Unman, Wittering and Zigo is a 1971 British thriller film directed by John Mackenzie and starring David Hemmings, Douglas Wilmer and Carolyn Seymour.[1] It is adapted by Simon Raven from Giles Cooper's 1958 radio drama Unman, Wittering and Zigo.[2]
Unman, Wittering and Zigo | |
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Directed by | John Mackenzie |
Written by | Simon Raven |
Based on | play by Giles Cooper |
Produced by | Gareth Wigan |
Starring | David Hemmings Douglas Wilmer Carolyn Seymour Hamilton Dyce |
Cinematography | Geoffrey Unsworth |
Edited by | Fergus McDonell |
Music by | Michael J. Lewis |
Production companies | Hemmings Mediaarts |
Distributed by | Paramount Pictures |
Release dates |
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Running time | 102 minutes |
Country | United Kingdom |
Language | English |
The movie's title was parodied in Little Britain,[citation needed] and by Rowan Atkinson in a very well-received sketch for one of the early Secret Policeman's Ball concerts for Amnesty International.[citation needed] [3]
A new teacher arrives at a school and begins to suspect his predecessor was murdered by the pupils, though his suspicions are written off as paranoia. He sets out to prevent the same fate from befalling him.
The closing credits also list Zigo (who never appears in the film) as "absent".
The radio play was adapted for BBC TV in 1965.[5]
Film rights were bought by Mediarts, a new company established in London and Hollywood. It was to be the first of four pictures from the company, the others being the directorial debut of Frederic Raphael, a screenplay by Dory Previn and a script by Odie Hawkins.[6] Paramount agreed to distribute.[7]
David Hemmings made the film without telling Hemdale, the company who had exclusive call on his services. This led to a lawsuit.[8]
Filming began in August 1970.[9]
The film was set in Cornwall. Some outdoor scenes were filmed at St David's College Llandudno, Wales, and nearby St. Tudno's churchyard, Great Orme, but others and interior scenes were mostly filmed in the buildings of Reading Blue Coat School, Sonning, Berkshire, using some of its pupils as extras during the summer holidays.[10]
The BFI's Screenonline called it "a finely wrought psychological suspense drama."[11]
Leonard Maltin's Movie Guide rates the film three stars, calling it, "[A] nifty little sleeper...creepy, chilling mystery, loaded with twists..."[12]
unman, wittering & zigo 1971.
Films directed by John Mackenzie | |
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