| |
"It's all gone Pete Tong"
is a slang term in the Cockney rhyming style that translates as
"it's all gone wrong," and it's definitely all gone wrong
for DJ Frankie Wilde, the lead character in the film of that name,
which is out in theaters releases this month all across the US.
See the official website for screening locations: www.itsallgonepetetong.com
- the Hollywood premiere is this week at the Arclight.
Pete Tong did a lot more that just lend his name to the film: aside
from his funny cameo role, playing himself disgustedly interviewing
a totally out-of-his-head Frankie, Tong earned an Executive Producer
title, creating three tracks for the film and working with music
supervisor Lol Hammond on the incredible double disc soundtrack
(we'll be reviewing that here soon!).
We caught up with Pete Tong to ask him about his involvement with
the film, and also to find out what's up next for him in the months
to come...
Watch our Pete Tong video interview
Cheekily marketed as a mocumentary, the film's website and filmmakers
claim the film is based on the real life of a "legendary deaf
DJ" that no one's actually ever heard of, Frankie Wilde, the
self-proclaimed "Imelda Marcos of the Flip-Flop World."
Real or not, played by Paul Kaye, the lead is a hysterical amalgamation
of every bad habit DJs are known for, from his bad teeth to his
rockstar partying lifestyle. The mocumentary style of shooting and
editing lends an energetic, reality style to the film, a perfect
match for the frenetic life Frankie leads before he looses his hearing.
The film smoothes out as he finds a light at the end of his personal
tunnel, or rather a beat and the end of his silence, and somehow
you end up caring for if Frankie can pull off overcoming his deafness,
and loving the irony of it all.
This is the movie that everyone in dance music was hoping would
someday be made. A top-quality full-length feature film that while
taking place in the Ibiza club scene, isn't just about the club
scene. It's about what that drives every decent film - human drama.
And it's absolutely hilarious!! Produced by Allan Niblo (Human Traffic),
and written and directed by Michael Dowse as a follow-up to his
cult hit "Fubar," it is a fairly predictable story, from
drug fueled excess to overload to failure, redemption and return.
Sorry if that spoils it for you, but the plot doesn't stray from
a Hollywood storyline template... but in this case, it's not a bad
thing don't get me wrong. There's plenty of madness in the characters
and the details - I don't see many coke sniffing life-size nightmare
badgers tormenting Brad Pitt that often!
I like seeing them torment Frankie though. Or rather, I enjoy suffering
through the entire roller coaster like Frankie does, thanks to Paul
Kaye's incredible embodiment of the experience. From bouncing off
the self-padded walls of his Ibizian villa to the glimmer of hope
when, after he's lost his hearing, his career, his bimbo wife, and
his slimy manager, to when he feels hope in the beat of the dancers
through the vibrations of the floor. Then there's the fantastically
annoying manager with his overheated speeches... there are so many
quotable lines from him, like "don't really smash the ear.."
(a large plaster ear Frankie is supposed to sledge hammer for a
commerical) "...I want to turn it into a coffee table later,"
to his ever present bluetooth cellphone ear piece, some more ironic
symbolism. Or Frankie's bimbo wife, who's shagged everyone ("not
that Frankie seemed to mind, in fact I think he rather liked it,"
says one of the hysterical commentators), to the other absolutely
stellar performance is Frankie's lip reading teacher, who captures
a deaf person's speaking voice flawlessly (the actress is not actually
deaf) as well as delighfully surprising us as she pounds double
whiskey after double whiskey.
You'll be so caught up by this cast of club life characters that
you know you've almost met before, its easy to ignore any cliche
life lessons and sit back (or forward on the edge of your seat)
as the riotous editing and acting take It's All Gone Pete Tong
up to the top of the charts as one of the best DJ films ever made.
Five out of five stars!
-- words & video by Jennifer Warner
|