Bunny and the Bull

Last updated

Bunny and the Bull
Bunny-bull-poster.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Paul King
Written byPaul King
Produced byMary Burke
Mark Herbert
Robin Gutch
Starring Edward Hogg
Simon Farnaby
Verónica Echegui
Noel Fielding
Julian Barratt
Richard Ayoade
CinematographyJohn Sorapure
Edited byMark Everson
Music by Ralfe Band
Love
Production
companies
Distributed by Optimum Releasing
Release date
  • 27 November 2009 (2009-11-27)
Running time
101 minutes
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish
Budget£750,000
Box office$81,010

Bunny and the Bull is a 2009 British comedy film written and directed by Paul King. It stars Edward Hogg and Simon Farnaby in a surreal recreation of a road trip. King has previously worked on British television comedies The Mighty Boosh and Garth Marenghi's Darkplace ; the film is made in a similar style and has cameo appearances from stars of those series.

Contents

Plot

Stephen is an agoraphobic recluse who has not left his flat in nearly a year. Each of his days are structured around carefully planned routines, but one day his routine is disrupted when he discovers an infestation of mice in the kitchen cupboards. He contemplates leaving the flat to buy mouse traps, but can not bring himself to open the door, so he reminisces about the events leading up to his current situation, with objects around the flat triggering flash backs.

One year earlier, after being "friend zoned" by the woman he loved, Stephen went on a sightseeing holiday across Europe with his friend Bunny, who is addicted to gambling. They visit several bizarre museums, but Bunny finds them all boring and is more concerned with seducing women. At a seafood restaurant in Poland, Stephen and Bunny meet Eloisa, a Spanish waitress who has recently left her boyfriend and plans to return to Spain for an upcoming fiesta. Bunny wins the restaurant's delivery car in a bet, and Eloisa accompanies them on their journey towards Spain. They stop at a hostel in Switzerland, where Stephen plans to ask Eloisa on a date, only to discover that she has already started a sexual relationship with Bunny.

When they arrive in Spain, Eloisa is reunited with her brother Javier, an aspiring matador. Bunny decides he wants to fight a bull, so asks Javier to teach him everything he knows about bullfighting. Javier shows him a prized matador suit he keeps in a display cabinet, which Bunny later steals and subsequently loses in a bet. Elsewhere, Eloisa falls in love with Stephen and they sleep together, but the next morning Bunny explains about the lost matador suit and urges Stephen to come with him as he flees Spain. Eloisa finds out about the suit and breaks up with Stephen. On the train ride home, Stephen angrily confronts Bunny about his recklessness, but he misinterprets Stephen's frustrations as a challenge, so that night Bunny sneaks into a field and attempts to fight a bull. The bull kills him, and Stephen is left traumatised. When he returns home, Stephen's guilt develops into agoraphobia, and he has remained in his flat ever since.

In the present day, Stephen imagines a conversation with the ghost of Bunny, who asserts that his death was not Stephen's fault and urges him to talk to Eloisa. This conversation gives Stephen the confidence he needs to overcome his anxiety, so he contacts Eloisa and gains enough courage to leave the flat.

Cast

Production

The film was produced by Mary Burke of Warp X, with financing from Film4, UK Film Council, EM Media and Screen Yorkshire. It was filmed at King's Meadow Campus of the University of Nottingham over 5 weeks. [1] Paul King, having previously directed and associate directed cult favourites The Mighty Boosh and Garth Marenghi's Darkplace respectively on television, uses a similar surreal, nonsensical, and occasional dark style in the film. Like many projects made by ex-contributors of Garth Marenghi and Boosh, the film features several other ex-contributors such as Noel Fielding, Julian Barratt, Richard Ayoade and Simon Farnaby, along with animation sequences by Nigel Coan. King admits "I’ve basically cast it off my speed-dial." [2]

Reception

Bunny and the Bull received mostly positive reviews. Empire rated the film at four stars (out of a maximum five), describing it as "charmingly crafted and willfully daft". The film was compared to Michel Gondry's 2004 film Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind in theme and appearance, with the exception that Bunny and the Bull "manages to tramp down its whimsy with a rich vein of very silly, very British comedy". [3] Charles Watson of underground film magazine Slant said it was "a daft tale of wit and woe, with recognisable actors that go straight into their comfort zones making it as crafty and clever as possible."[ citation needed ]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Mighty Boosh</span> British comedy troupe

The Mighty Boosh is a British comedy troupe featuring comedians Julian Barratt and Noel Fielding. Developed from three stage shows and a six-episode radio series, it has since spanned a total of 20 television episodes for BBC Three which aired from 2004 to 2007, and two live tours of the UK, as well as two live shows in the United States. The first television series is set in a zoo operated by Bob Fossil, the second in a flat and the third in a secondhand shop in Dalston called Nabootique.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Garth Marenghi</span> Fictional character

Garth Marenghi is a fictional horror author created by English comedian Matthew Holness. He is depicted as a conceited hack writer, who remains blissfully unaware of his lack of talent.

<i>Garth Marenghis Darkplace</i> 2004 British horror parody television series

Garth Marenghi's Darkplace is a 2004 British horror parody television series created by Richard Ayoade and Matthew Holness for Channel 4. The show focuses on fictional horror author Garth Marenghi and his publisher Dean Learner, characters who originated in the stage show Garth Marenghi's Fright Knight.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Noel Fielding</span> British actor and comedian

Noel Fielding is an English comedian and actor. He is best known for his work with The Mighty Boosh comedy troupe alongside Julian Barratt in the 2000s, and more recently as a co-presenter of The Great British Bake Off since 2017. He is known for his dark and surreal comedic style.

Andrew Hewitt is an English composer based in Los Angeles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Julian Barratt</span> British comedian and actor

Julian Barratt Pettifer is an English comedian, actor and musician. As a comedian and comic actor, he is known for his use of surreal humour and black comedy. During the 2000s he was part of The Mighty Boosh comedy troupe alongside comedy partner Noel Fielding.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Matthew Holness</span> British comedian

Matthew James Holness is an English comedian, writer, director and actor. He created and played the fictional horror author Garth Marenghi.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Richard Ayoade</span> British comedian and actor (born 1977)

Richard Ellef Ayoade is a British comedian, actor, broadcaster, and filmmaker. He played the role of socially awkward IT technician Maurice Moss in Channel 4 sitcom The IT Crowd (2006–2013), for which he won the 2014 BAFTA for Best Male Comedy Performance.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rich Fulcher</span> American comedian, actor and author (born 1968)

Richard Fulcher is an American comedian, actor and author. He played Bob Fossil and other characters in the British comedy series The Mighty Boosh, and Edward Sheath in the American series Jon Benjamin Has a Van. He has also appeared in Noel Fielding's more recent show, Noel Fielding's Luxury Comedy. His other appearances include Unnatural Acts with Julian Barratt and Fielding of The Mighty Boosh and he starred in and wrote the TV series Snuff Box alongside Matt Berry.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alice Lowe</span> English actress, writer, and comedian

Alice Eva Lowe is an English actress, writer, and comedian. She is best known for her roles as Dr. Haynes in Black Mirror: Bandersnatch and Madeleine Wool/Liz Asher in Garth Marenghi's Darkplace. She wrote, directed, and starred in the 2016 film Prevenge and starred in and co-wrote the 2012 film Sightseers. She also starred in the educational children's television series Horrible Histories.

Dean Learner is a fictional character created and performed by British comedian Richard Ayoade in stage shows and television shows. Learner is a famous publisher, mostly of pornography, but also of the books of the fictional horror writer Garth Marenghi.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Matt Berry</span> English actor

Matthew Charles Berry is an English actor, comedian, musician, and writer. He has appeared in comedy television roles in The IT Crowd, Garth Marenghi's Darkplace, The Mighty Boosh, Snuff Box, What We Do in the Shadows, and Toast of London, the last of which he also co-created. The series earned him the 2015 BAFTA Award for Best Male Performance in a Comedy Programme. As a musician, he has released nine studio albums.

<i>Man to Man with Dean Learner</i> British TV series or programme

Man to Man with Dean Learner is a British comedy chat show that was first broadcast on Channel 4 on 20 October 2006 and released on DVD on 3 September 2007. It features comedians Richard Ayoade and Matthew Holness.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paul King (director)</span> British writer and director (born 1978)

Paul King is a British writer and director. He works in television, film and theatre, and specialises in comedy. He directed all 20 episodes of the BBC surreal comedy series The Mighty Boosh (2004–2007), and in 2005 he earned a British Academy Television Award nomination for Best New Director.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Simon Farnaby</span> English actor (born 1973)

Simon Farnaby is an English actor, comedian and writer. He is best known for his work with the Them There collective where he has written and starred in productions including Horrible Histories, Yonderland, and Ghosts.

<i>The Mighty Boosh</i> (TV series) British television comedy series

The Mighty Boosh is a British surreal comedy television series created by Julian Barratt and Noel Fielding. Starring the comedy troupe The Mighty Boosh, it often featured elaborate musical numbers in different genres, such as electro, heavy metal, funk and rap. The series is known for popularising a style called "crimping", short a cappella songs which are present throughout all three series. Julian Barratt wrote the music within the show, and performed it with Noel Fielding. Fielding also designed many of the show's graphics and artwork.

Spencer Brown is an English comedian, actor, director and writer from London. His style is surreal and contains elements of slapstick, absurdity and silliness. He is currently presenting The Sexy Ads Show on Fiver/Channel Five.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Run-Away (Super Furry Animals song)</span> 2007 single by Super Furry Animals

"Run-Away" is a song by Super Furry Animals and the second single taken from their 2007 album, Hey Venus!. The song is an homage to the 'Wall of Sound' production made famous by Phil Spector, particularly in his work with 1960s girl groups.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kim Noble</span>

Kim Noble is a comedian and artist, and was one half of the BAFTA-nominated comedy duo Noble and Silver, who won the 2000 Perrier Award for Best Newcomer. Kim has featured in shows such as The Mighty Boosh, Garth Marenghi's Darkplace, and Man to Man with Dean Learner, as well as appearing onstage in his own one-man shows and exhibitions. His stage work, by himself and with Stuart Silver, had an emphasis on performance art, as well as surreal comedy.

References

  1. "Bunny and The Bull". Channel 4. Retrieved 23 July 2009.
  2. "Paul King talks 'The Bunny and the Bull' - The Mighty Boosh director goes widescreen". Clash Music. 23 November 2009. Retrieved 24 November 2010.
  3. De Semlyen, Nick (26 November 2009). "Bunny and the Bull". Empire . Bauer Media (247): 54.