The Menu
00:38:40
About
Take your place at table, as we partake of Mark Mylod’s “The Menu”. A fine film dining experience in which it’s impossible to fill up on bread; a nasty word in the right ear ensures the meat is correctly hung to mature naturally; and the finger buffet is literally that. As a dark satire, “The Menu” has multiple targets to chew over; the arts and the intentions of those who produce, patronise, parasite off them; the pretensions of Nouvelle cuisine (aka “Poncey Cooking”); the near cult-like status and power that chefs enjoy and abuse; the exploitation and mistreatment those in the service industry can expect (particularly when the customer is rich); the dangers of hero worship and celebration of excess to prove your status and wealth; the list goes on. This means you have the extraordinary scenario where you will feel empathy towards almost every character at various points as the film plays out (with the exception of the 3 business bros, who, like all their sickening kind, can go fuck themselves, and get everything they deserve). Watch (or re-watch) to avoid spoilers and join us.
Adam's research
Verbatim lifts from Adam's own words in the episode. Click a timestamp to hear him say it.
- Supporting cast filmographies and related projects
But it's, um, yeah, and and, um, I love, uh, John uh Lezamo is always. Fucking great in stuff. And I hadn't seen him in anything for a very long time when this came out. … And he played the fiery warlike Tybalt. … Oh, fuck, yes, I love that. … Yes. Yeah. But he was, he's in, um, oh, he's in Land of the Dead, the fourth Romero zombie film. Which maybe we should, I mean, I'd like to get round to doing day at some point and then land. Mostly because it's, oh, look, there's Dennis Hopper providing the blueprint for Donald Trump. You know, it's just as this absolutely appalling human being. But yeah, and and but weirdly enough, I found out that just after this finished, um, just after this came out. Um, he actually did a he did a TV series called, like, I think it was what was it? Uh, I did write it down. Uh, yeah, Lezamu Does America, which is a travel and food show. So even that saying, you know, it's like, I'll just do, I'll do a travel and food show, that's what all the actors are doing. … But yeah, I mean and, um, also, um. Uh Lillian the critic, that's uh Janet Mcteer from. Uh, the Hammer Woman in Black, so she goes all the way back to episode one of the podcast. And, um, yeah, and I think they, they're perfect.
- Director Mark Mylod's extensive filmography
And I didn't really know. I didn't really or I I thought I didn't know much about that Mark Mylod the director has done. Um, and he's done a lot of uh he's British, but he's done a lot of American tele, so he did like Succession. I think he was one of the executive producers on that as well. Uh, he did a few episodes of Game of Thrones, Last of Us, Minority Report, the US version of Shameless. I think he was an executive producer on that Once Upon a Time. Um, film-wise he's done Ali G in the House and a dark comedy called The Big White that's got Robin Williams in it. But and here's the bit that got me, cuz suddenly I was like, I'm really fucking unbold here. Over in the UK, he did episodes of The Fast Show, Shooting Stars, The Royal Family, uh, The Vican Bob Randall and Hotchcock, um, the Dave Saint Show. All rise for Julian Cleary, but Deal Syndrome. Uh, the all six episodes of Bang Bang it's Reeves and Mortimer. And he did, um, there was a thing in '96, they did a thing called Doctor Who Knight and they had some sketches with David Williams and Mark Gatis and he directed two of those sketches. And it's like, oh my god, I've been watching this guy's stuff for fucking years and I didn't even I didn't even realize, you know.
- Nicholas Hoult's early career appearances
On on a side note as well, with Nicholas Holt, when I was again going evoking, uh. Because I mean, he is a fine comic actor as it is. But he's in Bras Eye as a kid, he's one of the school kids in Bras Eye in the drugs episode, obviously. And um and even. And here's another blast from the past from for you, Lee, he's also in World of Pub when he was a kid.
- Casting and character inspiration trivia
And actually, I mean, when I was looking, when I was looking up about this, apparently at one point they were going to um they wanted the movie star. They originally wrote that role for Daniel Radcliff. And for him to be Daniel Radcliff, actually, you know, because I think at that point, people realized that he was out for a laugh. So he'd actually appear as himself and be like, I don't know. I don't know what the shit film would have been. But they were planning about. But he, um, but apparently John Lezamu said that he, um, he pasted it on, um, Steven Seagal. He did a film with Steven Seagal called Executive Decision and yeah, basically Steven obviously left something of an impression there cuz he just, you know, it's like, I've got to play this vain, Odious, good for nothing, toser. Okay, yeah. I I know what I'm going to use.
- Food design and production details
Um, the food was designed by uh four Michelin starred chef Dominic Kren. Um. And all the people all the guys playing the kitchen staff were trained. To actually prepare the dishes properly so that when stuff's going on in the background, whatever the way the camera's pointing, they are doing exactly what they should be doing. And apparently and apparently, um, uh, Ho Chau who played Elsa, who is also fucking fantastic. One of the most intimidating like henchman in anything, she's fucking terrifying, apparently she impressed Dominic Kren so much that she offered her a job at her restaurant. And it's like, oh, it's like, yeah, but that's that that is that doesn't say a lot about your restaurant. That you want someone that intimidating to you know. No. You're not fucking with us. Um, but she was also she did the Netflix series Chef's Table. And they the second unit director on this was the director of Chef's Table because they wanted to get someone who was could to do that sort of food pony. Sort of look, so all the dishes would be sort of presented in that way that they are on those sort of shows. And um which really comes across, I think.
- Prop food vs. actual food on set
apparently I think because obviously the majority of the food was prop food and it had to be there for multiple takes and stuff like that. So obviously. But that that actually the burger is eaten and apparently the cast were fucking salivating because like the first bit of practical food they'd been sat there in front of plates they couldn't eat. For all this time and then suddenly someone comes in with that fucking delicious looking burger.
Highlights
Transcript
Show full transcript
LeeGood evening and welcome to Horror. I'm Lee.
ChrisI'm Chris.
AdamI'm Adam.
LeeAnd we're here this evening with spoilers and swearing to discuss to discuss 2022's The Menu.
Leea film which if nothing else is a perfect reminder that no matter what you enjoy or you find enjoyable in life, somewhere there's a group of people taking it so seriously that they just try and to fuck it up for everybody else in the world.
AdamAlso just as shocker is that I suddenly realized the film's four years old because I've been thinking about it as two years old for some reason.
ChrisYeah, even less than that.
ChrisBecause I was like, it's been in my mind since you talked about it on what we've been watching, and I was like, oh that's definitely, I've got to watch that at some point, and then just never did.
ChrisI was like, what?
LeeWelcome to old man podcast where everybody spends a whole time game, where did that time go?
ChrisEvery time, you're like, what, this was brand new.
AdamIt was so long ago. Yeah, but this is worse, this is me reading the words 2022 regularly for the past two weeks and still thinking for some reason that it's 2024.
AdamThat's not just old man podcast, that's Alzheimer's podcast.
LeeI've got to admit so, yes, so I saying it, as you say, it is 2022.
LeeBut yeah, I came to this film slightly later because I think it was one of those it came out and people were talking about it as a horror film, but it didn't look like it was going to be a horror film, so it was on the back burner for me for quite some time before I finally got round to it.
Leebut, yeah, it was, so Adam and I obviously saw it, you know, previously.
LeeChris, would you like to kick us off with your thoughts having seen it for the first time?
ChrisYeah, so I was so put off food for the first, like maybe half an hour.
ChrisIt was the like, so you're just saying it's not it didn't look horror, but the whole thing just feels so horror uncomfortable from early on.
ChrisYeah, like you just like this is going wrong, but really don't know how, where, and then, yeah, as they're serving that like something so horrible about these dishes, yet they're so amazing.
ChrisJust yeah, just the way it's all presented.
ChrisIt's fascinating. I did not realize who who the actors were in this at all.
LeeOh, really?
ChrisI didn't think I'd asked.
ChrisYeah, like I did not remember you mentioning any of these and they are fantastic together.
LeeOh, yeah.
ChrisAll of them.
ChrisSo good.
LeePerfect cast.
AdamIt feels.
AdamIt feels utterly redundant because it's almost like brilliant cast, they're brilliant.
ChrisYeah, yeah.
AdamYou know, everyone's so good in this, but it's, yeah.
AdamAnd obviously, I mean it's, I think this is what the third, no, this is the fourth Anna Taylor Joy film we've covered.
ChrisYeah, yeah.
AdamAnd once again, doing that.
AdamI don't know what it is, she just managed to do this excellent job of strong people who, I mean, clearly physically she is not Arnold Schwarznegger.
ChrisNo.
AdamYou know what I mean, she's not an imposing person, but just she manages to always do this thing of people who are strong in the smart way that you're like, oh, you're going to survive.
AdamYou know, whether it's the witch, all the films that we Northman.
ChrisShe does give that impression.
AdamAll the films that we've covered with her in before.
ChrisYeah, it's like she doesn't seem to get phased by things, even though she is clearly concerned at points, it's not like she's just finding it all easy, but it's she's dealing with the problems as they come along.
AdamAnd and everyone, everyone gets, everyone gets where they, where they're pitched, because that's the thing is that yes, it's, it doesn't look like a horror, but it is, it's distinctly a horror comedy.
ChrisYes.
AdamIt's or more precisely probably a satire because it is just sort of because it, it pokes at everything.
LeeYeah.
AdamThe thing I got watching it again this time around was just the fact that.
AdamWith, with the exception of the three business bros who, you know.
ChrisI actually.
AdamFrom start to finish can go fuck themselves.
ChrisI actually completely missed why they were in it.
ChrisI was like.
ChrisI still don't know why, why they've been brought along.
ChrisSo I must have.
AdamThey work for, well, that's a lovely because there's so many great little nippy lines in this and sort of like snide sort of like remarks and things like that.
AdamAnd they work for because they say, hey, we're we work with Doug Verick, who's the guy who.
ChrisSo he was the angel investor.
AdamYeah, the.
ChrisYeah, right.
AdamSo they're like, oh, we work because that's the thing is they go, we work with Doug Verick and he goes, no, you work for Doug Verick.
ChrisYeah, right.
AdamYou know, and it's yeah, so I mean, but they're sort of with the exception of them, I think it's weird because it's one of those films where you, you find a sympathy for everyone.
AdamOr you you you follow, you know, I mean Chef, you know, obviously Chef Slowik's doing a monstrous thing.
ChrisYeah, yeah.
AdamBut you empathize utterly with his motivation for it where because it's, and you know, I mean, let's let's let's be clear here.
AdamMuch in the same way that Lee talks about interpretive dance is very much how I am with Nouvelle Cuisine or as we just to put it another way, Ponzi cooking.
AdamAnd you know, I mean, I one of Claire's requests regularly is for us to watch MasterChef because we can just slag it off.
ChrisYeah.
Adamcontinuously from start to finish and these, especially when it's just people saying things like, you know, amazing insights like, the thing is with fish is it's got to be cooked really well.
LeeYeah.
AdamOh, thanks for that, son, you know, what an insight, you know what I mean?
AdamThis is I can tell that was worth your years at fucking, you know.
AdamCordon Bleu school or whatever it is.
AdamBut.
LeeAbsolutely.
AdamYou know, so but it is still an art and I get that, I love that idea of someone who's just had their art diminished for them to the point that and and that's, you know, I mean, that's the point at the end that really she points out to him that it's like, you're not doing any of this with love.
ChrisYeah, yeah.
ChrisThat was such a good.
LeeYeah.
ChrisWay to to sort of bring in something that finished it.
ChrisYeah, like that works so well.
LeeIt is, it's, it's like I said at the beginning, it is, it's that thing of liking something, but then taking it to such a ridiculous extreme that you don't realize that you've stopped loving it and it's, it's you've taken all the joy out of it and you're like, well, if you're not enjoying it, what is the point of any of it, you know?
ChrisAnd and it's all the other humans that added to that.
LeeYeah.
ChrisEnjoyment.
Chrisand then I think that's what really set me up.
ChrisNicholas Holt.
Chriswhat was his.
LeeCharacter?
Chris
ChrisThe way he's talking about all all of the everything.
ChrisJust from the start, you're like, you're putting me off all of this.
ChrisWhich is, of course, the point.
ChrisAnd then when he cooks his dish, that is that is so good.
AdamOh, yeah.
ChrisBecause it's just awful.
AdamAgain, it's that thing that you can you can, I mean he is very much, you know, I mean, he is an awful person, an awful human being.
ChrisBut in such a mundane way.
AdamBut also that sort of you do understand you do understand fangirling over something, you know, in his case, it's it's it's food and Chef Slowik particularly and everything else.
AdamIt's like.
AdamSo you kind of understand the fangirling of it, but again, he's bled all of his joy out of it by obsessing over it.
AdamAnd also just at the end of the day where it's like that just the the demeaning him by like, all right, prick, step up.
ChrisYeah.
AdamAnd then just saying to and utterly destroying his sort of dreams and everything else like that.
AdamBecause it's because it is that thing that you got sort of like it's like if you meet someone that you're like a hero or whatever like that, and it's not just the sort of thing of I got to meet this person, but there's also that element of, oh, I hope they like me.
AdamI hope they don't like.
LeeYeah.
AdamI hope I'm not an annoying prick or I'm not like, you know.
AdamI'm I don't want to be the guy that ruined their day or, you know, whatever like that, and it's sort of.
ChrisAnd he definitely is.
AdamYeah, you but you find even in that you find a sympathy.
AdamYou know, you do feel sorry for him, even though.
AdamI don't one question, this was something someone it was like on a on a.
AdamOnline something online where someone had said about this.
AdamThe one thing, and it did make me wonder.
AdamObviously they say, right, no photographs of the food.
ChrisHe's photographing the food.
AdamBut he also knows from day one, from like the first minute, they're all going to die.
LeeYes.
AdamHe knows what they're planning, so he goes there willingly, I mean, that's the ultimate assholeness of it is that he's willing to take someone along.
LeeYeah, that's the he say, that's the point at which you stop feeling sorry for him very, very quickly.
AdamAbsolutely.
AdamI mean, he's an annoying bell from start to finish, but you can't help but feel a slight twinge of pity for him at least, you know, but Yeah, when that comes in.
AdamAnd when when Erin or Margot, depending on, when she just belts him one.
ChrisYeah.
AdamAnd you're like.
AdamAnd you're like, yeah, fuck right because I mean, it's literally, oh, thanks, you know, hiring me for a fucking death sentence.
AdamBut anyway, yeah, so who's he taking the pictures for, why is he risking?
ChrisThat's that's a obsessive.
AdamYeah, exactly.
ChrisIt's.
AdamOr is he even that delusional thing where he thinks, oh, well, I'm on side here.
ChrisMaybe.
AdamYeah.
AdamOnce Chef sees me and I prepare my lamb and leek.
ChrisTyler's bullshit, inedible shallot, leek, butter, sauce, utter lack of cohesion.
AdamYes.
AdamBut it's, yeah, and and, I love, John Lezamo is always.
ChrisYes, yeah.
AdamFucking great in stuff.
AdamAnd I hadn't seen him in anything for a very long time when this came out.
LeeNo.
ChrisSo I was trying to think what else, the only two other films I can actually think of was Romeo and Juliet, which I saw when I was, I don't know, like 16.
AdamAnd he played the fiery warlike Tybalt.
ChrisYeah.
ChrisYeah.
ChrisHe's great, isn't he?
ChrisYeah.
ChrisBut and and Spun, which was another film I loved.
AdamOh, fuck, yes, I love that.
LeeI've not seen that.
ChrisSpider-Man.
ChrisHe's so funny in that.
AdamYes.
AdamYeah.
AdamBut he was, he's in, oh, he's in Land of the Dead, the fourth Romero zombie film.
AdamWhich maybe we should, I mean, I'd like to get round to doing day at some point and then land.
AdamMostly because it's, oh, look, there's Dennis Hopper providing the blueprint for Donald Trump.
AdamYou know, it's just as this absolutely appalling human being.
AdamBut yeah, and and but weirdly enough, I found out that just after this finished, just after this came out.
Adamhe actually did a he did a TV series called, like, I think it was what was it?
AdamI did write it down. yeah, Lezamu Does America, which is a travel and food show.
AdamSo even that saying, you know, it's like, I'll just do, I'll do a travel and food show, that's what all the actors are doing.
AdamBut yeah, I mean and, also,
AdamLillian the critic, that's Janet Mcteer from.
Adamthe Hammer Woman in Black, so she goes all the way back to episode one of the podcast.
LeeYeah.
AdamAnd, yeah, and I think they, they're perfect.
AdamOf that sort of, oh, and again, it's that thing like we were saying about where people become.
AdamBecause essentially criticism and I include us in this statement because obviously we're you know, I don't know, are we film review or we just talk about films we like.
AdamI think.
AdamThat's it, you know, we're a positive force I would hope in certain ways, you know.
AdamWe don't like to slag people off unless they unless it's fucking necessary.
AdamBut but yeah, critics where it's this sort of thing of, how have you ended up with so much power as a parasite you know, to the to the art.
LeeYeah.
AdamBut you are the ones that make and break.
LeeYeah.
AdamYou know, and they they've sort of turned up with all these pretensions and sort of, you know, it's but again, so spot on.
ChrisYes.
AdamYeah.
AdamThat you know, it's very much all the world and and obviously Ray Fines just.
ChrisHe's fantastic.
LeeYeah.
Adamfunnily enough, it's been a bit of a, it's been a bit of a weekend because I I saw the new Mario Galaxy movie with Ted, and obviously Anna Taylor Joy's in that as she's voice Princess Peach.
AdamAnd then I finally got around to watching 28 years later.
LeeOh.
LeeWhat did you think?
AdamAnd with Ray Fines is fat, I mean, fantastic in that.
AdamAnd I'm looking forward to now watching the Bone Temple.
LeeBone Temple.
AdamCuz that's going to be even more.
Adambut also I have been watching Peter Sarafinowicz's impression of Ray Fines because he reckons that Ray Fines looks like Leonard Roseter.
AdamSo he just does it.
AdamAnd yeah.
LeeActually, I hadn't realized it.
LeeHe does, he looks exactly like that.
ChrisHe has.
AdamYeah.
AdamSeriously, I'll send I'll send you the clip.
AdamThere's this lovely.
Adamthing of it's meant to be a clip from Schindler's List, but he's doing it as Rigsby, and it's just him on the.
LeeNo.
AdamNo, Hitler.
AdamBut it's, but no, he is just fantastic in it.
AdamIt's that.
AdamAnd but again, you you see where he's gone, I mean, clearly he's gone off the rails.
LeeYeah.
AdamBut there's weird sort of elements.
ChrisYou're still so drawn along though.
ChrisLike you are so sucked into his world and his narrative through it all.
AdamBut he's sort of like he's come to recognize that he is as much a problem in this, but in in the spirit of a chef's ego, obviously he's got to take everyone with him and just do himself in, he's got to take the entire kitchen staff and some guests with him.
LeeYeah.
AdamBut yeah, I mean, and when this goes horror, as you say, like you kind of you do enjoy the satire of it to such a degree.
AdamIt is very easy to forget, oh, I know, this is going to turn into horror at some point.
Adambut yeah, when it does, it's so unrelentingly just brutal, it's fantastic.
AdamIt's those sudden sort of bursts again.
AdamBecause it's not a.
AdamIt's all the violence in it is really fucking shocking.
LeeYeah.
AdamAnd really realistic in that sort of thing that it comes from nowhere.
ChrisAbsolutely.
AdamAnd weirdly goes from goes to nowhere.
ChrisGoes.
AdamBecause you're in this hostage situation where, you know, I mean, it's such a perfect setup that you, you know, you're stuck on this island.
AdamWhat, I mean, there is the bit where he says, I mean, realistically, some of you could have put up a bigger fight.
LeeYeah.
AdamOr or something like that, but you know, in the end, yeah, but you have got, you know.
AdamA team of 40 odd people who are very skilled with knives.
LeeYeah.
AdamSo, you know, how much of a fight back, you know, is, is going to happen.
AdamBut,
ChrisI think like for for being all in essentially on one island in in one restaurant, like they did break it up enough, like even the bit where they give the men a chance to run.
LeeYes.
ChrisAnd then that's that's funny, you know, because again.
ChrisGives you a sense it's realistic, they're not doing a great job.
AdamWell, it's when the editor just apologizes.
ChrisYeah.
AdamTo Lillian and he's just like, look, sorry, and then just runs.
LeeYeah.
AdamAnd also that, that feels really again, it is like that sort of thing where all the women are then resignedly go and have dinner.
AdamIt's like, well, what the fuck are we going to do?
AdamAnd and in a way, they're sort of like sitting there and it's like we are stuck with this, aren't we?
AdamI mean, this is, you know, strangely enough, I don't feel that I'm in the place to speak for women, but,
ChrisNo.
ChrisBut they made an attempt to to convince the sous chef and then, of course, they find out that she's definitely not going to be helping them.
AdamOh, she's still.
AdamShe's still in the call, even down to that that he has obviously realized that he has been, you know, abusive of her and his power over her and made her life a fucking hell.
AdamBut she is still all in like any cult, she is still also and again, it is they do run.
AdamYou know, these kitchens and things like that, they are run in an almost cult-like status, so you can imagine if you sort of isolated them, you essentially end up with Waco with better dinners.
AdamYeah.
LeeWell, arguably.
AdamYeah, that's true.
LeeBut yeah.
LeeThat is the other thing, the food did all look again, it looked good, but it's it's it is, it's that thing of I like nice food and I'd like to go somewhere and eat like that, you know, and you know, it's a big cost or whatever, but it's something you do as a special treat.
LeeBut it's the uncomfortableness.
LeeIt is, it's that the fact that the waiting staff will make you feel like.
ChrisIt's almost like you got to play the role.
ChrisYeah.
LeeYou just feel uncomfortable and like you're in the wrong place and that's like she says you're you're here, you're paying them to cook you food, you are the boss in this situation, why do you feel oh, is it I'm so sorry, is it possible to just we do, we all do it when you're in like a food situation like, especially when it's somewhere like that where it's.
LeeIt is, it is very posh and very high end.
LeeYou do feel somehow that the people who are just cooking food and are just waiters are somehow, it's that joke from Mitchell and Webb about the incredibly posh people who are somehow inexplicably still waiters.
LeeIt is, it's that thing where they manage to make you feel small, despite the fact they're there working and you are the paying customer.
AdamYou are the paying customer.
AdamAnd it's because that that's what I mean, I love the fact that it has, it has every angle of that.
AdamYou know, where it is, it is the thing of, yeah, essentially the service industry is a fucking awful thing to work in and you will be abused, belittled, you know, by both sides of the counter, whether it's the people at the top, or it's the, people that are, you know, the the clientele or whatever like that.
AdamBut equally, there has become this weird thing whereby it's like, why am I paying to feel uncomfortable and be told no, you know, when it's like, right, no substitutions and things like that.
AdamAnd it's he has developed into you know, it's developed beyond essentially, you know, it has developed beyond the I agree that cooking is an art.
AdamBut I don't think that it should be art in that sense.
AdamBecause that's the thing you always get again running back to bloody, I know it sounds terrible, but running back to bloody MasterChef.
AdamIt's always like, oh, well, what's your story behind this, what's your journey and it's like, is he going to fucking fill me up?
LeeYeah.
AdamYou know, and and to to a later, to a further extent, someone should point out to him.
AdamWell, it doesn't matter because it's all going to come out the same color.
AdamAnd at the end of the day, you know, this is a this is more of a want process.
LeeYeah.
AdamYou know, and actually food is in is in that sort of weird area because it's always like, like the Chuck D quote where it's like people don't need, people don't eat, need art, they need food, shelter and clothing.
AdamAfter that comes art.
AdamBut food has been sort of.
LeeTurned into this.
Adamall of those have their, you know.
AdamI mean, it's like high fashion or whatever like that.
AdamBut again, it's these sort of weird things where you're like, you know, go go to any, I mean like I have, but go to any sort of high fashion shop and everything to be told that no, you're you're too fat and poor to wear these clothes, you know.
AdamIt's a similar sort of situation.
AdamI love the fact that it's got all of that in here.
LeeYeah.
AdamAnd it sort of is the that it's the horrors of both sides of the table.
AdamAnd yeah.
LeeAnd I think that's why it's such an original concept and that's what always strikes me with this, you know, it it is horror, but it's, you know, setting it in a restaurant just is weird from the offset unless there's something weird about the restaurant.
LeeBut it isn't, it's just a restaurant, but it's but it's ultimately, as you say, really, it's a cult.
LeeIt's a cult.
AdamYeah.
LeeIt's a cooking cult and it just, yeah.
LeeI I mean, I just, it's so different to anything I've seen and I'll, I really did appreciate that.
LeeAnd I was a bit pissed off that I didn't watch it sooner because it is such a great concept, but because I knew so little about it.
LeeI yeah, I was like, oh, this probably isn't going to be for me, but I yeah, I was really wrong.
LeeIt's.
AdamIt was, it was weird as well because again, I I I knew basically, I'd heard it's really good.
AdamAnd I looked at the cast list and I was like, well, you know.
AdamIt's going to they're going to be good.
LeeYeah.
AdamWhatever, you know, this I trust these people to have to appear in a good film.
AdamYou know.
AdamOr sort of like to have been that that's a cast you put together to make something great.
LeeYeah.
AdamSo I watched it and I think the weird thing is is that you sort of especially because it's like, right, it's a horror film, you expect at some point that it's going to go cannibalism.
LeeYeah.
Adamor poisoning.
ChrisYeah.
AdamAnd it never does.
ChrisNo.
ChrisThat's it, I was I was absolutely, yeah.
ChrisThinking.
AdamBecause there's the bit where when he's saying to when Slowik is talking to Erin and keeps keeps saying you're not eating.
LeeYeah.
AdamAnd he keeps saying, no, it's part of the and he is genuinely talking about the the experience of, no, I've brought everyone here for an experience, this is going to be my ultimate masterwork and you're all going to fucking die as my final statement on food and that's going to be you know what I mean.
AdamThat's going to be it's my grand finale.
Adamand so you assume it's like, oh, so is it like a a cumulative effect of poisoning or something like that because he's like, no, you've got to eat the courses.
AdamIt's not.
AdamYou can't skip and things like that and like no substitutions.
AdamAnd so.
AdamAnd obviously, at some point, you do expect that someone's going to get eaten, especially especially because this is weirdly one of the most eat the rich films that you'll see.
AdamThat doesn't involve actual cannibalism.
LeeWhen that guy got his finger cut off, the first time I watched it, I was immediately like.
LeeThat wife's going to be eating that at some point.
LeeI was convinced that was what was going to have.
LeeThey're going to feed it to him or feed it to her.
LeeI was convinced it was going to come back, I didn't think it was just going to be he's just going to bleed out over the next 90 minutes.
ChrisThat was such a good choice though to not do any of those tropes.
LeeNot take the obvious route.
LeeAnd again, that's another thing that speaks to its brilliance.
LeeThere are so many easy cliches to fall into.
AdamI mean, it's a cult film, it also oddly feels a bit like say Dr. Fives or seven or something like that.
AdamBecause I mean, it's not bumping people off one by one.
AdamBut it is the concept.
ChrisYeah.
ChrisThe orchestrator.
AdamYeah, you you've you've created a work of murder.
ChrisYeah.
AdamAs it were.
AdamYou know, but through through the medium of just like here's a and it's a an exceedingly terrifying meal.
AdamSo.
AdamAnd and I love the sort of like, and again, it's these lovely little sort of bits of pretension where it's like, I'll, serving the lamb the the thigh in is it pork thigh in in a in a phone call.
LeeYes.
AdamBecause it's inspired by the time his father tried to strangle his mother with a phone called and then stabbed him in the thigh with kitchen shears and stuff like that.
AdamAnd again, it's sort of it's all these sort of like little touches and things like that, but I think yeah, I I would say probably could be considered.
AdamAgain, it's all stuff you don't want to say to people before they watch it, but it's like, cult film because that gives too much away.
ChrisYeah.
AdamYou know, and and yeah, it's.
ChrisIt's it's a little bit of all of it, just the right amount, like a perfect recipe.
AdamAnd.
AdamAnd I didn't really know.
AdamI didn't really or I I thought I didn't know much about that Mark Mylod the director has done.
LeeYeah.
Adamand he's done a lot of he's British, but he's done a lot of American tele, so he did like Succession.
AdamI think he was one of the executive producers on that as well.
Adamhe did a few episodes of Game of Thrones, Last of Us, Minority Report, the US version of Shameless.
AdamI think he was an executive producer on that Once Upon a Time.
LeeOkay.
Adamfilm-wise he's done Ali G in the House and a dark comedy called The Big White that's got Robin Williams in it.
AdamBut and here's the bit that got me, cuz suddenly I was like, I'm really fucking unbold here.
AdamOver in the UK, he did episodes of The Fast Show, Shooting Stars, The Royal Family, The Vican Bob Randall and Hotchcock, the Dave Saint Show.
AdamAll rise for Julian Cleary, but Deal Syndrome.
Adamthe all six episodes of Bang Bang it's Reeves and Mortimer.
LeeOh, wow, brilliant.
AdamAnd he did, there was a thing in '96, they did a thing called Doctor Who Knight and they had some sketches with David Williams and Mark Gatis and he directed two of those sketches.
AdamAnd it's like, oh my god, I've been watching this guy's stuff for fucking years and I didn't even I didn't even realize, you know.
AdamOn on a side note as well, with Nicholas Holt, when I was again going evoking,
AdamBecause I mean, he is a fine comic actor as it is.
AdamBut he's in Bras Eye as a kid, he's one of the school kids in Bras Eye in the drugs episode, obviously.
LeeOh God.
AdamAnd and even.
AdamAnd here's another blast from the past from for you, Lee, he's also in World of Pub when he was a kid.
LeeOh, God.
AdamSo.
LeeHe feels like he sprung out of nowhere, but actually he's just always been there in the background.
AdamHe's, yeah, he's been doing loads and loads of stuff.
AdamOh, another one.
AdamAnother one for, yeah, he's just so I mean, I I love, I've loved him in everything I've seen him in.
AdamI think he's just so.
AdamAnd there's a variety of roles because I think the first thing I really noticed him in was Mad Max, like when he was in Fury Road.
LeeYes.
AdamAnd and that is not that is not his usual sort of role whatsoever.
LeeNo.
LeeAnd if you take that and then compare it to, you know, he then suddenly turned up in Renfield opposite Nicholas Cage, like that's such a again, that's that's why I think him and Anna Taylor Joy are brilliant opposite each other.
LeeBecause both of them.
LeeCan can play so many characters so pitch perfectly.
ChrisYeah.
ChrisAnd wasn't she in the new Mad Max?
LeeShe was, yeah.
LeeFury Road.
AdamYes, she was in the prequel because she was Furiosa.
AdamThe prequel to Fury Road, yes, she was.
AdamThat's good point.
AdamAnd actually, I mean, when I was looking, when I was looking up about this, apparently at one point they were going to they wanted the movie star.
AdamThey originally wrote that role for Daniel Radcliff.
LeeOh, really?
AdamAnd for him to be Daniel Radcliff, actually, you know, because I think at that point, people realized that he was out for a laugh.
AdamSo he'd actually appear as himself and be like, I don't know.
AdamI don't know what the shit film would have been.
AdamBut they were planning about.
AdamBut he, but apparently John Lezamu said that he, he pasted it on, Steven Seagal.
LeeOh.
AdamHe did a film with Steven Seagal called Executive Decision and yeah, basically Steven obviously left something of an impression there cuz he just, you know, it's like, I've got to play this vain, Odious, good for nothing, toser.
AdamOkay, yeah.
AdamI I know what I'm going to use.
Adamthe food was designed by four Michelin starred chef Dominic Kren.
Adam
AdamAnd all the people all the guys playing the kitchen staff were trained.
LeeOh, right.
AdamTo actually prepare the dishes properly so that when stuff's going on in the background, whatever the way the camera's pointing, they are doing exactly what they should be doing.
LeeNice.
AdamAnd apparently and apparently, Ho Chau who played Elsa, who is also fucking fantastic.
AdamOne of the most intimidating like henchman in anything, she's fucking terrifying, apparently she impressed Dominic Kren so much that she offered her a job at her restaurant.
LeeWow.
AdamAnd it's like, oh, it's like, yeah, but that's that that is that doesn't say a lot about your restaurant.
AdamThat you want someone that intimidating to you know.
AdamNo.
AdamYou're not fucking with us.
Adambut she was also she did the Netflix series Chef's Table.
AdamAnd they the second unit director on this was the director of Chef's Table because they wanted to get someone who was could to do that sort of food pony.
AdamSort of look, so all the dishes would be sort of presented in that way that they are on those sort of shows.
AdamAnd which really comes across, I think.
LeeYeah, I did love those little cutaways as you say, because it's and that's the thing, the food does look amazing.
LeeBut it's it's that thing of I I don't know if I appreciate food enough for the amount of effort that's gone into it for like for those types of things, I think my palette's a bit dull down.
AdamI don't know if it's that, I think, but all I.
AdamAll I ever think is, fuck me, where's the rest of it?
LeeYeah.
AdamIf if I'm honest.
ChrisThere's no no bread, that was funny.
AdamOh, that's the breadless breakfast.
AdamThat was it also reminds me there was a thing, there was a line on in old Harry's game, there's just a bit where it goes, yeah, I'm working on a new cookery show, he's called it, it's food, eat it and be grateful.
AdamWhich I think work that way.
AdamSo, I think, gentlemen, we should, pop, ponder the question.
AdamSo, first off, what dish are you having off the menu?
ChrisYou want to go firstly?
LeeI mean, it's easy for me, that cheeseburger looked absolutely perfect for me, it's exactly how I would want it for.
LeeI could have had it rare, but it looked so good, it was just dripping and just amazing.
LeeIt really made me hungry watching it.
ChrisCook with love.
LeeYeah.
AdamI think that's the thing, is it's that lovely moment of just like the realization for him.
AdamBecause then I think it does become his masterwork because it's like.
AdamOh, and it's actually the only fucking dish he makes.
LeeYeah.
AdamThe rest of it is he never touches any of the other ingredients.
AdamHe's never.
AdamPhysically responsible for any of the rest of the food.
LeeNo.
AdamAnd it's just, I mean, there's a part of me that I.
AdamMan's folly stood out to me because it's like the Dungeon S crab.
ChrisSo that's that's what I was going to go for.
AdamBut.
AdamBut I've got to say, I I'm with you, Lee.
AdamI think it's the fucking cheeseburger, it just looked so fucking good.
ChrisBut that but that I figured they'd sort done that, like they they must have really thought about it, how do we make it so that that just seems like just fantastic at this point?
ChrisBecause you'd think after watching everything else, you'd be like at no point is food really going to look good in this.
ChrisAnd then they managed to do it.
LeeYeah.
ChrisAnd it's not like I don't even eat meat barely, you know, and it still looked pretty amazing.
Adamapparently I think because obviously the majority of the food was prop food and it had to be there for multiple takes and stuff like that.
AdamSo obviously.
AdamBut that that actually the burger is eaten and apparently the cast were fucking salivating because like the first bit of practical food they'd been sat there in front of plates they couldn't eat.
LeeYeah.
AdamFor all this time and then suddenly someone comes in with that fucking delicious looking burger.
LeeAnd that's the thing, like with food, what gets me going is food that looks like it's going to be delicious.
LeeI don't want it to look like a piece of art, I want it to look like a perfectly cooked burger or a perfectly cooked steak or tartare or whatever.
LeeI want to look at it, as you say, and start salivating, I don't want to look at it and go, oh, that's very clever or that's very pretty.
LeeI want it to make me think I I need to eat that, I can't not eat this.
LeeNone of the other food does that.
AdamYou want to stick your fork through it when it's presented.
ChrisYeah.
ChrisI was I was thinking all this and then when when it was a smore.
ChrisI was like, actually, a massive smore right about now.
AdamClaire said that the she just thought that the marshmallow ponchos looked really comfy.
LeeYes, yeah, I thought that as well.
AdamAnd.
LeeAnd again, I know he talks rubbish about smores, but I love him.
ChrisYeah, no.
AdamAnd I second question has to be, which actor are you inviting to your massacre?
ChrisWell, mine's easy.
ChrisMr. Cruz would be there.
AdamFair enough.
LeeWhat about you, Lee?
LeeI think mine, as much as I love him, if I had to do it, I think it'd be Anthony Hopkins from Dracula.
Lee
LeeYeah, just cuz.
LeeI just feel like he missed the memo.
AdamYeah, he really, he really doesn't.
AdamI for me, I don't know, it's it's quite an obscure one, but there's a guy called Lee Poulter.
AdamHe's in a film called Video Shop Tales of Terror 2.
AdamLast Revenge and he, he just keeps drawing attention from this really sexy guy with a kettle and I don't know what's going on.
AdamAll right.
AdamNo, for me.
AdamFor me, it's got to be, I can't think of his name.
AdamFat prick, James Cordon.
AdamFor being in not one, but two fucking episodes of Doctor Who, it's like, I thought I'd avoid you, man.
AdamYes.
AdamHe's.
AdamHe's in two.
AdamTwo fucking episode.
AdamThey invited the prick back.
AdamIt's like, so yeah.
AdamNo, it's it's him.
AdamThat's who I'm cooking.
LeeThat's fair.
LeeRight.
LeeGood call.
Leeyes, right, so go and watch the menu.
LeeBut more importantly, don't go to wanky restaurants, just go and get a really good burger cooked, you know.
LeeGood dirty burger place.
LeeThere's nothing like it.
ChrisWith American cheese.
LeeWith American cheese.
ChrisYeah.
ChrisBecause it don't break.
Leeand we will be back in a fortnight's time.
LeeAdam has come up with a great idea, we're going to be covering Dr. Jekyll and Sister Hyde as we've mentioned it several times and neither myself nor Chris has seen it.
LeeSo, my copy is winding its way through the post to me at the moment, so hopefully I'll have it in plenty of time.
Leeyeah.
LeeYeah, I'm quite looking forward to it.
LeeIt's.
AdamI haven't seen it for a while, I've been waiting for us to cover it so I can give it a watch and yeah.
LeeHe's in that pantheon of films, film, you know, that's sort of very Hammer era and that look I love and that feel.
LeeI don't know why, I think it's just because possibly because it's it's one of the lesser known ones.
LeeI've just never had a copy of it fall in my lap.
LeeOr.
AdamYeah.
LeeYou know, seen it anywhere to stream, so that's why I've just never.
LeeBut yeah, I'll, so I'm very much looking forward to it.
AdamCould be part of the the lesser Hammer.
LeeYeah, yeah, absolutely.
LeeIt's good to fill in those gaps.
LeeRight, so go and check out Dr. Jekyll and Sister Hyde.
LeeAnd we'll see you in a fortnite's time, thanks very much.
LeeGood night.
ChrisGood night.
AdamGood night.
