Film

What's on at the cinema plus reviews of the latest movie and DVD releases

Updates:

Gurinder Chadha on ‘Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging’

Related films

Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging (2008)
Bend It Like Beckham (2002)

Related people

Gurinder Chadha on ‘Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging’

Gurinder Chadha, the director of Brit hit, 'Bend it Like Beckham' discusses her new film, ‘Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging’ with Wally Hammond

The look of ‘Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging’ is dominated by that kind of adolescent girl’s bedroom.
'Well Georgia’s bedroom is pink. A bit too pink I think, but it’s the English seaside, so actually I’d say pastels were the dominant colour. So that’s that’s her boring world, she’s bored of her world and she wants to break out of it. So because it’s Eastbourne it’s lots of sandy yellows and pale blues and then her street that was very pretty with all the pastel'.

Was it filmed in Eastbourne?
'No that’s actually Brighton, we cheated a bit there.'

Yeah, I kind of recognized it.
'I mean Eastbourne has some similar streets, but it’s not as graphic with the sea at the bottom and I cheated there and I went with those, a bit more cinematic, I thought. But you’re right there are a lot of pinks and a lot of chocolaty boxes sort of girly, it’s a girly kind of world'.

It’s feminist in that sense.
'Yes it’s Georgia’s world.'

Directing a film like this, do you have to get in touch with your 14-year-old self?
'Yes, but I did that already when I chose to do the project. When I wrote it, I wrote it like a stroppy teenager. The crew just thought I was mad. In every scene, though, I tried to show a different side to Georgia. It shows how complicated being a teenager really is. No one scene is the same, you know? She’s a stroppy teenager in this scene, she’s thoughtful Georgia in here, she’s selfish Georgia here, she’s falling in love Georgia here. It’s a very different Georgia at the end to the Georgia at the beginning. Hopefully, when you watch the film it will take you back to being that age and help you reconnect with your teenage self.'

You expect the film to be quite frantic in the way it’s cut and edited but it isn’t.
'No. I didn’t want to shoot it like a youth film. Just because it’s for young kids I didn’t want to do speeded-up shots because I thought it would look very televisioney. I think that’s what that programme ‘Skins’ does, or the film ‘Kidulthood’. If I can make an emotional connection then I think I’ve done my job. One of the ways I wanted to make that connection is making audiences feel like what they’re watching is truthful and based in a reality'.

There’s a scene where the kids rate each other out of ten.
'Yes, they’re all concerned about it what they get out of ten for their eyes or their nose and its very, very sweet. Well it’s more innocent. Moments like that, they’re slow, they’re not dynamic, they’re all sat around eating pizza but they tell you huge amounts about who they are as characters, what you’re watching as a film and about their world. In a funny sort of way, by keeping those moments still, I’m actually packing in a lot of information quite subtly and I think that’s one of the things I like about the film.'

Did your past hits come into play when making ‘Angus…’?
‘You know, it is hard to follow a film that’s been very, very successful like "Beckham". Peter Cattaneo who did "The Full Monty", it’s been tough for him. People are always going to compare my films to "Beckham".’

Can you talk about why you cast the comedian Alan Davies?
‘I liked the way Alan read, you know? I liked the way Alan read because he was sort of slightly put-upon dad who was trying to do the right thing. He’s a bit of a lefty who had this lovely little girl and all of a sudden she’s turned into this monster! He doesn’t quite know what to do.'

This film deals with racial identity: did you feel you had to change your essential nature as a director to cope with that?
'No, no because I do consider myself to be a very British director. I’m Indian but I’m also very English and I like the idea of making something very, very English in every department: costume, drama, design, fashion. I kept saying “If there’s anything in this film that looks like it could work in an American film it shouldn’t be in it." '

How far did you take that idea?
‘Every single element. Even the language, any word that they use in America I wanted taken out. Any phrase, anything that made Americans feel comfortable I completely took out. I wanted it to be uncompromisingly English.'

‘Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging’ is in cinemas now.

Author: Wally Hammond

Bookmark
|
Print
Send to a friend

User comments on this story

Melissaa said...

One of the best british girly films. I loved it :D Can you make a film for each book please :D Can i be in the sequel :D Posted on Oct 14 2009 20:39

Report as inappropriate
Melat Night said...

you absolutely have to do a sequel!
i watched the movie with my best friend today and we absolutely loved it! it was amazing! Posted on Oct 13 2009 02:15

Report as inappropriate
katie said...

omg i 4got to saii aaron johnson (a.k.a) sex god robbie is my future husband i <3 him!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Posted on Jul 23 2009 17:29

Report as inappropriate
katie said...

i luv the film seen it at cinemas twice n got it on dvd it is awsome Posted on Jul 23 2009 17:26

Report as inappropriate
Stacey said...

I love the film i soo want another one and i have read all the books ! Posted on Jul 22 2009 13:07

Report as inappropriate
Aideen said...

There Should Definatly Be A Sequal!!! I LOVED the Movie =) Posted on Apr 13 2009 16:29

Report as inappropriate
emma said...

wow!! 10/10 for the film c an't stop watching it. hillarious :D There defo should be a sequel Posted on Apr 08 2009 16:49

Report as inappropriate
tclc said...

i loved the movie ,i watched 10 ime and still am watching it,bu t i like acting and it would be grate if i could preform in a movie like that cause im still younger maybe when i hit 14 or 16.but would like to know where you found out about the auditions like angus,thongs and perfect snogging. Posted on Jan 04 2009 00:41

Report as inappropriate
Hannah said...

i luv this film they should make another one and i am in luv with aaron jhonson whats his number???..lol x Posted on Jan 03 2009 16:21

Report as inappropriate
fernn* said...

This film is the best film everr I've watched it about 7times now and I got the dvd for christmas so I'm really happy, well done Gurinda, I loved it! You should sooooo do a sequel, I agree with Ellie, I know all of my friends would buy it! I wish I could be like Georgia Groome! Posted on Jan 02 2009 21:27

Report as inappropriate
Rolando Garcia said...

Agree Ellie Posted on Oct 08 2008 20:32

Report as inappropriate
Ellie said...

i thought it was a really good film WELL DONEEE. But think there should DEFINATLY be a sequel, i know all my friends would definatly go and watch it! Posted on Oct 08 2008 20:17

Report as inappropriate
Ellie said...

i thought it was a really good film WELL DONEEE. But think there should DEFINATLY be a sequel, i know all my friends would definatly go and watch it! Posted on Oct 08 2008 20:17

Report as inappropriate
Lucy's mum said...

Fab film, higely entertaining. However, I felt that Alan Davies was miscast as the dad. We all know he's a lefty comedian - not a hard-working father of two! Posted on Aug 06 2008 09:51

Report as inappropriate
** me ** said...

i saw the film 2 days ago, well done Gurinder Chadha coz i luved it !!!!! x Posted on Jul 28 2008 21:25

Report as inappropriate