Tutti Frutti

Tutti Fruti was one of the best BBC series of the 1980s. John Byrne's script was smart, witty and full of lively banter. It cleverly captures the delusions of an aging Scottish rock band who return for one last tour. Although the band don't seem to have much of a following they still believe they should have made the big time. There are similarities to Spinal Tap, but the characters in Tutti Friti seem more real.

Byrne creates an amazing cast of characters and the acting is excellent. Emma Thompson was never better or sexier as Suzy Kettles. Katy Murphy was a revelation playing Miss Toner. Richard Wilson, Robbie Coltrane and Maurice Roeves were all superb. I would love to see this again.

I was too young to catch this when it came out back in 1987, and as it was only repeated once shortly after then confined to the archives it remained a bit of a mystery. However there had to be something about the show as it seemed to be spoken about in terms of 'masterpiece'

Therefore I was glad to finally get hold of a copy on DVD over 20 years on, and now I know what people were talking about, it's a perfect 6 hours of deathly dark but usually hilarious comedy.

The casting is spot on at all levels, a real ensemble of the some of the best Scottish talent that at most levels are still highly familiar today. I love the use of location, whether in Glasgow the main setting or one of the less than glamorous towns on the road, namely Buckie, Methil and Ardrossan. It's almost as if they chose the locations after listening to 'Letter from America' by the Proclaimers.

I'm sure I'm not the only one when watching this to get the most enjoyment from the Clockerty/Toner relationship. Is there something gong on here, or is it merely penny pinching on Clockerty's behalf that Eddie and Janice share twin rooms and cabins on Sleeper Trains. Either way it's a blast.

All in all I'm very thank full that they finally got this out on DVD, keeping it locked away for so long is a crime on a par with wiping all those great sitcoms back in the 1960s.

Been a while (35years I think), and back on the BBC as a tribute to Robbie Coltrane, but it's not lost any of it charm. Every single actor from the main characters down to bit parts buying clothes in the managers shop plays a blinder. They really don't make them like this any more. It's a slow burning, takes it time kind of drama. It has shots that mean nothing to the narrative but look good and raise a smile. I think I only saw it once but I seem to remember loads of lines. In a way I like the fact that John Byrne hardly wrote anything else and it has hardly ever been seen by anyone I know. It made me fall in love with Emma Thompson and Robbie Coltrane, after this they could do no wrong. There's even a cool bit in the Glasgow School of Art.

A classic.

An extremely accurate depiction of a bunch of (almost) "over the hill" Scottish rockers - on their farewell tour. A veritable galaxy of stars, MOST of whom have since become household names. Can it be one (or more) of those big names holding back an agreement for this classic movie/series to be released on video/DVD?

Anyone out there with a copy of this on video/dvd? I'd pay well to get a hold of this - purely in the interests of research, you understand.

Hoping

O T Hill

I am astonished that this is not yet out on DVD. It was simply wonderful comedy and featured actors and actresses who went on to become famous individually after this show.

Basically the BBC description of this show sums it up: "This was a corking comedy-drama featuring dazzling Decalogue and all-round knock-out performances. Robbie Coltrane was particularly outstanding as the rotund but sexy Danny, and Emma Thompson was appealing as the sharp, strong and independent Suzi. Their romance was played out against a background of funny, dramatic and touching scenes depicting a band, well past its best-by date, suddenly finding a new lease of life. Adding to the heady brew was Richard Wilson as the Majestics' hilariously dour manager Eddie (almost a prototype Victor Meldrew), and Katy Murphy as his lippy secretary Janis Toner. A joy." What I don't understand about the (new?) IMDb system is why the most known and regular cast members don't appear on the main page cast list for "Tutti Frutti" - only later under individual episodes.