h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

It's untrue that James Fox quit the acting profession because of this film. It was actually because he had a deeply unpleasant experience at a Yorkshire theatre (he wouldn't say what) a couple of years later.
Also, it has to be said that although the modern Brit gangster films where influenced by this (and Get Carter,)the difference is that in these films crime is not "a bit of a laugh"- it's brutal and deadly serious. Which is exactly as it should be.

Untrue it may be, but it has become quite popular rumour that it was so. I should perhaps have presented it less as factual truth, but it is written in the section entitled 'the shoot and other legends' and as such should be taken with a pinch of salt.

What *is* undeniable fact is that he did quit acting, and I daresay that his experiences on the set of 'Performance' may well have contributed to his decision.

Thanks for reading my entry!

My Opinions;

Yeah, the one to watch out for there is the scene where Pherber and Turner deconstruct Chas. Fox's delerium during this, 'they must be scorching hot' (staring into candles) is apparently genuine halucination. Once again, according to legend - I think as many myths have been built up around this film as any other in history. This is because it is a truly extraordinary film that would have dissapeared into obscurity and probably not have been made/released or watched by half as many people were it not for Mick Jagger's involvement. As such this film is somewhat of a cult movie stepping stone - but is actually better than most other cult films imho, despite the presence of Jagger as a mainstream entryway to the film.

Frankly, the film couldn't have happened without Jagger, but doesn't actually require a real rockstar to play the role of Turner. However, this does lead to a lot of people seeing the film and getting blown out of their uncultured little socks and having arguments about how they think the film is awful - see user comments, as ever, on www.imdb.com Lets hope we don't have to wait until Mick dies before we get a DVD release.

NB: These are my opinions, you don't have to agree. If you don't and you want to discuss your view, then splendid. I don't mean for this to be offensive just to provoce discussion

Fox's retirement may have many shades to it. In the late nineties

shortly after Cammell's death they made a film about performance.

The idea that th film caused his breakdown is poo pooed strongly.

It is not my place to criticise Warner Brothers but as you may be

aware by now a DVD has been releasesd of which I'd like to say

two things. First they have lightened the frames which has an

overall diminishing effect on the film. (Darkness was one of

its compelling qualities), and secondly they didn't remix the

soundtrack for surround sound. All in all I prefer my old

vhs version . But it is still one of the best films around.

Agreed. I still like this film as much as I did when I first posted seven years ago.