrevealed its quirky brilliance. It appears that the dean recalls a previous life as a dog while under the influence of Tokay. Read critic reviews. I watched a mesmerizing video a few nights ago, a 2008 movie titled "Dean Spanley," starring Jeremy Northam, Peter O'Toole, Sam Neill, and Bryan Brown. Sorry, there was a problem saving your cookie preferences. Your AMC Ticket Confirmation# can be found in your order confirmation email. !function(d,s,id) A funny, intelligent and delightfully adult fairytale set in Edwardian England, Dean Spanley will be unlike anything else that you've seen. Dean Spanley is the kind of film that emerges when a government agency the New Zealand Film Commission in this case and other regional development funds put together a relatively low-budget project where no one has to worry about commercial appeal. It is about dogs; a riotous, fabulous tribute to canines and a savage critique of the low ways of cats, set in a wintery Victorian Norfolk, England, at a time when gentlemen were polite and unemotional. Unquestionably Australian, his role in life is vague and Fraser sets him delightfully in a billiard room a woman - who say nothing but lend an air of sensuality otherwise absent in the movie. The Fisk family has suffered first the loss of its younger son, Harrington Fisk (Xavier Horan), killed in the Second Anglo-Boer War, shortly followed by the death of Horatio's wife. By creating an account, you agree to the Look out for your first newsletter in your inbox soon! All Rights Reserved. This compelling fantasy drama stars Sam Neill as Dean Spanley, a man who remembers his former life as a dog after drinking a rare Let us know whats wrong with this preview of, Published They won't be able to see your review if you only submit your rating. And every man, it seems, should have a dog. One of my favorite dog stories (one of my favorite stories, period). And this somehow inspires the old man finally to give in to his grief over losing a son. Set in Edwardian England where upper lips are always stiff and men from the Colonies are not entirely to be trusted, Fisk Senior has little time or affection for his son, but when the pair visit an eccentric Indian, they start a strange journey that eventually allows the old man Combining drawing room comedy with spiritualist fantasy but leavened by the very real trauma of war and loss, Dean Spanley is a sublime little film that feels like a bit like what might result if P.G. Dean Spanley enjoys the aroma of the wine and wishes that at times like this, "one could possess the olfactory senses of the canine." This delightful and amusing and extremely well-written little novel is the tale of an earnest and somewhat odd fellow seeking to learn more about reincarnation. Murf the Surf: Jewels, Jesus, and Mayhem in the USA: Season 1, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power: Season 1, Link to Marvel Movies Ranked Worst to Best by Tomatometer, Link to Golden Tomato Awards: Best Movies & TV of 2022, Link to 10 WTF Horror Movies to Watch if You Loved. Set in Edwardian England where upper lips are always stiff and men from the Colonies are not entirely to be trusted, Fisk Senior has little time or affection for his son, but when the Drama. It's more a play than a movie. Inventive, and especially so for its time, but dated. It's the favourite tipple of one Dean Spanley (Sam Neill), an enigmatic clergyman who becomes a focus of interest to Henslowe Fisk (Jeremy Northam), the story's narrator. But it is anintelligent, kind and gentle movie, with a lovely tale and a message about the glories of dogs and baying at the Moon. Peter O'Toole said that the film's use of comedy to explore the relationship between a father and son was part of the attraction for him: "All of us have had these difficult familial relationships and I think it's a film for all of us who understand the relationship between a father and son. He claims to be the reincarnation of a dog, which only intrigues Horatio more. My Talks With Dean Spanley 1h 36m After attending a talk on reincarnation with his son, Horatio Fisk meets an eccentric man named Dean Spanley who shares stories of his past life as a dog. Both are funny, interesting, and informative. Nor have we had imposed upon us one of those sentimental Run of the Moulin Scrooge fables of cynics and workaholics converted during yuletide celebrations. Coming Soon, Regal Dean Spanley will never be a box office sensation and it will not necessarily appeal to all. Sign up to unlock our digital magazines and also receive the latest news, events, offers and partner promotions. After drinking Tokay, the dean becomes animated and chatty but the subject matter is confusing to Henslowe. Wed love your help. The elderly, self-centred widower Horatio Fisk (Peter O'Toole) cannot come to terms with his elder son's death in the war and the subsequent demise of his grieving wife. And that there was no greater pleasure. This offbeat father and son tale was written by Scotsman Alan Sharp, and was mostly filmed in England by a Fijian-British Kiwi. PG. Believing in the adage "In vino veritas" he plies the Dean with wine. Instead we've had two cinematic gifts for the holidays, movies that could be enjoyed in any season by the whole family, though not perhaps the very youngest. If you are a dog person you will find the vision of the internal life of a dog hilarious. //]]>, Be the first to ask a question about My Talks With Dean Spanley. Coming Soon. On an outing to pass an idle afternoon, they attend a lecture by an Indian swami on 'The Transmigration of Souls', where the question of dogs being reincarnated as humans arises. Honours go to Neill; it is among his finest performances. The films narrator, Henslowe Fisk (Northam), and his aged father Horatio (OToole) lost Henslowes brother in the Boer War and then his mother to grief. This is, unfortunately, treated as a serious, emotional drama. And instead of the usual half-dozen tales of troubled reunions that end up in grisly assertions of family values, we've had just Four Christmases, though it's a tale told four times over. Third parties use cookies for their purposes of displaying and measuring personalised ads, generating audience insights, and developing and improving products. PG. Dean Spanley (2008) Summary News Box Office International Video Sales Full Financials Cast & Crew Trailer Metrics Movie Details Quick Links DEG Watched at Home Top 20 Netflix Daily It was utterly winning, as we gradually learn that the very proper Edwardian gentleman perfectly played by Sam Neill (no less than a dean in the Church of England) will, when sufficiently in his cups, reveal that in a previous life he was a dog. Small film, big delight. Thanks for subscribing! Directed by the New Zealand film-maker Toa Fraser and sensitively lit by Leon Narbey, it's set in Edwardian England immediately after the Boer War. All rights reserved. The book is just so "small" compared with the movie, which expanded the character count and changed the plot in ways that appeal to the modern reader/movie-gower. Just a moment while we sign you in to your Goodreads account. This book is not yet featured on Listopia. There they meet Dean Spanley (Sam Neill), a dignified Trollopian cleric, and a crafty Australian businessman, Wrather (Bryan Brown). by Collins. Both producers, the director, some of the lead cast (Neill was born in Northern Ireland but grew up in New Zealand, where he still lives), the cinematographer, the editor, the composer and a number of other members of the production crew and cast are from New Zealand. It included the film screenplay, set photos, publicity stills and interviews and comments from the cast, director, producers and crew members. with updates on movies, TV shows, Rotten Tomatoes podcast and more. Tap "Sign me up" below to receive our weekly newsletter Terms and Policies Starting off with the Dean explaining there's different ways the master said Wag. Our newsletter hand-delivers the best bits to your inbox. A soundtrack CD was released in New Zealand on Warner Music (NZ) 5186531802 consisting of 14 tracks and a running time of 41:05. We talk the transmigration of souls with Peter O'Toole and Sam Neill", IMDb Technical Specifications for Dean Spanley, "Toronto Gala world premiere for Dean Spanley", Dean Spanley goes to US with Miramax | News | Screen, Miramax Take Up Journey with Dean Spanley, "Dean Spanley (My Talks with Dean Spanley) (2008)", BAFTA: 'Australia' and 'Dean Spanley' make the long list, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Dean_Spanley&oldid=1108578092, Articles with dead external links from July 2019, Articles with permanently dead external links, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles with unsourced statements from March 2009, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Elizabeth Goram-Smith as a young lady of stature (uncredited), This page was last edited on 5 September 2022, at 05:51. Dean Spanley is an Anglo-New Zealand co-production developed from a novella written in the 1930s by Lord Dunsany, an Irish writer interested in the occult, and adapted by the Scottish novelist Alan Sharp, best known for his scripts for Hollywood genre movies, Ulzana's Raid, Night Moves and Rob Roy among them. They move from everyday reality into realms of fantasy and don't constantly allude to popular Hollywood films. 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By entering your email address you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and consent to receive emails from Time Out about news, events, offers and partner promotions. Their repasts recall the wonderful encounter between Alec Guinness and Dennis Price in Kind Hearts and Coronets. His son Henslowe (Jeremy Northam), whom he calls young Fisk, always visits him on Thursdays; dinner is invariably hotpot and he refuses to allow his housekeeper, Mrs Brimley (Judy Parfitt), to vary the menu. I wanted to read it because of the film, but the two are different works. In the very early 1900s, Henslowe Fisk lives beholden to his father, the difficult Horatio Fisk. It is directed by Toa Fraser, British born - of Fijian mother - who cut his play writing teeth here, notably with No. {var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; The narrative is called "a surreal period comedic tale of canine reincarnation exploring the relationships between father and son and master and dog". Dean Spanley is also streaming at SBS On Demand: Skin (2008) At first, it was ponderous, it was difficult and -for a moment- the idea of walking out was tempting. Plot Keywords Get the freshest reviews, news, and more delivered right to your inbox! the Terms and Policies, and to receive email from Rotten Tomatoes. Reviews were generally positive, Rotten Tomatoes website gives the film a rating of 88% based on 32 reviews. Fisk Junior reluctantly visits his father every Thursday. The Fisks eventually discover why thanks to the tipsy churchman. 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We also use these cookies to understand how customers use our services (for example, by measuring site visits) so we can make improvements. New York: G.P. Verified reviews are considered more trustworthy by fellow moviegoers. The movie is much better. $2. The scene is packed with incidental detail, one train of which leads to Henslowe becoming fascinated with Spanley whom he lures with bottles of a rare imperial Tokay (obtained from Wrather) to a series of dinners. I've known of it for some time, watched the movie twice, and purchased a copy of the hardback a year prior to writing this. A local rich cricket-playing Indian Nawab hosts a talk on reincarnation, attended by churchman Dean Spanley (Sam Neill) and Young Fisk (Jeremy Northam) with his father Old Fisk (Peter OToole). I read this story first as a child and loved it, and have re-read it several times. The book is just so "small" compared with the movie, which expanded the character count and changed the plot in ways that appeal to the modern reader/movie-gower. Strange, the Fisk familys faithful spaniel was named Wag. Norwich, Norfolk: 18 December 2007, Norwich Evening News (Kate Scotter), Wisbech, Cambs: The Fenland Citizen, 21 November 2007: Hollywood Comes to Wisbech, British Academy of Film and Television Arts, "Exclusive: RT Visits the Set of Dean Spanley. Start your Independent Premium subscription today. Dj vu! In 1930s London, gentleman Fisk (Northam) attends a lecture about reincarnation with his father. There is a sub-plot concerning Fisk Senior's childhood that receives an unexpected resolution forming the climax of the story. and the Taglines //By MICHAEL FIELD, New Zealand's biggest climate polluters, ranked, Wicketkeepers under fire after controversies in New Zealand's ODI loss to India, Young man permanently injured after being shaken as a baby, Prince Harry puzzled by the Queen's response when he asked her permission to marry Meghan, Price drop: The small supermarket undercutting the major players, 5 changes that could save you thousands of dollars this year, Quiz: Morning trivia challenge: January 19, 2023, 'Quick dip and a swim' turns deadly for family group, Witnesses rush to help family of seven involved in 'chaotic' crash that left one dead, Christopher Luxon announces National caucus reshuffle, new portfolios to start election year. js.src='https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js'; Ahead of general release, Dean Spanley was shown twice at the 2008 Toronto International Film Festival, where it received a red-carpet gala premiere, the first New Zealand production ever to do so. [2] Support for the production came from both English (Screen East) and New Zealand (NZ Film Commission) government agencies, with financing completed by Aramid Entertainment, General Film Corporation and Lipsync Productions. Very good. Principal filming began at Wisbech in Cambridgeshire (including Wisbech Castle and Peckover House) on 10 November 2007, continuing for some weeks and taking in the heritage area of the Crescent, the Castle and the museum. There they meet Dean Spanley (Sam Neill), a dignified Trollopian cleric, and a crafty Australian businessman, Wrather (Bryan Brown). The scene is packed with incidental detail, one train of which leads to Henslowe becoming fascinated with Spanley whom he lures with bottles of a rare imperial Tokay (obtained from Wrather) to a series of dinners. Receiving a standing ovation at the gala premiere, initial commentary was positive, with particular praise for O'Toole's performance and the final "act". 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