THE COMMITMENTS
US, 1991, 118 minutes, Colour.
Robert Arkins, Michael Aherne, Angeline Ball, Maria Doyle.
Directed by Alan Parker.
The Commitments was one of the most popular films of 1991. It won the British Film Academy Award for Best Film and Best Director.
The film was written and directed by Alan Parker, whose career has ranged quite widely during the '70s and '80s. As regards films with musical background, he directed Bugsy Malone and Pink Floyd: the Wall. This is a more small-budget, low-key film than many of his American films like Mississippi Burning, Angel Heart, Birdie, Come See the Paradise. It is filmed on location in Dublin with unknown Irish cast. They perform well and most authentically.
The film takes themes of the 1990s, unemployment and recession, love of music, the enterprise in forming a band, even if it is short-lived. However, Irish cantankerousness is also at the fore as the members of the group clash with one another.
However, as a focus on part of Ireland, part of Dublin (the Northern Dubliners seeing themselves as the blacks of Dublin because the Dubliners are the blacks of Ireland), they play soul music. There is an energy and verve about the film - as well as a rather raucous tone, Irish swearing and bickering, and the touch of Irish irreverence as well as religion.
Comedy writers of many decades, Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais, contributed to the screenplay with the author of the novel, Roddy Doyle (a Booker Award-nominated author and a writer of a series of which The Commitments is part).
1.The popularity of the film? Awards?
2.The contribution of Alan Parker and his style of film-making? The gritty touch? The comedy writers? The adaptation of the novel and the contribution of the author?
3.The world of North Dublin, the opening sequences with the market, the streets, the yards? The clubs, the church, the halls? The views of the city, the angles, profiles?
4.The verbal humour, the Irish accent and idiom, idiosyncratic swearing, the interactions of the characters, the ironies?
5.The musical score, the range of songs, the explanation of Dublin's soul, the versions of the songs?
6.The title, Joey naming the band? The spirit of the group? Roddy Doyle's perceptions of the Irish and the band?
7.Dublin and Ireland in the '90s, the economy, the working class, poverty and the dole, enterprise, success and failure?
8.The Irish and the perception of themselves, the blacks of Europe, the North Dubliners as the blacks of Dublin? The affinity for soul music? Self-image, confidence, attempts to form bands? An attempt to stand out from the rest? The possibility of complacency and resignation? The ordinary people, the Irish family, parents, children? The audience for the music?
9.Jimmy as the focus of the film, his ambitions, enterprise? The mock interview with Terry Wogan interspersing the film? His sense of self, aiming for fame and achievement? His understanding of music?
10.Jimmy and his pals, the friendship with Derek and Outspan, the possibility of the group? The wedding, hearing Deko, talking things over, the idea? The auditions - and the comic collage of so many people coming to audition and Jimmy's reaction? The advertisement? The favourite bands, getting members to play? The singing and the playing? The decisions? Imelda and the reaction of the boys? Bernadette? Natalie? The build-up, the achievement, performances?
11.Joe and his arrival on the Suzuki, his religious spirit, sense of brotherhood? The memories of B.B. King, Elvis and other players? Forcefulness? His playing his trumpet - and `Moon River'? His mother and the visit to home? Her pride in her son? The mystery about Joe? His oomph, the rehearsals, the trumpet as Gina Lollobrigida and Kim Basinger? His interactions with the women, sexuality? His clothes and the performance? The name of The Commitments? His telling Jimmy's father the story about Elvis - and the vomit? His being against drugs? The changing of the band, his place? His being offended by Dean playing jazz? Wilson Pickett's arrival, the promise that he would come and jam with them? His non-arrival, Joe's going - but his telling the truth?
12.The commitments as a group, the various members? Deko and his singing while drunk at the wedding, his performance as vocalist? Dean and his playing the saxophone, his musical ear, improving? Billy and his audition on the drums in the pawnbroker's window? Steven borrowing his grandmother's piano? Derek and Outspan and the guitar? The girls as back-up? The characters, their talk together, the music, tensions? Arguments at table? Their protest and anger at Deko? The effect on all of them - Steven and his studies, and his going to confession (and the priest knowing more about record singers than he)?
13.Deko, the wedding, his singing and drinking, talking to Jimmy, vocalist and performance, crass? The electrocution problem? The baby crying? Antagonism, the breaking wind in the van? The record offer? The announcement about Wilson Pickett? The bashing? His future?
14.The girls, the boys seeing them, the invitation, singing, background? Relating? Joe and the baby? Bernadette? Imelda and her not going on holidays with her family? Natalie and her relationships? The singing, the success, the argument about Wilson Pickett?
15.The picture of Jimmy's family, talk at home, the pictures of Elvis and the Pope, the devotion to Elvis? The kids, the twins? Tough? The father at the concert? Listening to the Elvis story from Joey? The place of the mother?
16.The audiences and the ambitious musicians? The effect? The establishment of the band, the performances, the presentation in the parish hall - with the short circuit? The priest and his support, the church's support? Going on tour?
17.The fight in the pub and its effect? Success and applause - yet cantankerous and bickering?
18.Jimmy and his disappointment, the question of getting the press, the group rebelling, the record offer? Wilson Pickett not coming - and his being stopped in the street by Wilson Pickett's chauffeur? What he had achieved, raised their expectations, lifted their horizons? His final section of the interview with Terry Wogan? His explanation of the aftermath for each of the members of the group?
19.A picture of '90s recession but '90s hope?
