Shoot the DJ

I was given the DVD of this film by a friend who knew the film-makers. I wasn't really expecting to like it as i'm not really into dance music and i haven't been clubbing in years. I was surprised to find the story had much more to offer than the music related side which the blurb on the DVD suggests. It's not going to win any Oscars, but the story is really good. It held my interest to the end and my wife and i found ourselves laughing aloud a few times. The cast was quite diverse. The two main characters were playing themselves (i think)and they did a reasonable job. How much different they are in real life i don't know, but they seemed very similar in the out-takes. There's a few familiar faces that crop up. Tony Hadley doesn't appear until quite late in the film, but when he does, his presence is felt. I never thought he'd pull it off, but he does a great job as a menacing club manager type character. Kim Wilde make a very brief appearance as herself and someone else plays her back when she was starting her career too. If there's one thing that lets this film down, it's the quality of the picture. It was obviously where the money was saved and that's understandable. I've seen quite a few micro budget films and they all struggle to look as good as Hollywood blockbusters. However, the 4 strong directing team obviously have some talent as the shot composition and editing was well up to standard. One more point. The sound on these low low budget films is usually woeful, with unclear dialogue and cheaply produced music. Shoot The DJ has this area covered very professionally. According to the story, at least 3 of the team that made it work in the music industry as producers, so that would seem to make sense. Over all, i'd say this was an interesting look at the other side of the music industry with a very heavy leaning on the gangster/drug dealing type scenario. I wont give the end away as it is worth waiting for. I look forward to seeing what they do next.

Ever had the feeling you wish you'd done something better with your life? Me too… Especially after I sat through the mess that is "Shoot the DJ".

Made for a modest £5000 this is a poor attempt to create a Guy Ritchie film on a thrift store budget. With cameos from now faded 80's stars and acting that leaves you wishing you'd have watched an episode of The X Factor instead, this movie does nothing to add to the once-proud tradition of British Cinema.

I've seen a great deal of "independent" British movies and, if you were to twist my arm, I'd have to say 70% of them work. This movie, however, does not. It really is that clear cut. So, instead of going into my usual diatribe regarding movies I hate, I'm simply going to list the reasons why this movie is a complete waste of time:

A: The acting is so wooden you'd swear the film was made by Ikea. B:The camera work is so poor it looks like ¾ of the movie was filmed on a mobile phone. C: There is nothing in the way of character development. D: This was meant to be a "life-like" representation of the east end… Seriously, Alan Carr is scarier. E: See A, B, C & D.

OK, look, maybe I'm being a little too hard on this movie. To be fair to the makers you can't perform miracles on a budget of £5000. If it had been my debut though, I'd have looked at the rushes, scrapped the whole thing, re-written the script and waited until I found some investors to help me bring my vision to life. And that's where the director of this film fails with great gusto. I credit him on having the bravado to attempt such a project but seeing as how this movie took three years to make it only enhances the fact that this is nothing more than some mates with a video camera and weak script that produced a result not even worthy of YouTube.

What a really interesting film. I was intrigued from the word 'go'! This film gives the viewer a chance to experience a side of life that most people miss. The main characters are very believable. Tony Hadley (who plays the part of a baddie!) is exceptional. It's hard to believe that this is his first venture into the film industry! The two DJ's play their parts well. the acting may be a little 'wooden' at times but as this is their first film,I think most viewers would over look this, in fact the plot is so good it takes over. The sound quality varies a little but the music is good...easy to spot the day jobs of the producers! The end of the film is brilliant! I can't wait for the sequel. There is huge scope for the next instalment in the adventures of the main characters.

I came to find out about this film as being a fan and member of the Tony Hadley fan club.

When I read in the preview of the film that it was based around today's club culture and music, I was a bit apprehensive. But I can honestly say that I really enjoyed it and as someone over 50 - even the music! The film had a good story line, the dialogue was well written and was amusing all the way through.

Tony Hadley was worryingly convincing as Eddie, which proves to me he is a good actor as well as a good singer.

My only criticism is that I thought the sound was a bit 'iffy' in places.

The slide show says it all and I would say great work guys and good luck in the Cannes Film Festival.

I first saw 'Shoot the DJ' on a preview DVD some months ago, and just received the 'regular' DVD this week. I've already seen the movie a couple of times and it keeps entertaining me on different levels. Since I've met some of the characters in real life, it's a bit of a screwing of the mind (I couldn't use the eight letter word here!) to see them as actors, but they really pull it off. It's been quite clever to write a story that's not too far removed from their own world (the DJ and music business), which allows them to act quite naturally. At the same time, it's really interesting to see clean cut Spandau Ballet singer Tony Hadley as some kind of mean criminal - and he really does this role justice. He's mean and not to be messed with! The story is quite good, has some interesting twists and turns, and is also very funny at times. If I were to name one flaw on the DVD, it's the omission of subtitles. I find it hard to keep up with foreign languages and although my English isn't particularly bad I prefer to read it when I watch movies - but that's just me.