Back To Barrytown

Itssoeasy

Wait there were two baby’s ? You learn something every day.

Best line in any of the three films. Large baby and small turkey is just such a good line.

Itssoeasy

It’s nice that the main actor says she’ll never get tired of being associated with Sharon Curley. It makes a change from the commitments where there seemed like a bit of a mixed reaction.

Say Your Number

Colm Meaney sounds a bit like Gerry Ryan when he's doing narration.

Atlantic Dawn

I first watched it on a vhs recording a relative made when it was shown on BBC, didn't have a clue what it was going to be about, I remember watching it on a Sunday night and being in tears, my parents only got about 20% of the jokes.

Another scene I loved was when they got the son a bike for his birthday...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j3bLUyPnc4U

Glaceon

I'm surprised that they didn't mention why the names were changed compared to the books. Wiki claims it's because 20th Century Fox still had the rights to the names from The Commitments but it's unsourced.

Itssoeasy

Ah watching that has put me in good mood because that film is so good.

Hangdogroad

Good girl Sharon, that was ****!n A-1.

That was A1 (Sharon).

I got on the Luas at Abbey Street about two years ago and I heard this distinctive familiar voice and I turned around and sure enough it was Ruth McCabe.

The Princess Bride

I've really enjoyed these 2 episodes, lovely memories and a bit of craic too.

JP Liz V1

I always thought Tina (Sharon) was a Dub not a culchie

thesandeman

I hadn't realised that she's the dodgy publican/moneylender in Fair City. She's changed a lot over the years.

breezy1985

Atlantic Dawn wrote: »

I first watched it on a vhs recording a relative made when it was shown on BBC, didn't have a clue what it was going to be about, I remember watching it on a Sunday night and being in tears, my parents only got about 20% of the jokes.

Another scene I loved was when they got the son a bike for his birthday...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j3bLUyPnc4U

In the final scene the kid is wearing an Amore & Vita kit which has become a bit of a legend in cycling for its amazingly flamboyant 90s style

gormdubhgorm

I always wondered why The Snapper felt the most real out of the three films. That behind the scenes programme explained it, wonderfully. Doyle really captured an era and the locals. He got it spot on. When the locals of kilbarrack were spoken to (the woman who was hairdresser for instance) I thought she could easily have been in the film somewhere, and would have fit in seamlessly and blended in.

This 'behind the scenes' seemed to be more focused on the locals than the last one. I suppose it made sense as there were fewer actors carrying the main roles. Tina Kelleher and Colm Meaney (in particular) were great with the little knowing nods on screen where nothing was said. There was great chemistry between them.

That bit where it showed Taxi drivers getting selfies with 'The 'Snapper House' was gas. There was some deeper analysis of the film the director claiming it was Ireland's relationship with church and state. They seemed to run with this theme for a good while.

However, I did notice a blind spot of analysis (it was brushed aside) and it is one I believe Ireland has in real life. The drink culture and Ireland's relationship with drink.

Sharon drinking so much that she not know what was going on, resulting in a rape
Jimmy's sorrow and celebrations all done in the pub scenes. With his 'support network'
Sharon's 'support network' of friends all around her in the pub when she revealed she was pregnant.

Sharon drinking through her pregnancy. Which Roddy Doyle seemed incredulous about that people found something wrong with it. And laughed it off by saying the baby was healthy. Which Doyle and Meaney discussed in a pub while having a pint! Irony lost on them?
It was notably an American woman who first pointed it out to Doyle.

A local woman from Kilbarrack (the bump double) brushed off the issue by saying everyone drank through their pregnancy at the time, it was not frowned upon like it is now.

There was an overlap bit that made me laugh.
When Tina Kelleher mentioned that a woman saw her when she was out shopping and twigged she was 'Sharon'. And the woman said she knew she was either 'Sharon' or 'Mrs Doyle'.

It reminded me of a 'Father Ted' 'The Snapper' link that I had forgotten about.

Pat Laffan (aka Georgie Burgess) was also in 'Father Ted' playing the Milkman 'Pat Mustard' sort of a more 'light hearted' version of Georgie Burgess. A lecherous rogue type.

I noticed that Colm Meaney had a tear in his eye when reminiscing about his days working with Laffan on 'The Snapper'. He seemed to have great respect for him.

Hangdogroad

Re: the drink issue dont forget the younger brother with the top knot throwing up into the sink.

gormdubhgorm

Hangdogroad wrote: »

Re: the drink issue dont forget the younger brother with the top knot throwing up into the sink.

Oh yeah forgot that one!

gormdubhgorm

ShagNastii wrote: »

I always thought it was genius that Matthews and Linehen cast Georgie Burgess as Pat Mustard.

A great nod and a wink.

I see Pat Mustard was mentioned already here. I never had the cop on to link the way the two characters were similar before. Like you say it was very cleverly done.

gormdubhgorm

JP Liz V1 wrote: »

I always thought Tina (Sharon) was a Dub not a culchie

thesandeman wrote: »

I hadn't realised that she's the dodgy publican/moneylender in Fair City. She's changed a lot over the years.

I only knew she was in Ballykissanagels. You definitely would think Tina Kelleher was from Dublin. She nails the accent. The secret is not over doing it, she does it subtly.

There are many in fair city (from the bits I caught on ads etc) that overdo the accent try and force it. Then it sounds fake even if they are from Dublin or not.

silliussoddius

I suppose a ride's out of the question.

Hangdogroad

silliussoddius wrote: »

I suppose a ride's out of the question.

Lol, I remember some priest reading the riot act about that line and it making the papers.

Atlantic Dawn

"Are you pushing it or riding it?" lol.

Atlantic Dawn

The Video Man...I remember lads going around with all the latest releases to rent once a week.

rovers_runner

Typical ****in RTE, no plans to show The Van the miserable c*nts.

gormdubhgorm

That bit where they explained how they got the van into the sea was good. I never appreciated all that effort behind the scenes.

Glaceon

A very different feeling from the producer and director in this one versus The Snapper. Almost sounded like they regretted how it came out.

griffin100

I definitely think the movie didn’t reflect the quality of the book. I still think The Van is the best of the the books. The way Roddy Doyle captures the bleakness and despair of Jimmy’s unemployment and his lack of hope is fantastic. It’s also feckin hilarious. The film is ropey enough and nowhere near as good as the other films.

theoneeyedman

griffin100 wrote: »

I definitely think the movie didn’t reflect the quality of the book. I still think The Van is the best of the the books. The way Roddy Doyle captures the bleakness and despair of Jimmy’s unemployment and his lack of hope is fantastic. It’s also feckin hilarious. The film is ropey enough and nowhere near as good as the other films.

This.

I read the 3 books at the time, and haven't done so since, but I always remembered The Van as the best book.

The film was poorly made I thought at the time, seemed low budget, TV show quality rather than movie quality. Just caught the end of tonight's show, and it seemed they all regretted making this film at all, all except Roddy perhaps.

velo.2010

Interesting that Stephen Frears noticed the increasing prosperity — however small — of the country when he came back to film 'The Van'. Colm Meaney only briefly touched on it, but the contrast in filming those movies is something I would have like to heard more of.

I remember seeing the trailer of the film when we were brought to see Michael Collins at the time, while in school. There was something anachronistic about it... Italia 90 was only six years previously, but it felt an eternity ago to a young teenager. I thought we were past all that horses in suburban fields malarkey and hoped for something a bit different. I still like the film though.

Doyle's four part 'Family' is worthy of a retrospective. I remember the buzz about it being along the lines of 'The Snapper' and then everybody being shocked by the content of the series. It's his grittiest and most disturbing piece for television or the big screen.

LollipopJimmy

rovers_runner wrote: »

Typical ****in RTE, no plans to show The Van the miserable c*nts.

Full movie is on YouTube

Prefect_1998

Why is 'The Family ' never mentioned when talking about barrytown or the trilogy? Its an excellent addition to them. Charlo was a household name at the time of its showing on TV. But I think someone wants to bury it.