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Morriss: A life with bells on


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This is being discussed on Mudcat and anything good for the Morris should be good for the concertina world I would think.

 

http://www.morrismovie.com/

 

Fascinating! Made me sit right down and play "Princess Royal" ... :rolleyes:

 

Funny enough, this is the second forum "heads-up" I've seen for this film. You'd never guess where the other sighting report was: the forum of the Pagan Federation International!

 

There's more to Morris than just concertinas and big sticks, you know! ;)

 

Cheers,

John

 

OTOH they had a very modest version of the cerne abbas giant in the trailer :unsure:

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OTOH they had a very modest version of the cerne abbas giant in the trailer :unsure:

 

True!

But again OTOH the anthropologists put Morris very close to Mumming, and Mumming is definitely a survival of Pagan Winter Solstice death-and-resurrection rituals.

I just wonder where my ex-Salvation Army Triumph duet would fit in ... :lol:

 

Cheers,

John

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Mumming is definitely a survival of Pagan Winter Solstice death-and-resurrection rituals.

 

Based on what evidence? Most of this "pagan survival" stuff is modern speculation. As little or nothing is known of pagan religious practices (see Ronald Hutton's book "The pagan religions of the ancient British Isles") it's impossible to prove.

 

Now, "survival of post-Enclosures demanding-money-with-menaces practices", I could believe (see Bob Bushaway's book "By Rite"). ;)

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I have just seen that The Alan Titchmarsh Show on ITV 3 is about to feature this film. If you're quick, have a gander.

 

Ian

 

Update.

 

I've just watched this and it was a fair showing for the film with Titchmarsh saying how much he liked it too. Sounds to me like it may make it to the big screen soon.

 

Ian

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Based on what evidence? Most of this "pagan survival" stuff is modern speculation.

 

But, my dear Dave, EVERYTHING we talk about on this or any forum, or in the pub, or at the session, is modern speculation! :P

 

Good thing, too! The same old specualtions wouldn't be interesting. Except for the young folks, who haven't heard them before. ;)

 

Cheers,

John

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OK, Oive ziddet. Its near enough to real life, but may need subtitles for a transatlantic release, since the accents are strong. Everyone else seemed to enjoy it too. I was especially pleased to see the The Yeovil Rodeos featured, plus the shots of Dorchester International Airport. The Californian Cotswold was a bit of a disappointment, as they should have been aiming for much more lift in their steps. But on the whole, an honest representation. See what you think when you see it......

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OK, Oive ziddet. Its near enough to real life, but may need subtitles for a transatlantic release, since the accents are strong.

 

But surely Transatlantic accents are even stronger! :unsure:

 

One film that I'd have really needed subtitles for was from across the Pond in the other direction: the Johnny Cash biography "Walk the Line". Now, those were strong accents! :o

 

Cheers,

John

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Mumming is definitely a survival of Pagan Winter Solstice death-and-resurrection rituals.

 

Based on what evidence? Most of this "pagan survival" stuff is modern speculation. As little or nothing is known of pagan religious practices (see Ronald Hutton's book "The pagan religions of the ancient British Isles") it's impossible to prove.

 

Now, "survival of post-Enclosures demanding-money-with-menaces practices", I could believe (see Bob Bushaway's book "By Rite"). ;)

 

See also the books by John Forrest and John Cutting. The whole 'pagan' nonsense was introduced by a combination of denouncements from the church pulpit during the Reformation (anything the church couldn't either control or make money from was immediately branded pagan, including football!) and subsequently picked up as a truism without any evidence whatsoever.

 

"Survival of post-Enclosures demanding-money-with-menaces practices" is just about bang on, especially for Border and Molly!

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  • 2 weeks later...

The American Public Radio program, "Marketplace," did a feature on the film on Friday. Basically, it said "The Full Monty," "Four Weddings and a Funeral," and "Slumdog Millionnaire" were all shunned by their home countries until they made it big in the USA. Why couldn't it happen with this one? You can hear the piece here. It's about 23 minutes into the broadcast.

 

Note the "jig" pun in the title of the web page. Whoever assembled the page knows a little more about Morris Dancing than is revealed in the audio.

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From Lucy on their facebook page:

 

Lucy wrote Yesterday, at 13:29

Morris has been invited to the Seattle Film Festival as their official selection!

Lucy wrote at 10:27

Hi all.

 

CBS will be filming a piece on MORRIS at the matinee of the Tisbury screening (March 14th). This is a chance to show America just how much you want to see the film. Again, who fancies a Morris flash mob?

Maybe it will come to the States

 

Thanks

Leo

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Will it be coming to the States? I found the trailer on YouTube and I would be interested in watching it, even though I don't really know that much about Morris (*gasp*). It looks interesting.....forgive me, I haven't read this whole thread, so if I'm repeating something other people have said it's not intentional! (I just didn't have the time, y'know? Have to run so I can practice my concertina! :unsure: )

 

 

 

OK, Oive ziddet. Its near enough to real life, but may need subtitles for a transatlantic release, since the accents are strong.

 

But surely Transatlantic accents are even stronger! :unsure:

 

One film that I'd have really needed subtitles for was from across the Pond in the other direction: the Johnny Cash biography "Walk the Line". Now, those were strong accents! :o

 

Cheers,

John

 

That's okay, I already watch everything with subtitles.....and not just because the overwhelming majority of the movies I decide to watch have British actors in them, I just like having the words there.

I remember watching Walk the Line...it was a while ago. I don't recall particularly strong accents, of course, I don't remember a lot of things, so that's not much of an indicator. Besides, I probably had subtitles! :ph34r:

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Hello those who live across the pond....

 

Have any of you seen the movie Morris: A Life with Bells on ....yet????

 

Is it worth us pitching a fit to get it here in the US???? Surely someone there has see it to give us a review.

 

Pam

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Hello those who live across the pond....

 

Have any of you seen the movie Morris: A Life with Bells on ....yet????

 

Is it worth us pitching a fit to get it here in the US???? Surely someone there has see it to give us a review.

 

Pam

Here's a review that was posted on the Morris Dance Discussion List in January, and shamelessly cross-posted here (I could have easily posted a link to the archives, which are publicly available):

 

Date: Sat, 31 Jan 2009 00:51:24 +0000

From: Malcolm Bebb <bebb@NTLWORLD.COM>

Subject: Morris movie at Fordingbridge

 

Saw the movie tonight at Fordingbridge, and thoroughly enjoyed it. They had a full house (around 150, in the town hall) with a good show of Morris people.

 

The director and leading actor "Derecq" joined us at the end of the show, and chatted to all and sundry.

 

We had BBC Breakfast TV and Radio Solent present all through, I got filmed putting my kit on (!) - no, not all of it, I already had my whites on...

 

I won't say much about the film, except that it was far enough away from "real" morris that it didn't tread on our toes. Some thought that the representation of Morris dancing could have been a bit more macho, but it didn't show the dancers as a bunch of poofters either.

 

There were a few regional jokes that only someone from south west England would understand, there were a number of jokes that only Morris or maybe folk people would fully appreciate, but the general audience did seem to enjoy it.

 

Bourne River Morris did a little bit of a warm-up in kit, with some music and improvised dancing, at the prior invitation of the organisers.

 

The report (if it makes it!) will be on BBC breakfast TV on Tuesday, some time between 6 and 9 am, according to info supplied. But maybe only in the south. Several of us were interviewed by the radio but I have no idea when it will go out, if at all of course. If anyone can get a recording of either and extract it I would love a copy since I won't be able to watch.

 

Would I recommend it? Yes, I had a good laugh. Would I see it again? Yes. Would I pay full price to see it again? Yes. Are they making a DVD? Wouldn't commit.

 

There were brief clips of a number of local sides, maybe a couple of minutes of real sides from the Wimborne FF (Phoenix, Quayside Cloggies, Sarum, Bourne River, Old Harry and a few others - some cloggies and border that I didn't recognise. And the Wimborne Militia and town crier did very well out of it.

 

Malcolm

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We've got tickets to see it on March 20th. If no-one's written a review by then, I will.

 

Chris

 

 

Oh Please write a review!!!! We are trying to get our local small movie theater to get it here in Murphy, NC-USA. In our small rual area we have 4 teams, Border morris, Garland, Northwest Clogs, Rapper and a GREAT band!!!!!!

So with all of the team members, family and friends we could fill up the theater. What would really be fun is to have a dance event and then play the movie in the theater. So you folks in the UK as soon as this movie goes to DVD please post it so us in the US can get a copy.

 

Pam

BRasstown, NC

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In our small rual area we have 4 teams, Border morris, Garland, Northwest Clogs, Rapper and a GREAT band!!!!!!

I'm seriously impressed! As I say, if no-one else does first, I will write something after I see it on March 20th.

 

Chris

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  • 2 weeks later...

Well, I've seen the film, and ...

 

 

 

 

 

and ...

 

 

 

 

 

 

and ...

 

 

 

 

 

 

It's an absolute hoot! I completely loved it. So did the rest of our side, and so far as I can tell so did the dozen or so other morris sides in the audience. It was a big audience and quite a social occasion, which meant that there was plenty of laughter out loud. The makers have acomplished a difficult balancing act, I think. The script is witty and pokes gentle fun at the morris, but somehow without belittling it. The only thing is, should there actually be a Californian side called Orange County Morris then they should probably stay away.

 

Beautifully acted, watch out for Derek Jacobi as squire of the Morrris Circle and the villain of the piece, in his plush Morris Circle offices overlooking the Gherkin in the heart of the City of London. Look out also for a brilliant site gag involving a close relative of the Cerne Abbas giant.

 

Chris

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