Orton's screenplay was a revised version of a 1966 script called Shades of a Personality, by Owen Holder, which producer Walter Shenson wanted Orton to "punch-up", in his words; Orton incorporated portions of this prior draft, but used, as the opening of the story, a concept he and his companion Kenneth Halliwell had explored in a now-lost novel from 1957, The Silver Bucket. He continued to garner praise with Prick Up Your Ears (1987), a biographical movie about British playwright Joe Orton, and the American films Dangerous Liaisons (1988) and The Grifters (1990), for which he received an Academy Award nomination. Orton loves the dangers of bath-houses and liaisons in public restrooms; This film is the story of the spectacular life and violent death of British playwright Joe Orton. While both long to become writers, it is Orton who achieves fame. Written by Molina is no less astonishing. Search for "Prick Up Your Ears" on Amazon.com, Title: Joe Orton's play Loot to be staged uncut 50 years after being censored Read more The plot hinges on the use of a dead woman’s coffin by her amoral son Hal … An aimless young man, Johnny (Gary Oldman), is sent to prison. IMDb users revisited lots of old TV favorites this year — from "Friends" to "The Office," these were the most binged shows of 2020. And now Joe Orton's own turn has come, in the shape of the movie ''Prick Up Your Ears,'' adapted by the director, Stephen Frears, and the … Description. When he gets out ... See full summary ». Joe Orton ’s name isn’t mentioned much anymore, but in the mid-1960s, he was the talk of the theater world. It was a one-sided deal that saw most of the profits go to U.A. When actor-director Richard Attenborough learned that there was to be a film about the late Joe Orton, he called director Stephen Frears and pleaded, ``Can`t I … Meanwhile, Redgrave is a delight. Directed by Stephen Frears, it stars Gary Oldman as Orton, Alfred Molina as Halliwell and Vanessa Redgrave as Peggy Ramsay. Gary Dickerson . Two bank robbers, Dennis (Hywel Bennett) and Hal (Roy Holder), are on the run from the police after a successful heist. A New York cop is recruited to return to his hometown and infiltrate the mob ran by his best friend's brother. On 9 August 1967, the playwright Joe Orton was murdered by his lover, Kenneth Halliwell, in their Islington flat. His carefree swagger is by turns charming and infuriating. A lawyer defends a killer, but soon after he wins, he finds out that the killer is guilty. It's odd this account from Mojo Magazine doesn't even mention Orton. Even supporting roles, like those of Orton's sister and brother-in-law, feel like real human beings. Orton loves the dangers of bath-houses and liaisons in public restrooms; Halliwell, not as charming or attractive as Orton, doesn't fare so well in those environments. Portrayed by Gary Oldman in the film Prick Up Your Ears (1987). His plays "Entertaining Mr. Sloane" and "Loot" become huge hits in London of the sixties, and he's even commissioned to write a screenplay for the Beatles. Archive, 14 October 1996: much loved actor Beryl Reid dies, Broadway Rewind: The Drowsy Chaperone Shows Off All the Way to Broadway, The 1st List Of: Gay/Lesbian/Bi Industry People, Both In Front and Behind The Camera, A Genius Like Us: A Portrait of Joe Orton. Joe Orton Laid Bare is a new BBC documentary about the life of the great playwright. It took 50 years, but an uncensored version of Joe Orton’s “Loot” finally opened in London in 2017 to commemorate the anniversary of Orton’s death. His diaries and plays are examined, and those who knew him and his … He is confident in the story's inherent power, so he wisely gets out of the way and lets it unfold naturally.And he is helped marvelously by the uniformly great performances; there simply isn't a wrong note struck by the cast. Joe Orton's tale is unapologetically saucy, farcical and at times extremely sinister - typical Orton really. 1987: Vanessa Redgrave in "Prick Up Your Ears", Stephen Frears movies: 12 greatest films ranked from worst to best, Mystery Science Theater 3000: Parts: The Clonus Horror. Two minor characters from the play 'Hamlet' stumble around unaware of their scripted lives and unable to deviate from them. Entertaining Mr. Sloane by Joe Orton tells the story of a teen boy who takes up lodgings with the sex starved Kath and her elderly father after a chance meeting at the library. Get movie times, watch trailers and buy tickets. He was murdered by his lover, Kenneth Halliwell, in their home at 25 Noel Road, Islington, London. Things become interesting when Sammy's father comes to visit. At the height of their fame, The Beatles almost made Up Against It – a mad, sexual film by playwright Joe Orton that could have destroyed their reputation. This movie is the story of the spectacular life and violent death of British playwright Joe Orton (Gary Oldman). This is a slickly handled, stylish film version of the award winning Joe Orton play. Gary Oldman-Wikipedia Add the first question. From film school reject to Hollywood legend, take a look at Steven Spielberg's career so far and explore what lies ahead. John Lahr's biography of Orton, entitled Prick Up Your Ears (a title Orton himself had considered using), was published in 1978. You alternately want to hug this guy and shake him silly. (1987). (The scene in which Orton is informed of his mother's death is heartbreaking - for both men's reactions.) I can safely say it's one of the rare cases where I found myself relating on a human level to the biographical subjects, instead of dryly watching them from afar. Bald at 25, frustrated, neurotic, sexually incapable... the character is a hulking mass of awkwardness, but somehow he evokes tremendous sympathy. In his teens, Orton is befriended by the older, more reserved Kenneth Halliwell (Alfred Molina), and while the two begin a relationship, it's fairly obvious that it's not all about sex. He then received a Best Actor nomination from BAFTA for his portrayal of '60s playwright Joe Orton in Prick Up Your Ears (1987). Usage Public Domain Mark 1.0 Topics Joe Orton, plays, comedy, BBC-3, radio. Director Stephen Frears deserves kudos for his warm, understated approach. Orton loves the dangers of bath-houses and liaisons in public restrooms; Halliwell, not as charming or attractive as Orton, doesn't fare so well in those environments. In his teens, Orton is befriended by the older, more reserved Kenneth Halliwell, and while the two begin a relationship, it's fairly obvious that it's not all about sex. With the obvious exception of the horrific conclusion, the issues faced by these two London writers will probably ring painfully true for many members of the audience. Though its description may seem sensationalistic -- a gay man brutally murders his successful young lover -- PRICK UP YOUR EARS triumphs as both a simple human drama and as a biography in which its subjects are made more intimate rather than more remote. This movie is the story of the spectacular life and violent death of British playwright Joe Orton (Gary Oldman). Joe Orton was a noted British author, screenwriter, and playwright who is best known for the plays 'Entertaining Mr. Sloane' (1964), 'What the Butler Saw' (1969), and 'Loot' (1967). See more ideas about orton, joes, kinds of people. In his teens, Orton is befriended by the older, more reserved Kenneth Halliwell (Alfred Molina), and while the two begin a relationship, it's fairly obvious that it's not all about sex. Take a look at the film and television career of Sylvie's Love star Tessa Thompson. The relationship between Sid Vicious, bassist for British punk group Sex Pistols, and his girlfriend Nancy Spungen is portrayed. Ambassadors Theatre, West End, London, England, UK. No need to waste time endlessly browsing—here's the entire lineup of new movies and TV shows streaming on Netflix this month. "The trouble with Western Society today is the lack of anything to conceal," teased Joe Orton in 1967, a short time before receiving a deadly cosh from his jealous Signif Other. Of course, the real standouts are Oldman, Molina and Redgrave.Though his physical appearance isn't dramatically altered, Gary Oldman still seems unrecognizable compared to his previous work; this is how strongly he becomes Orton. I don't usually enjoy biopics, but PRICK UP YOUR EARS is a glorious exception. Kath’s live-in father, hard of hearing and slowing in memory, recognises Sloane from … A group of Devonport-based Royal Navy ratings, due to sail to America for a six-month NATO exercise, go out on the town on their last night in port, hitting Plymouth's notorious Union ... See full summary ». Here are some of our picks to get you in the spirit. Oldman rose to prominence in British film with his portrayals of Sid Vicious in Sid and Nancy (1986), Joe Orton in Prick Up Your Ears (1987) and Rosencrantz in Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead (1990), while also garnering attention as a football firm leader in controversial television movie The Firm (1989). He also looks a little bit like Dana Carvey - just by the by. Was this review helpful to you? A womanizing, crooked cop on the payroll of the mafia is confronted with the reality of his double life after he is asked to kill a beautiful and ruthless Russian gangster. Loot (1970) -- (Movie Clip) Overcome With Grief McLeavy (Milo O'Shea) getting ready to grieve, nurse Fay (Lee Remick) playing the tart, Dennis (Hywel Bennett) having a go with a policewoman, while Hal (Roy Holder) is summoned bedside, early in Loot, 1970, … Keep track of everything you watch; tell your friends. Sloane, an ambiguously sexually attractive young man, comes in search of lodgings, is seduced by the landlady, and desired by her homosexual brother. Her line readings are exquisite and she gives the movie a crisp cleverness without crossing the line into self-indulgence.For all the tragic and uncomfortable elements of Orton and Halliwell's relationship, the movie still features some hilarious scenes. In 1967, the Beatles were creatively clicking on all cylinders and looking for a vehicle for their third movie to fulfill their contract with United Artists. Many biopics don't have strong narrative arcs (simply because people's lives generally don't), but this one does -- primarily because it focuses on the rapid deterioration of the relationship between playwright Joe Orton and failed novelist Kenneth Halliwell. View production, box office, & company info. But Orton's success takes him farther from Halliwell, whose response ended both his life and the life of the up-and-coming playwright. Joe Orton’s Loot premiered on 1 February 1965 at the Theatre Arts, Cambridge, before embarking on a short provincial tour. Joe Orton's LOOT by Joe Orton. This is where PRICK UP YOUR EARS succeeds while so many other biopics fail: while it does not shy away from the sensationalistic aspects of Orton's life, it never neglects the complex relationship beating at the center of the narrative. Both want to be writers, but only one of them is successful. Joe and Kenneth meet at drama school and live together for ten years as lovers and collaborators. It's almost hard to praise his directing because it's so unobtrusive; but this is exactly his strong point. Orton seems to have emerged fully formed as … In 1955 Florida, a Korean vet has a breakdown and is incarcerated in a "maximum security" mental health prison, where patients are abused. Two cowboys have their friendship tested when they fall for the same girl. While both long to become writers, it is Orton who achieves fame. But Orton's success takes him farther from Halliwell, whose response ended both his life and the life of the up-and-coming playwright. Who hasn't felt like Halliwell at some point -- or even Orton, dealing with a Halliwell-esquire partner? Alan Bennett wrote the screenplay. Check out IMDb's highest-rated movies and TV shows of 2020, most-viewed trailers, top stars, memorable moments, and more! A 1987 film adaptation of the same name was released based on Orton's diaries and on Lahr's research. Needing somewhere to hide the loot, they turn to a funeral parlour where they can stash the cash in Hal's recently-deceased mother's coffin. This FAQ is empty. Want to share IMDb's rating on your own site? Sloane wraps the ageing spinster and her closeted slightly younger brother round his nasty little finger just for a roof and some security. ... Joe Orton, to revamp and rewrite it. In addition to his multiple television and radio programs on the BBC, he also played Dr. Prentice in the original stage performance of Joe Orton’s classic What the Butler Saw in 1969. He entrusts his beloved dog, Evie, to the care of his former lover and best friend, Frank (Sir Alan Bates). Nov 10, 2018 - "The kind of people who always go on about whether a thing is in good taste invariably have very poor taste". They live in the midst chaos, surround themselves with intellectual street people and sleep with everybody except each other. A black farce masterpiece, Loot follows the fortunes of two young thieves, Hal and Dennis. Orton came into the picture a little later. Find Joe Orton movies, filmography, bio, co stars, photos, news and tweets. and the Beatles’ ire was directed towards their manager, Brian Epstein. Dennis is a hearse driver for an undertaker. Use the HTML below. Sammy and Rosie are an unconventional couple. 47 of 52 people found this review helpful. Get the latest on Joe Orton on Fandango. You understand why Halliwell is both entranced and insanely frustrated with him. Take a look back at Gary Oldman's movie career in photos. If my memory's right, that would be the award used to bludgeon the unfortunate playwright to death, by his seriously envious boyfriend. The cheeky title, Orton and Halliwell's divergent accounts of their lifestyle together, the conversation with Brian Epstein, and Halliwell's "we were having a conversation" gave the movie a gleeful edge of naughtiness -- one the viewer suspects was strongly inspired by Orton's own approach to life and work.In short, I highly recommend this movie. Biographer John Lahr is writing a book about playwright Joe Orton. This is an original rehearsal script of the play, produced in late 1964–early 1965. This movie is the story of the spectacular life and violent death of British playwright Joe Orton (Gary Oldman). You must be a registered user to use the IMDb rating plugin. It was sent between Loot’s stage manager, Michael Codron, and the Lord Chamberlain’s Office, which exercised stage censorship until 1968. In his teens, Orton is befriended by the older, more reserved Kenneth Halliwell (Alfred Molina), and while the two begin a relationship, it's fairly obvious that it's not all about sex. Prick Up Your Ears The complete story is detailed in the Roy Car book that John referred to (Chapter 15: Joe Orton's 'Up Against It') and also, in Orton's own words, in "The Orton … His plays "Entertaining Mr. Sloane" and "Loot" become huge hits in London of the sixties, and he's even commissioned to write a screenplay for the Beatles. A small-time conman has torn loyalties between his estranged mother and new girlfriend, both of whom are high-stakes grifters with their own angles to play. An ambitious Pakistani Briton and his white boyfriend strive for success and hope when they open a glamorous laundromat. The first radio production of Joe Orton's notoriously successful play first staged in 1964. Movie Info This adaptation of Joe Orton's play focuses on a motley bunch of characters crammed inside a small hotel owned by Mr. McLeavy (Milo O'Shea). Prime Video has you covered this holiday season with movies for the family. 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