So Ricky Gervais Week is over, until next year right? Well no, because I don’t think a week goes past here in the City of Films where we don’t post some bit of news from the world of Ricky, so rejoice! Please visit Ricky’s honest and hilarious blog daily for updates otherwise. Below I have compiled most if not all the top stories we have on Gervais, it might take up most of your afternoon if you’re not careful: (more…)
The TV event of the year for me is the upcoming BBC2/HBO television series Life’s Too Short created and written by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, and is described by Gervais as being about “the life of a showbiz dwarf”, with Warwick Davis playing a fictionalised version of himself. How can it get better than that?
Gervais has told reporters: “I’d been thinking about doing something with a midget since seeing The Wizard of Oz again a few years ago. Then we met Warwick during Extras. The real Warwick tells us these great stories. They’re comedy gold.” Stephen Merchant commented of Davis that “he helped create the idea and came to us with the story.” [see Ricky Gervais with Elmo and Warwick Davis]
Gervais described it as “A cross between Extras and Curb your Enthusiasm and One Foot in the Grave but with a dwarf. That is out and out funny.”
Warwick is playing a twisted version of himself. He’s quite conceited and arrogant and manipulative. And he runs a [small person] talent agency, which he does in real life. Davis said that his character is egotistical and suffers from small man syndrome, while Gervais said of the character “he refuses to live his life as a disabled person. We’re making him empowered but also give him these foibles”.
On Monday July 9, 2001, if you tuned into the BBC, you witnessed history. You watched the pilot of The Office that was written and directed by Ricky Gervais and his long time collaborator Stephen Merchant. The show is about to celebrate its 10th anniversary and Gervais will turn 50 on June 25th.
To celebrate, we are dedicating this week to our hero of comedy with our second annual Ricky Gervais Week. We will hopefully be reminding fans of Gervais why they’re fans in the first place, while making new fans out of non-believers.
Ricky Gervais is perhaps the most influential British comedian ever; he’s certainly an influence in my life. His body of work covers just about everything an inspiring writer and or comedian could hope to achieve. From his days on XFM Radio to sell out stand up tours, Gervais is an icon.
The Office is the most critically acclaimed sitcom of all time becoming the first British comedy to win a Golden Globe. Ricky Gervais has won three Golden Globes, two Primetime Emmys, and seven BAFTAS.
His Fame tour became the fastest selling UK stand up show in history selling 100,000 tickets in 9 minutes. Continue Reading…
Fans of Ricky Gervais will likely know about Stephen Merchant, [IMDB - WIKI - Official Site] he is the co-writer and co-director with Ricky Gervais on The Office and Extras among other projects they worked on together. He’s a very funny man and now is giving us the pleasure of an official website.
His FAQ section I found most interesting as he gives insight on how one could get started in comedy and gives some words of advices based on his own career. They say behind every great man is a great woman, in this case it’s a 6 feet, 7 inches tall lanky, goggle-eyed freak.
Click to size.
Peter and Bobby Farrelly are back with a new movie, it’s a “comedy” called Hall Pass. Yeah those are quotes marks. You’ll know why when after the trailer you realize you didn’t even grin. The only reason I posted this mess is I feel sorry that the great Stephen Merchant (Co-creator of The Office (UK) and Extras) is involved; he’s worth so much more. J.B. Smoove (Curb Your Enthusiasm) also needs something better to highlight his skill.
The title refers to the pass that is given to characters played by Owen Wilson and Jason Sudeikis by their wives. They get one week of free play with no consequences. Something funnier after the jump. (more…)
It’s a town full of losers and we’re pulling out of here to win.
-Thunder Road by Bruce Springsteen
My single most anticipated movie of the last two years has finally arrived, was it worth the wait? I stayed clear of any form of spoilers and reviews, even shying away from clips posted online. Cemetery Junction was released on home video (only theatrical in the UK earlier this year) on August 17th; I bought the DVD (Blu-ray had nothing special) and hurried home. I watched the feature, the extras and then the feature once more with commentary by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant. Here is my reaction: (more…)
If you’re a fan of Ricky Gervais (and I know you are) you likely know who Karl Pilkington is. His round head has a new TV show coming as us, Karl Pilkington’s Seven Wonders Of The World. In the eight-part series, Gervais and Stephen Merchant will stay home in London monitoring their friend as he travels the globe. He will visit the Great Wall of China, Christ the Redeemer in Brazil, Petra in Jordan, Machu Picchu in Peru, Chichen Itza in Mexico, the Taj Mahal in India and the Great Pyramids of Egypt.
Sky TV says: Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant are outraged that Karl has written off the Seven Wonders, claiming they’re all “a bit shit”. “They’ve thrown down the gauntlet to send him around the globe to force him out of his comfort zone. Stephen wants the experience to broaden Karl’s mind; Ricky wants Karl to hate every minute of it for his own amusement.”
Pilkington, who starred alongside Gervais and Merchant in their bestselling podcasts – said: “I can’t wait to get started. Not ‘cos I’m excited but ‘cos the sooner we start the sooner it will be over. The fact the nurse gave me an injection that protects me from dirty chimps put a dampener on the whole thing.”
Don’t take this as a sign that it’s a bad movie, take it as a sign that Sony can’t market a movie with a relatively unknown cast and Ricky Gervais, who hasn’t quite performed as well as many would think in theaters. After hitting theatres in the U.K. back in April, Ricky Gervais’ latest film Cemetery Junction will be going straight to DVD here in North America. Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has announced an August 17th date for DVD. One can hope that the film with get some limited play in time for award season, or am I asking for too much? The soundtrack alone deserves a freakin’ award! This is sad. Just look at these reviews:
Special features include: (more…)
RICKY GERVAIS WEEK is over, gutted. I hope you had fun catching up with Ricky Gervais and the gang as much as I have. Please visit Ricky’s honest and hilarious blog daily for updates. The City of Films has dedicated a lot of time to Gervais, and it never gets boring. There are many resources out there to get your Ricky fix, may I recommend a few? The Office, Extras, The Ricky Gervais Show (podcast and HBO series), Ghost Town and Cemetery Junction. Need more? He was in an episode of Alias you could watch.
Ricky Gervais is an idol of mine, someone I look up to and who inspires me. He is one of the smartest people I have come across in a long time – I would love to one day just have a chat with him about life. The man has an extensive knowledge of the world whose ideas I find often reflect my own, it’s a great feeling. As a fan I can only do my best to share with you the reasons that you too should appreciate the work of Ricky Gervais, his sense of humor and honesty above are often hard to come by with “celebrities”. He makes it look easy.
He created, wrote, directed and starred in The Office, Extras. Guest starred in Alias and 24. Wrote and starred in The Simpson. Lent his voice to GTA 4, SpongeBob and popped up in both Night at the Museum films and Stardust with Robert De Niro (his hero). He starred in Ghost Town, made his directorial debut with The Invention of lying. He finished his work on his collaboration with long time friend Stephen Merchant on their film Cemetery Junction – these just off the top of my head. He makes his rounds doesn’t he? Enjoy…
The men who brought us The Office and Extras (just to name a few laughs) once again got together as writers and directors of Cemetery Junction. Let’s take a look at the long road that has been the production of what is sure to be, a classic. (more…)
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