...
And it is at this point that she comes across the box her childhood friend Drop Dead Fred (Rik Mayall) was trapped in by her mother many years previously, and sets him free.
Drop Dead Fred isn't a real friend, but an imaginary one. However, Elizabeth can see the physical manifestation ... Read review
This not-quite-black comedy was probably a laugh riot on paper. The translation almost ... more
works, but the execution is flawed. Phoebe Cates is a recently separated young woman who suddenly begins to see her supposedly imagined childhood friend (the titular...
Postage & Packaging: £1.21 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
This not-quite-black comedy was probably a laugh riot on paper. The translation almost ... more
works, but the execution is flawed. Phoebe Cates is a recently separated young woman who suddenly begins to see her supposedly imagined childhood friend (the titular...
Postage & Packaging: Free! Availability: Usually dispatched within 24 hours...
Rik Mayall gives a typically manic 'Bottom'-style performance in this rip-roaringly funny ... more
comedy. This hilarious film also stars Phoebe Cates and Carrie Fisher. When Elizabeth (cates) returns to her mother's home when her marriage breaks up, she recrea...
When Elizabeth returns to her mother's home when her marriage breaks up she recreates her ... more
imaginary childhood friend Fred to escape from the trauma of losing her husband and her job. In between the chaos and mayhem that Fred creates Elizabeth despe...
Postage & Packaging: £0.00 Availability: 3-5 working days
This not-quite-black comedy was probably a laugh riot on paper. The translation almost ... more
works, but the execution is flawed. Phoebe Cates is a recently separated young woman who suddenly begins to see her supposedly imagined childhood friend (the titular Drop Dead Fred) after moving back into her mother's home. Is he a manifestation of her secret desires to ditch the boorish spouse? Or was he real all along? Rik Mayall is a limber, carrot-topped comic with the lamentable assignment of trying to make us laugh with vulgar, sophomoric trickery. He is supposedly the repository of Cates's fastidious repression but is more annoying than cathartic. --Rochelle O'Gorman, Amazon.com
Postage & Packaging:£2.69 Availability:Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
Drop Dead Fred (Dir. Ate De Jong 1991): When Elizabeth returns to her mother's home when ... more
her marriage breaks up she recreates her imaginary childhood friend Fred to escape from the trauma of losing her husband and her job. In between the chaos and mayhem that Fred creates Elizabeth desperately attempts to win back her husband and return to normality with comical results! Parole Officer (Dir. John Duigan 2001): Simon Garden (Steve Coogan) a useless parole officer is so incompetent and unpopular that he soon finds himself transferred from Blackpool to Manchester by his colleagues. This is only the beginning of Garden's troubles after inadvertently witnessing the murder of an accountant he is framed for the crime by corrupt policeman D.I. Burton (Stephen Dillane). The only evidence that can save him is a surveillance videotape locked away in a bank vault. He reluctantly decides to recruit the assistance of the only three criminals (Ben Miller Om Puri and Steven Waddington) he's ever managed to reform to pull off the robbery that will clear his name. His gang is a particularly hopeless crew but a stunning policewoman Emma (Lena Headey) finds him so attractive she helps him out in the stickiest of situations... Guest House Paradiso (Dir. Adrian Edmondson 1999): Richie and Eddie are running the nastiest smellist most squalid hotel in the world and things aren't going well. The Chef's guzzled all the food cash is running low and most of the guests have fled without paying! But things are on the up with the arrival of the Nice family some exotic underwear and the sexy Italian movie star Gina Carbonara. Richie is soon indulging his passion for panty pilfering whilst desperately trying to impress the fragrant Ms. Carbonara. But with Gina's jilted fiancee in hot pursuit and something decidedly iffy about the fish dinner Richie & Eddie are going to need a miracle to escape in one piece.
Postage & Packaging:£0.00 Availability:3-5 working days
Production Year: 2004 - Comedy - Director: John Hay - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring: Jennifer Love Hewitt, Jimi Mistry, Kate Miles, Dougray Scott
Comedy - Director: Gareth Carrivick - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring: Kathryn Drysdale, Sheridan Smith, Natalie Casey, Will Mellor, Ralf Little
Comedy - Original Language: English - Classification: 12 years and over - Starring: Tessa Peake-Jones, Buster Merryfield, David Jason, Nicholas Lyndhurst
Comedy - Director: Richard Boden, Mandie Fletcher, Martin Shardlow - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring: Hugh Laurie, Miranda Richardson, Stephen Fry, Brian Blessed, Tim McInnerny, Tony Robinson, Rowan Atkinson
Advantages: based on a good idea, humorous at times Disadvantages: not-so-humorous at times
...the box her childhood friend Drop Dead Fred (Rik Mayall) was trapped in by her mother many years previously, and sets him free.
Drop Dead Fred isn't a real friend, but an imaginary one. However, Elizabeth can see the physical manifestation of him, as can we. But no one else on screen can.
Fred is delighted to be reunited with Elizabeth (Or "Snotface" as he calls her) after all these years. He is completely ... ...and even has been married. However, he quickly manages to lead her astray and gets her into as many scrapes as he did while she was a kid.
Only problem is though, you get away with things like this when you're a kid - when you're a grown-up, blaming your faults on your imaginary friend doesn't quite go over so well. Especially when, with his help, you manage to get poo all over your mother's freshly-cleaned carpet, sink the boat your ... more
Elizabeth (Phoebe Cates) has just realised that her marriage is well and truly over. In the same day, she manages to get fired from her job. At this point, she decides to cut her losses and give into her mother's demands that she come and stay with her.
As a result, she is in a bit of an odd place, both emotionally and physically - her marriage over, no job, at her family's home. Basically, she has come full circle and has in a way reverted back to her childhood.
And it is at this point that she comes across the box her childhood friend Drop Dead Fred (Rik Mayall) was trapped in by her mother many years previously, and sets him free.
Drop Dead Fred isn't a real friend, but an imaginary one. However, Elizabeth can see the physical manifestation of him, as can we. But no one else on screen can.
Fred is delighted to be reunited with Elizabeth (Or "Snotface" as he calls her) after all these years. He is completely sickened by the fact she has apparently grown up though and even has been married. However, he quickly manages to lead her astray and gets her into as many scrapes as he did while she was a kid.
Only problem is though, you get away with things like this when you're a kid - when you're a grown-up, blaming your faults on your imaginary friend doesn't quite go over so well. Especially when, with his help, you manage to get poo all over your mother's freshly-cleaned carpet, sink the boat your best friend lives on, and completely make a full of yourself on a date with the former boy next door. These incidents don't really compare with making genuine mudpies on the living room table or breaking some china as a kid (also things that Elizabeth did in her past).
But basically, Fred has reappeared for a reason - and not simply that Elizabeth physically set him free from his box. Because she has been so repressed all her life, by her mother for most of her life, and then in later years by her husband, Fred has always been her outlet to feel a bit more free, a bit more in control of her own destiny.Essentially, she is happier and more alive when Fred is there, even if she constantly curses him for getting her into trouble. Because his presence makes her no longer afraid to stand up for herself. However, in her view at the moment, her life is a mess and everything would be fixed if Fred would go away and Charles would come back to her.
However, the people who she needs Fred's help to stand up to want to keep her repressed - mainly, her mother and her husband. And they encourage her to take pills to remove Fred from her imagination. Willing to do anything to get Charles back, Elizabeth agrees to take the pills - although she knows this will basically kill Fred.
But can she learn how to become a stronger person WITHOUT Fred around? Or will she continue to let herself be dominated by people as bossy as her mother?
This is a bit of a cheesy film, and the humour is, admittedly, at times infantile or crude. However, it still manages to make me laugh on many occasions, particularly the idea of a grown woman trying to explain about her imaginary friend. And I loved the idea of the imaginary friend actually taking on a physical form so that we can all see him and see him interact with Elizabeth. It makes you wonder just how much of it IS her imagination, and how much is perhaps real, which makes the concept even more fascinating.
The best scene in my opinion is when Elizabeth is taken to the psychiatrist to get her pills and she can see Fred playing and talking with what appears to be invisble friends of his in the waiting room. In fact, he is talking to all the other imaginary friends who have came along with their own charges, all of whom are far younger than Elizabeth. These children can all see their own imaginary friends, but are unable to see each others. It is a really cute scene that never fails to make me smile.
Phoebe Cates was perfectly cast as Elizabeth as she has that slightly innocent quality about her, as if she hasn't quite left her childhood behind yet. Rik Mayall is suitably annoying (and yet loveable) as the hyperactive Fred, and had a lot of the best lines in the movie (as well as some of the worst, it has to be said!). I would have to say that the best supporting actress award in the movie would have to go to Marsha Mason though, for her role as Elizabeth's domineering mother. She truly is intimidating, especially as she is trying to make Elizabeth over in her own image.
----------------------------
SOME QUOTES FROM THE FILM
Fred: Well why don't we harpoon Charles straight through the head, drag him back to the apartment, and hit him with a hammer until he agrees to come back? Elizabeth: Harpoon him through the head. That won't work Fred. Fred: Why not? How many times have you tried it?
Fred: You see when something's not working right, the best thing to do is tear it apart to make it better.
Young Elizabeth: Daddy, why don't we throw mommy out the window? It won't hurt her. She'll land in the gladiolas. Elizabeth's Father: You shouldn't say things like that about your mother... She might cut your head off.
Fred: Hello, snotface. Yuck what happened to you? You're all older, you're even uglier look I'm sorry I'm going to have to be sick all over you majorly lie down.
----------------------------
I WOULD recommend this film to potential buyers but I would advise that you try and buy it as cheaply as possible as, while it is definitely worth a watch, it is not worth paying the price of a regular dvd for it. It is more than ten years old now, so you should be able to buy it fairly cheap at the moment, possibly on ebay. It is also around five or six pounds for the dvd on play.com at the moment.
This film may seem slightly childish on first inspection but it is slightly deeper than it looks and there's an important message lying beneath the silliness. I would recommend it as a good movie for kids and for adults, as different parts of the story and different jokes would appeal to both.
Advantages: Hilarious entertainment Disadvantages: none
Director: Ate De Jong
Producer: Paul Webster.
Writers: Elizabeth Livingston, Carlos Davis, Anthony Fingleton.
Stars: Phoebe Cates, Rik Mayall, Marsha Mason, Tim Matheson, Carrie Fisher, Daniel Gerroll and Ron Eldard.
This comedy about the relationship between a girl and her imaginary friend was released in 1991.
**BRIEF PLOT**
Elizabeth Cronin, or Lizzie, (played by Phoebe Cates), is a young lady with low self esteem, allowing everyone to walk ... ...in one lunchtime, including her job and her husband, she is forced to move back with her overpowering mother, Polly, (played by Marsha Mason) in her childhood home.
Unfortunately for her, when she steps into her old bedroom and finds a rather battered jack in the box she is soon reunited with her imaginary friend from her childhood 'Drop dead Fred', (played by Rik Mayall), who only Lizzie can hear or see.
With many flashback later, the story unfolds ...
blissman70 23.07.2008
· Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Drop Dead Fred (DVD)
Advantages: witty, cheeky, mischievous what esle do u need Disadvantages: no special features!!!
****** Drop Dead Fred ******
Drop Dead Fred is a must for my collection, I just love the movie. Directed by Ate de Jong in 1991. Even thinking about it makes me have a cheeky smirk on my face every time. This movie is childish yet witty and very comical; Rik Mayall, a favourite actor of mine, plays one of the funniest roles ever. They have picked the perfect cast as they all fit and work well together, Rik was just the icing on the cake. Rik Mayall ... ...hears some music then POP Drop Dead Fred jumps out wilder than ever.
Elizabeth is now on a mission to try and get her husband Charles (Tim Matheson) back while trying to control Drop Dead Fred. Fred's favourite word for Elizabeth is snot face, heard many times during the movie, which made me giggle. Fred knowing that Elizabeth's husband is no good, tries to get her away from him by playing up and being even naughtier, hoping Elizabeth will cheer ...
VampirePrincessLizzy 12.03.2006
· Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Drop Dead Fred (DVD)
Advantages: not many Disadvantages: childish humour
...has actually been saved!)
Drop Dead Fred is a film I saw first in my mid teens on TV and wasnt all that impressed with but when I went to uni it was a favourite of one of my flatmates and eventually I have ended up liking this rather childish and infantile film about a woman learning to grow up.
Elizabeth is the 'real' person in the film, Fred of the title her childhood imaginary friend. The one with whom she dirtied her mothers newly cleaned carpets, ... ...is the way she grew up and forgot Fred, or did she?
Fred reappears in her life as she has split up from her husband, she is a very naive woman, still very childlike in many ways. It seems that as she grew up she has substituted her strong willed mother for an equally strong husband and chosen to let them guide her. To the viewer who can see both Fred and Elizabeth know that she really isnt tough enough to do the things that occur by herself but ...
scuba_angel 12.06.2007 (23.03.2007)
· Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Drop Dead Fred (DVD)
Drop Dead Fred is a light hearted comedy, released for television in 1991, but not available on video until 2000. This film runs for 94 minutes and stars Rik Mayall and Phoebe Cates.
Elizabeth (or Snot Face, played by Phoebe Cates) is a young Woman who works at the court and is married to Charles. When her husband leaves her for another woman, Elizabeth stays with her mother and suddenly Drop Dead Fred (Elizabeth's childhood imaginary friend) appears. ... ...them anymore, because she is able to look after herself.
Elizabeth and Micky Bunce then become an item and Micky's daughter from a previous marriage, seems to have taken new pocession of Drop Dead Fred.
A great film with laughs all the way! One of my favourites. ...
poonon 10.10.2001
· Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Drop Dead Fred (DVD)
This album is really one of the better comedies out there. It sort of stinks as a whole that everybody doesn't love it.
Everybody should try and obtain this DVD.
I hope everybody who buys DVDs, will please go out and spend their good money on this one.
This review used to be better. But I cannot write reviews for free.
Come and see my wonderful reviews at Epinions.
the web address is www.Epinions.com
Look for Scapp70
Have a nice day everybody.
... ...remember that, OK?
Good-bye To write a review here you must foloow these Ciao guildelines:
Writing the Review
Choose a brief and relevant title
Describe your own experiences using a minimum of 120 words
Please do not include any advertisements or links to other websites Ciao sucks and so does The Chocoalte Lady, she's a moron
Bye ...
Scapp70 14.06.2005
· Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Drop Dead Fred (DVD)
When Lizzie Cronin manages to lose her purse, her car, her job and her husband all in one day, her imaginary childhood friend Fred appears, to help her find some happiness.
Release details
DVD Region
DVD
Studio(s)
UNIVERSAL PICTURES UK; UNIVERSAL MUSIC OPERATIONS
Release date
28/06/2004
No of Discs
1
Catalogue No
8220015
Barcode
5050582200157
Languages
Main Language
English
Dubbed Language
French, German, Russian
Subtitle Language
Czech, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, French, German, Hungarian, Norwegian, Polish, Swedish
Hearing Impaired Language
English
Technical information
Aspect Ratio
1.85 Anamorphic Wide Screen
Sound
Dolby Digital 2.0
Dubbing Sound
Dolby Digital 2.0 English
DVD Description
A chaotic comic fantasy about Elizabeth, an ineffectual young woman (Phoebe Cates) who leaves her unfaithful husband and returns home only to be oppressed by her overbearing mother. She comes across one of her childhood toys, a Jack-in-the-box, in which her frustrated mother imprisoned Elizabeth's childhood "imaginary" friend Fred, many years ago. Low and behold she opens the box once more, and out springs Fred with 21 years of pranks stored up! The mischievous Fred enters Elizabeth's life like a whirlwind, shaking her out of her passivity with his outrageous antics. Egged on by her manic little sidekick and his hilarious escapades, a revitalised Elizabeth embarks on a campaign to win back her errant husband. Rik Mayall is perfectly mischievous and off-the-wall as the chaos-creating pal in this impish tale.
Compare Drop Dead Fred (DVD) to other similar Comedy »
![Drop Dead Fred [DVD] [1991]](http://picnica.ciao.com/uk/78507792.jpg)
![Drop Dead Fred [VHS]](http://picnica.ciao.com/uk/104621816.jpg "Drop Dead Fred [VHS]")
