The Supergrass
The Supergrass is a 1985 British comedy film written by Peter Richardson and Pete Richens, and directed by Richardson (who also plays a major role). The film stars Adrian Edmondson, Jennifer Saunders, Dawn French, Keith Allen, Nigel Planer, Alexei Sayle, Ronald Allen, and Robbie Coltrane.[2] The Supergrass was the first feature length film by the 1980s alternative comedy group The Comic Strip.
| The Supergrass | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Peter Richardson |
| Produced by | Elaine Taylor |
| Written by | Peter Richardson Pete Richens |
| Starring | Adrian Edmondson Jennifer Saunders Dawn French Peter Richardson Keith Allen Nigel Planer Alexei Sayle Ronald Allen Robbie Coltrane |
| Distributed by | Recorded Releasing |
Release date |
|
Running time | 107 minutes (theatrical) 93 minutes (TV/VHS/DVD version) |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Box office | $1,818[1] |
The soundtrack to the film featured original music from Keith Tippett, plus music from P.P. Arnold, Grace Jones, and Bob Marley, among others.[3]
Plot
After returning from a holiday in the West Country, Dennis Carter (Adrian Edmondson) tries to impress a girl by untruthfully boasting of being a drug smuggler. The girl is unimpressed; however, he is overheard by the police, who persuade him to become a supergrass and inform on his associates. The more Dennis lies, the bigger the hole he digs for himself.
Cast
- Adrian Edmondson as Dennis Carter
- Jennifer Saunders as Lesley Reynolds
- Peter Richardson as Harvey Duncan
- Robbie Coltrane as Det. Sgt. Troy
- Nigel Planer as Gunter
- Keith Allen as Wong
- Dawn French as Andrea
- Daniel Peacock as Jim Jarvis
- Ronald Allen as Commander Robertson
- Alexei Sayle as Motorbike Cop
- Michael Elphick as Constable Collins
- Marika Rivera as Bed and Breakfast Landlady
- Al Pillay as Mary
- Kevin Allen as Shop Assistant
Versions
The version of the film initially released in the cinema ran 107 minutes,[4] which was subsequently released on VHS running to 103, due to PAL speed-up.[5]
The film was screened by Channel 4 on 13 March 1988, as a prelude to the fourth series of The Comic Strip Presents, but this was a version cut down to ninety three minutes and twenty six seconds, equivalent to ninety seven minutes and twenty seconds in the cinema, so missing some nine minutes and forty nine seconds. All subsequent VHS and DVD releases, included the "complete" Comic Strip box set, use the shorter version.[6][7]