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"The winning actor brilliantly portrayed a complex man with complex emotions. His exciting performance was all at once compelling, stunning and magical." Michael Sheen (OBE) won the 2006 Royal Television Society best actor award for his heart-breaking portrayal of Kenneth Williams, a consummate entertainer who was loved by everyone but himself. From the intimacy of his diaries and other sources, Martyn Hesford's Fantabulosa! creates a portrait of a fastidious performer who hankered after recognition, adulation and companionship throughout his career. Yet although he could create a thousand voices and characters, he was unable to live comfortably within his own skin.
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United Kingdom released, PAL/Region 2 DVD: LANGUAGES: English ( Dolby Digital 2.0 ), English ( Subtitles ), WIDESCREEN (1.78:1), SPECIAL FEATURES: Interactive Menu, Scene Access, SYNOPSIS: "The winning actor brilliantly portrayed a complex man with complex emotions. His exciting performance was all at once compelling, stunning and magical." Michael Sheen (OBE) won the 2006 Royal Television Society Best Actor Award for his heart-breaking portrayal of Kenneth Williams, a consummate entertainer who was loved by everyone but himself. From the intimacy of his diaries and other sources, Martyn Hesford's Fantabulosa! creates a portrait of a fastidious performer who hankered after recognition, adulation and companionship throughout his career. Yet although he could create a thousand voices and characters, he was unable to live comfortably within his own skin. SCREENED/AWARDED AT: BAFTA Awards, ...Kenneth Williams: Fantabulosa!
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
33 of 36 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
The trials and tribulations of Kenneth Williams: has there ever been an existence so finely suited to a dramatization? Has there ever been a span of life screaming so loudly to be explored and dissected?
Confused, unfulfilled, excessively complicated and psychotically frustrated - both physically and artistically.
An actors dream I would imagine; along the lines of King Lear or Joan of Arc...
Obviously, there's more to playing Williams than pulling faces and saying "stop messin' about" in a silly voice and Sheen is well alive to this. His representation in 'Fantabulosa' is intimate, amusing and warm. There's not many actors physically suited to playing Williams, never mind getting inside his ever expanding psyche, but Sheen manages both. Impressively and colourfully.
Whether he's displaying cheerful disdain to an adoring public or subtly exploring the dark corners of a desperately awkward and eventually solitary sexuality, Sheen is superb at every asking. There is no hint of accidental rightness anywhere; either in Sheen's performance or in the body of 'Fantabulosa' itself.
The awards speak for themselves.
The script is a tantalizing mix of license, anecdote and extract from Williams own word - primarily his famous diaries. Sheen's voice-over is tremendous, possibly the highlight of the film: delicate, accomplished inflection replacing the bawdiness and ribaldry of elsewhere.
The only minor criticism is, of course, 'Fantabulosa's length. Major characters are whipped past (his association with Joe Orton, for example, is worthy of a film in itself), in order to keep the whole shebang moving, but as it's as much the Sheen Show as it is the Williams Story, even this is not damagingly detrimental. It is slightly vulgar that so much of such an entertainingly full life should be omitted to the appeasement of time (Williams is furious, wherever he is), but maybe that's just reviewer greed.
Leave 'em wanting more....as they say.
'Fantabulosa' is something we often do brilliantly in this country - being done brilliantly again. Moving drama with humour and guile; gripping from the off, and not letting go 'til the final haunting sequence.
Superbly mounted, staged, filmed, scored, cast and directed.
You don't really need to be told to buy this, do you?
Confused, unfulfilled, excessively complicated and psychotically frustrated - both physically and artistically.
An actors dream I would imagine; along the lines of King Lear or Joan of Arc...
Obviously, there's more to playing Williams than pulling faces and saying "stop messin' about" in a silly voice and Sheen is well alive to this. His representation in 'Fantabulosa' is intimate, amusing and warm. There's not many actors physically suited to playing Williams, never mind getting inside his ever expanding psyche, but Sheen manages both. Impressively and colourfully.
Whether he's displaying cheerful disdain to an adoring public or subtly exploring the dark corners of a desperately awkward and eventually solitary sexuality, Sheen is superb at every asking. There is no hint of accidental rightness anywhere; either in Sheen's performance or in the body of 'Fantabulosa' itself.
The awards speak for themselves.
The script is a tantalizing mix of license, anecdote and extract from Williams own word - primarily his famous diaries. Sheen's voice-over is tremendous, possibly the highlight of the film: delicate, accomplished inflection replacing the bawdiness and ribaldry of elsewhere.
The only minor criticism is, of course, 'Fantabulosa's length. Major characters are whipped past (his association with Joe Orton, for example, is worthy of a film in itself), in order to keep the whole shebang moving, but as it's as much the Sheen Show as it is the Williams Story, even this is not damagingly detrimental. It is slightly vulgar that so much of such an entertainingly full life should be omitted to the appeasement of time (Williams is furious, wherever he is), but maybe that's just reviewer greed.
Leave 'em wanting more....as they say.
'Fantabulosa' is something we often do brilliantly in this country - being done brilliantly again. Moving drama with humour and guile; gripping from the off, and not letting go 'til the final haunting sequence.
Superbly mounted, staged, filmed, scored, cast and directed.
You don't really need to be told to buy this, do you?
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase
I love this film and I'm pleased it has been released on DVD
There are some aspects of Kenneths life that have been skirted over
Some sequence of events have been altered possibly due to artistic licence
The film music score has been changed and is not as dramatic as the original broadcast version as screened on BBC4....This is a great pity in my opinion
I can honestly recommend this DVD to all fans of Kenneth Williams
There are some aspects of Kenneths life that have been skirted over
Some sequence of events have been altered possibly due to artistic licence
The film music score has been changed and is not as dramatic as the original broadcast version as screened on BBC4....This is a great pity in my opinion
I can honestly recommend this DVD to all fans of Kenneth Williams
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
I'm a big fan of Kenneth Williams... however, this DVD really does open the lid on another side of this talented comedy actor. He gave us the laughs, but it is so sad to see this hidden side of his life. A man in turmoil in many aspects of his existance, in particular not being able to accept his homosexuality.
I came away from watching this DVD, feeling rather sorry for him - but this still did not detract from my admiration of a comic genius. Just very very sad that his funny voice was all a bit of a front.
The portrail of Kenneth by Michael Sheen is nothing short of excellent. I had seen him play Tony Blair in "The Queen". He didn't disappoint there and he hasn't in this.
I came away from watching this DVD, feeling rather sorry for him - but this still did not detract from my admiration of a comic genius. Just very very sad that his funny voice was all a bit of a front.
The portrail of Kenneth by Michael Sheen is nothing short of excellent. I had seen him play Tony Blair in "The Queen". He didn't disappoint there and he hasn't in this.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Fantabulosa
Not having been a fan of Kenneth Williams, came to this via seeing "An audience with Kenneth Williams", which was astonishing. Michael sheen is truly fascinating as Williams. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Anniemc
Infamy....!!
Yet another uncanny performance from Sheen.
This is a well-paced and sympathetic portrayal
of a very complicated and multi-layered personality
which has drawn on... Read more
This is a well-paced and sympathetic portrayal
of a very complicated and multi-layered personality
which has drawn on... Read more
Published 6 months ago by Bloodnock
honest portrayal
Compares very favourably with a wonderful radio biographical dramatisation I heard some years ago; an unadorned portrait of a man seemingly trapped within a body, sexual... Read more
Published on 25 April 2010 by Hill Walker
Kenneth Williams DVD
For anyone growing up with Kenneth Williams always there, on the radio, small screen and large screen, it gives a good insight into what made the man tick! Alan Cooke
Published on 28 Nov 2009 by Mr. Alan Cooke
Great portrayal of a very troubled soul!
A film best placed in the Art genre. It really gives you a fly on the wall view of a troubled man in the wrong place at the wrong time. Read more
Published on 28 Nov 2009 by T. Robins
what a great man,
This is Micheal Sheen playing the loveable Kenneth Williams in a take off of he's life and career, its great acting and micheal takes Kenny off very well, showing you the day to... Read more
Published on 26 Oct 2009 by Mr. G. E. Gregory
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