With the recent season of the BBC's satirical news show Have I Got News For You having ended,I decided to find out if lead star (and editor of the excellent investigating journalist/satirical mag Private Eye) Ian Hislop was working on any other projects.Originally expecting to just find a documentary series,I was shocked to find out that Hislop had co- written a WWI Drama about a satirical mag,whose airing I had sadly missed.Catching me completely by surprise,my dad revealed to me that he had actually picked up a DVD of the title recently,which led picking up my first issue of The Wipers Times.
The plot:
WWI:Ypres-
Taking a look around a number of bombed out buildings in a city called Ypres,a group of British soldier's discover a printer in perfect condition.Planning to destroy the printer,the gang are stopped in their tracks by leading officer Roberts,who tells the group that the printer could be used for the publication of a satirical magazine.Initially feeling uneasy over Roberts plan,the gang soon find themselves getting in a grove over the writing of their satirical mag (named The Wipers Times) as they find themselves not only fighting against the German's,but generals who are determined to close the underground mag down.
View on the film:
For the screenplay of the film,writers Ian Hislop and Nickman strike a perfect balance of showing the heroic efforts that Robert's troop was involved in,whilst making sure that the movie never becomes over- sentimental,thanks to cutting away to the satirical bite of the mag.Giving the title a blissful flight of fantasy mood,the writers bring a number of the mags most famous sketches alive in dream style sequences,which brilliantly show the sharp created mind that each of the soldier's had,even as they were being shot at.
Superbly filmed on location in Ireland,director Andy De Emmony mixes a raw,gritty appearance for the trenches with an unexpected surreal touch,as De Emmony uses B&W and a floating camera feel to bring The Wipers Times sketches vividly to life.Leading the gang in their underground publication,Ben Chaplin gives a wonderful performance as Roberts,with Chaplin showing Roberts eye for satire to be something which helps him to survive the chaos taking place around him,and makes this issue of The Wipers Times one that is really worth picking up.
The plot:
WWI:Ypres-
Taking a look around a number of bombed out buildings in a city called Ypres,a group of British soldier's discover a printer in perfect condition.Planning to destroy the printer,the gang are stopped in their tracks by leading officer Roberts,who tells the group that the printer could be used for the publication of a satirical magazine.Initially feeling uneasy over Roberts plan,the gang soon find themselves getting in a grove over the writing of their satirical mag (named The Wipers Times) as they find themselves not only fighting against the German's,but generals who are determined to close the underground mag down.
View on the film:
For the screenplay of the film,writers Ian Hislop and Nickman strike a perfect balance of showing the heroic efforts that Robert's troop was involved in,whilst making sure that the movie never becomes over- sentimental,thanks to cutting away to the satirical bite of the mag.Giving the title a blissful flight of fantasy mood,the writers bring a number of the mags most famous sketches alive in dream style sequences,which brilliantly show the sharp created mind that each of the soldier's had,even as they were being shot at.
Superbly filmed on location in Ireland,director Andy De Emmony mixes a raw,gritty appearance for the trenches with an unexpected surreal touch,as De Emmony uses B&W and a floating camera feel to bring The Wipers Times sketches vividly to life.Leading the gang in their underground publication,Ben Chaplin gives a wonderful performance as Roberts,with Chaplin showing Roberts eye for satire to be something which helps him to survive the chaos taking place around him,and makes this issue of The Wipers Times one that is really worth picking up.