Eddie Izzard Movies
An enormously popular British comedian known as much for his transvestitism as he is for his excoriating social observations, Eddie Izzard is one of the most gleefully unpredictable -- to say nothing of contradictory -- performers to have sabotaged the stage and screen during the late 20th century.Born in Yemen on February 7, 1962, Izzard grew up in Wales and Northern Ireland. Following his mother's death when he was six, Izzard found some degree of solace in comedy, particularly the works of Monty Python, Steve Martin, Richard Pryor, and the early Benny Hill. He began doing stand-up at college and, after being ingloriously kicked out of school, he took his act to the streets. Izzard refined his material -- which largely revolved around personal experiences, politics, and social issues -- over the next decade, and in the early '90s, he finally began earning some measure of recognition. His stand-up work brought him British Comedy Awards in 1993 and 1996, and with popular and critical approval thus in hand, Izzard began appearing in films.
Izzard's supporting roles in The Avengers and Todd Haynes' Velvet Goldmine (both 1998) were concurrent with his first internationally acclaimed tour, Dress to Kill. The tour helped to establish him on both sides of the Atlantic, allowing the comedian to begin the new century on an exceptionally positive note. 2000 saw him co-starring in Shadow of the Vampire, a fictional depiction of the filming of the 1922 Nosferatu; the film's cast also included John Malkovich, Willem Dafoe, and Stephen Fry.
Izzard continued his highly successful stand-up appearances while maintaining a presence in movies. He played Charlie Chaplin in Peter Bogdanovich's The Cat's Meow, attempted to steal a couple of scenes from the crew in Ocean's Twelve, appeared in Ivan Reitman's My Super Ex-Girlfriend, and offered his vocal talents to the animated film The Wild.
In 2007 he appeared as Mr. Kite in Julie Taymor's Across the Universe. The next year he voiced one of the main characters in the animated film Igor and appeared n the historical thriller Valkyrie. He went on to do two more comedy concert films before voicing the entrepreneur Miles Axlerod in Pixar's Cars 2. In 2012 he appeared in Snow White and the Huntsman. ~ Rebecca Flint Marx, Rovi
- 2009
- Add Eddie Izzard: Live From Wembley to Queue Add Eddie Izzard: Live From Wembley to top of Queue
This release from British comedic phenomenon Eddie Izzard captures a live performance recorded at Wembley Stadium in front of a sold out crowd of 44,000. Some of the topics that Izzard covers with his trademark wit include sharks, dentistry, houseflies, and more. ~ Cammila Collar, Rovi
This season of The Riches opens with the Malloys backed into a corner as a result of the events of last season, when Pete, the best friend of Doug Rich, discovered that they were living Doug and Cherien's life. Unable to make a getaway to Mexico after Dale sabotages their RV, the family is forced to split up, with Wayne taking the money back to the house in the hopes of bribing Pete, and Dahlia heading with the kids towards the border. Things turn complicated quickly, however -- and possibly deadly. It begins to look like they'll have to keep cooperating with Dale as part of their scam if they want to make the most of their life as the Riches. ~ Cammila Collar, Rovi
- Starring:
- Eddie Izzard, Minnie Driver, (more)
- 2007
This typically iconoclastic FX network comedy-drama series was dedicated to the proposition of "Stealing the American Dream." The Malloys were a family of "travellers", roving con artists who lived perpetually on the fringes of society and just outside the reach of the law. After years of running scams and fleecing the unsuspecting, Wayne Malloy (Eddie Izzard) began to wonder if it was all worth the effort. At the same time, Wayne's drug-addict wife Dahlia (Minnie Driver) had been released from prison after a two-year stretch, and was raring to go back on the road with her husband and her equally disreputable children Sam (Aidan Mitchell), Cael (Noel Fisher) and Dehliah (Shannon Marie Woodward). While barreling through the Southland in their RV, the Malloys were involved in a traffic accident (not their fault, for a change!) in which the other drivers, a married couple, were killed. Rifling through the dead motorists' belongings, Wayne and Dahlia discovered that the victims were Doug and Cherein Rich, an upper-middle-class couple who'd just purchased a mansion in a gated community somewhere in Louisiana. Thus handed an opportunity to start life anew, the Malloys "became" the Riches and moved into that selfsame mansion, using their conning-and-hustling skills to convince their new neighbors that they were whom they claimed to be. Carrying the charade to the ultimate, Wayne, alias Mr. Rich, sweettalked his way into a job with family lawyer Hugh Panetta (Gregg Henry), while Dahlia found work as a dental hygienist and the kids tried to fit in at the local high school. Of course, there was always the possibility (or rather the likelihood) that the Malloys would revert to their old dishonest ways, especially whenever the former crooked associates would breeze into town. Forever playing fast and loose with manners, morals and audience expectations, the weekly, 60-minute The Riches made its cable-TV bow on March 12, 2007. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
This typically iconoclastic FX network comedy-drama series was dedicated to the proposition of "Stealing the American Dream." The Malloys were a family of "travellers," roving con artists who lived perpetually on the fringes of society and just outside the reach of the law. After years of running scams and fleecing the unsuspecting, Wayne Malloy (Eddie Izzard) began to wonder if it was all worth the effort. At the same time, Wayne's drug-addict wife Dahlia (Minnie Driver) had been released from prison after a two-year stretch, and was raring to go back on the road with her husband and her equally disreputable children Sam (Aidan Mitchell), Cael (Noel Fisher) and Dehliah (Shannon Marie Woodward). While barreling through the Southland in their RV, the Malloys were involved in a traffic accident (not their fault, for a change!) in which the other drivers, a married couple, were killed. Rifling through the dead motorists' belongings, Wayne and Dahlia discovered that the victims were Doug and Cherein Rich, an upper-middle-class couple who'd just purchase a mansion in a gated community somewhere in Louisiana. Thus handed an opportunity to start life anew, the Malloys "became" the Riches and moved into that selfsame mansion, using their conning-and-hustling skills to convince their new neighbors that they were whom they claimed to be. Carrying the charade to the ultimate, Wayne, alias Mr. Rich, sweettalked his way into a job with family lawyer Hugh Panetta (Gregg Henry), while Dahlia found work as a dental hygienist and the kids tried to fit in at the local high school. Of course, there was always the possibility (or rather the likelihood) that the Malloys would revert to their old dishonest ways, especially whenever the former crooked associates would breeze into town. Forever playing fast and loose with manners, morals and audience expectations, the weekly, 60-minute The Riches made its cable-TV bow on March 12, 2007. Hal Erickson
- Starring:
- Eddie Izzard, Minnie Driver, (more)
Five brothers and sisters find their uncle has a big surprise hidden in his estate in this comic fantasy for the whole family. Not long after World War I breaks out, five children -- Cyril (Jonathan Bailey), Robert (Freddie Highmore), Anthea (Jessica Claridge), Jane (Poppy Rogers), and Lamb -- find themselves in dangerous circumstances when their father is sent off to fight, and their mother volunteers to be a field nurse. Unable to care for themselves, the children are sent to the country, where they stay with their eccentric uncle Albert (Kenneth Branagh) and his ill-tempered son, Horace (Alexander Pownall), in Albert's ramshackle home. Uncle Albert has more than a few rules about what the children can and cannot do, but his strictest edict is that the children must never go into his greenhouse. Of course, the children's curiosity gets the better of them, and they sneak in to discover their uncle's big secret -- the building is home to Psammead (voice of Eddie Izzard), an ugly and often bad-mannered "sand fairy" who has the ability to grant wishes. However, the kids discover that Psammead's wishes only last for 24 hours, and that they have a strange habit of backfiring on their beneficiaries. 5 Children & It was based on the classic book for children by E. Nesbit; Psammead was realized onscreen with a puppet created by Jim Henson's celebrated Creature Shop. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Kenneth Branagh, Eddie Izzard, (more)
- 2004
- Add Eddie Izzard: Definite Article Live to Queue Add Eddie Izzard: Definite Article Live to top of Queue
Recorded live at London's Shaftesbury Theater during a sold-out 12-week run, superstar British comic Eddie Izzard brings his remarkable stage act to the small screen for the benefit of those unable to attend the performance in person. A darling of critics and audiences alike, the multi-faceted actor/performer is unlike any other standup act on the circuit, making him one of the most unique voices in the comedy universe. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
Revenge, obsession, and the morally ambiguous aristocracy are targets of this adaptation by director Alex Cox of the 17th century dark comic play Revengers Tragedy, written by Shakespeare contemporary Thomas Middleton. The vindictive and mentally unstable Vindici (Christopher Eccleston) has returned to the grimy streets of a post-apocalyptic Liverpool in order to attempt to bring ruin to the ruling family led by the Duke (Derek Jacobi). The Duke was personally responsible for the death of Vindici's fiancée ten years previously when the woman would not yield to the Duke's sexual advances. An opportunity arises for Vindici's vengeance when the Duke's youngest son is accused of raping the wife (Sophie Dahl) of Lord Antonio (Anthony Booth) -- one of the Duke's courtiers. When the Duke's son is acquitted of the rape charges, Lord Antonio's wife dies a mysterious death, which leads to even more havoc in the court of the Duke. Seizing the opportunity, Vindici acts swiftly and violently but the morality of his cause is just as questionable as the aristocracy he is ousting. Revengers Tragedy was a competing film at the 2002 Locarno Film Festival. ~ Ryan Shriver, Rovi
- Starring:
- Christopher Eccleston, Eddie Izzard, (more)
The best in U.K. comedy and music come together in this live performance from Image Entertainment. Comedian and actor Eddie Izzard is joined by such fellow funnymen as Dom Joly and Jonathan Ross. We Know Where You Live! also features music from U2, Badly Drawn Boy, and others. ~ Matthew Tobey, Rovi
- Starring:
- Eddie Izzard
Originally released on home video in the UK c. 2002, The Circle features an extended performance from British transvestite funnyman Eddie Izzard's stand-up tour of the same title (the sixth of his career), which toured Great Britain in 1999 and the USA and Canada in 2000. The particular routine in this release was shot live at the Town Hall in New York City. In it, Izzard performs dozens of characterizations and bits, from "Darth Vader getting no respect in the Death Star cafeteria," to a gun-wielding primate who decides to blast the hell out of Charlton Heston's house, to riffs on Leonardo Da Vinci and Niccolo Machiavelli. The monologues find Izzard also pulling from innumerable influences, including not only comedy legends (Spike Milligan, Monty Python, Beyond the Fringe) but the masters of English literature. Lewis MacLeod created the inventive production design; Sarah McGuiness composed the score. ~ Nathan Southern, Rovi
The accomplished cross-dressing comedian Eddie Izzard showcases his remarkable talent in the made for HBO special Dress to Kill. This one man show, Izzard's fifth, is widely considered to be his breakthrough show for American audiences. ~ Perry Seibert, Rovi
- 1999
The history of one Monty Python's Flying Circus is examined in this release featuring interviews with the Pythons and friends, new sketches, "The Lost Python Mayday Special," and much more. An animated tribute from South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone offers testament to Monty Python's enduring influence in the world of comedy, and pop singer Meat Loaf takes the stage to introduce a series of the troupe's most memorable musical numbers including "The Lumberjack Song," "The Spam Song," and "Every Sperm Is Sacred." ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
Eddie Izzard: Glorious features a command performance by brainy British stand-up comic Eddie Izzard. Izzard, in the midst of a world comedy tour, pulls out all the stops, sharing many of his most popular sketches. He portrays James Mason as God, hurrying about with soot and jam trying to complete the world on deadline. He presents Sean Connery as Noah, constructing the Ark as a speedboat. And he updates the Grim Reaper by putting a lawnmower in his skeletal clutches. ~ Betsy Boyd, Rovi
Prepare for one of the most outrageously hilarious standup comedy acts that the U.K. has to offer as groundbreaking comic Eddie Izzard brings his unforgettable act to the screen in this side-splitting 1994 performance, captured live at the legendary Albery Theater. Featuring a completely new set from his previous year's run at the Ambassador's Theater, Izzard keeps things fresh and original in a performance sure to please both longtime fans and newcomers alike. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Eddie Izzard
- 1990
This 56-minute video celebrates 25 years' worth of inspired lunacy from Britain's Monty Python's Flying Circus. Loyal Pythonites John Cleese, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, Graham Chapman, Michael Palin and Terry Gilliam are interviewed, offering surprisingly sobersided insight as to what made their zany aggregation tick. Highlights include vintage clips from the Monty Python TV series, as well as vignettes from the group's theatrical features and concert appearances. As a bonus, we are treated to rare vignettes never before shown on American television. If you've never been exposed to such classic routines as "Dead Parrot", "Lumberjack" and "Department of Silly Walks", don't pass up this opportunity. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
A man struggles to keep his family and himself together under trying circumstances in this independent drama from writer and director Richard Levine. Ned (Liev Schreiber) works as a writer for a television series, "Mercy Medical," and his job has become increasingly difficult as his producer Garrett (Eddie Izzard) demands increasingly outlandish storylines; Ned objects, but the new guy on the staff, Brian (David Harbour), is more than happy to deliver. At home, Ned's wife, Jeannie (Helen Hunt), is dividing her time between running a business and looking after her elderly father, Ernie (Brian Dennehy), whose uncertain temper is all the more precarious as his ill health has pushed him into suicidal depression. With Helen occupied with her dad's problems, Ned has to deal with their two sons, teenage Jonah (Ezra Miller), who has recently acknowledged his homosexuality, and younger Ethan (Skyler Fortgang), a talented musician deeply troubled by his grandfather's ill health. Meanwhile, as his home life becomes more chaotic, Ned is given a new writing partner, Robin (Carla Gugino), who is smart, sexy, and clearly attracted to him. Every Day received its world premiere at the 2010 Tribeca Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Liev Schreiber, Helen Hunt, (more)
Actor and filmmaker John Turturro wrote and directed this emotionally resonant blend of music and drama. Nick Murder (James Gandolfini) is an ironworker who has been married for years to Kitty (Susan Sarandon), who works as a seamstress and is the mother of Nick's three daughters. While Nick loves his wife, his head is turned by Tula (Kate Winslet), a sexy salesgirl at a lingerie shop, and soon they're having a passionate affair. When Kitty finds out about Nick's infidelity, she becomes enraged and kicks him out of the house, forcing him to decide what he really wants out of life and what is most important to him. Along the way, many of the characters in the film periodically turn to their favorite songs to explain and amplify their emotions, lip-synching along with the original recordings. Romance & Cigarettes also stars Steve Buscemi, Mandy Moore, Christopher Walken, Eddie Izzard, and Elaine Stritch. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- James Gandolfini, Susan Sarandon, (more)
From Jan Kounen, the French director of the violent cult actioner Dobermann, comes this loose adaptation of Jean "Mobius" Giraud's comic series Blueberry. Vincent Cassel stars as Mike Blueberry, a lawman whose past comes back to haunt him when his town is invaded by the nefarious Blount (Michael Madsen), the man responsible for his first love's murder. Led by a German con man by the name of Prosit (an unrecognizable Eddie Izzard), Blount and his crew search for an ancient treasure buried deep within Indian tribal grounds, while Blueberry and his Indian friend Runi (Temuera Morrison) race to keep the land sacred and stop the thieves by any means possible. Featuring Juliette Lewis and her father, Geoffrey Lewis, in supporting roles, the film sports a solid American cast that boasts an additional performance by Colm Meaney and a rare appearance by none other than Ernest Borgnine. ~ Jeremy Wheeler, Rovi
- Starring:
- Vincent Cassel, Juliette Lewis, (more)
The torturous production of the classic 1922 vampire film Nosferatu is recreated in this stylized account of director F.W. Murnau and his obsession with creating realistic horror by any means necessary -- even if those means include actual bloodletting. The film begins as Murnau (John Malkovich) is ready to take his unauthorized interpretation of the Bram Stoker tale on location in Czechoslovakia. There, the director has arranged for his cast and crew to live in the same castle in which they will shoot their parts, as they all wait for their co-star, Max Schreck (Willem Dafoe) -- Murnau's choice to play Count Orlok -- to arrive. Their leader has warned them that Schreck is a student of the Stanislovsky method of performance and will not respond to them out-of-character. Nothing, however, can prepare them for the real thing: when the actor arrives, he's already in full Gothic regalia, asserting that he is indeed a vampire. Schreck makes good on his claims by terrorizing the cast and crew, attacking Murnau's original cinematographer (Wolfgang Muller) and plucking bats out of the air for midnight snacks. Director E. Elias Merhige previously made his name with his experimental theater productions and with his horrific film school thesis, Begotten. ~ Michael Hastings, Rovi
- Starring:
- John Malkovich, Willem Dafoe, (more)
In this gritty crime drama, Jasper (Steven Mackintosh) is drinking in a pub one evening when he meets a beautiful woman named Sarah (Natasha Little), who after some conversation, seems quite willing to go back to Jasper's apartment. Later that same evening, a pair of cops, White (Holly Aird) and Walker (Bernard Hill), are called to investigate a noise complaint, arriving at Jasper's flat to discover Sarah has been murdered. Jasper insists he had nothing to do with the crime and that a hooligan broke into his apartment and killed the woman. The police are skeptical, but they lack sufficient evidence to hold him, so Jasper is released, with White assigned to follow him. As Jasper tries to track down evidence that would clear his name, other murders fall into his path, and he soon realizes that someone is taking great pains to frame him. The Criminal also features popular British comedian Eddie Izzard -- well known for his drag stand-up act -- in a rare non-humorous role as Peter, a forensics expert with the police. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Steven Mackintosh, Bernard Hill, (more)
A confidence man discovers too late that he's on the other end of a dangerous scam in this tense thriller from England. Leo Garfield (John Hannah) is a small-time gambler and con artist who is eager to get out of the business. Bruno (Brian Conley), a brutal underworld leader, wants Leo to manage his gaming operations. While he's in no position to say no, Leo doesn't want to work for the unstable gangster. Hoping to raise enough money so that he and his wife Lily (Famke Janssen) can leave the country, Leo agrees to murder Gloria (Amanda Donohoe), the wife of a mobster named Julius (Peter Stormare). However, Bruno's brother Caspar (Ian Burfield) is convinced that Leo is up to no good, and he hopes to get some information from Lily by passing on unwelcome news -- Elmo (Fred Ward), Lily's former partner in crime, has just been released from prison, and he wants revenge for her betrayal of him after a bungled robbery. Leo goes through with his assignment to kill Gloria, only to discover that he's been set up -- the woman in question was a prostitute hired by Julius, who videotaped her death and is now demanding $500,000 in blackmail from Leo. Circus was the feature film debut for director Rob Walker, who had previously worked in British television. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Lucy Akhurst, Christopher Biggins, (more)
At the 1998 Cannes Film Festival, American independent director Todd Haynes (Safe) received the "Artistic Achievement" award for this re-creation of the UK glam rock scene of the early '70s. Glam rock star Brian Slade (Jonathan Rhys Meyers), who does a character named Maxwell Demon, predicts his own death onstage. As per his prediction, this happens, but when the killing is exposed as a hoax, it marks the end of Slade's stardom. A decade later, in 1984, Brit reporter and former Slade fan Arthur Stuart (Christian Bale), who witnesses the hoax murder, gets the assignment to do a "Whatever Happened To..?" article, and the film's plot suddenly goes into a prismatic Citizen Kane mode, reflecting various angles on Slade's life and career. Arthur visits the wheelchair-bound Cecil (Michael Feast), who discovered Slade, and then tracks Slade through his early life and his initial encounter with outrageous, maniacal American singer Curt Wild (Ewan McGregor). Slade's rise begins as manager Jerry Divine (Brit comedian Eddie Izzard) moves in to take over the performer's career. Ex-wife Mandy Slade (Toni Collette), interviewed by Arthur in a dimly lit nightclub, has memories going back to their initial 1969 Sombrero Club encounter. Their marriage paralleled his Bowie-like ascent to fame as an innovative, bisexual rock star pushing the limits. Idolized by teens, Slade teamed up for a while with the drug-addicted Wild. Eventually, the marriage of Mandy and Slade comes to an end, and she hasn't seen him in seven years when she's interviewed by Arthur. The soundtrack features vintage music by Bryan Ferry, Lou Reed and Brian Eno, plus new tunes. Some background on the making of Velvet Goldmine is documented in producer Christine Vachon's book Shooting to Kill: How an Independent Producer Blasts Through the Barriers to Make Movies That Matter (Avon, 1998) by Vachon with Slate film critic David Edelstein. ~ Bhob Stewart, Rovi
- Starring:
- Ewan McGregor, Jonathan Rhys-Meyers, (more)
In this adaptation of the novel by Joseph Conrad, Mr. Verloc (Bob Hoskins) runs a shabby corner shop in London that serves as a front for his more profitable sideline, selling pornography. However, selling sex photos is not Verloc's main order of business; he is a member of an anarchist organization, and he holds meetings in his apartment where he and his fellows plot the violent overthrow of the government. Verloc does not actually share the beliefs of his fellows -- he is in fact a double agent working with the Russians to sabotage the actions of revolutionary exiles while passing information about the anarchists along to Police Inspector Heat (Jim Broadbent). Verloc is married to Winnie (Patricia Arquette), a pretty but dour young woman who doesn't care for her husband and has married only in hopes that she would be able to afford a decent home for her brother Stevie (Christian Bale), who is mentally retarded. Inspector Heat informs Verloc that the anarchists must commit some sort of major violent action soon if the police are ever going to put any of them behind bars, so Verloc persuades the Professor (Robin Williams) to help him plant some bombs, which leads to tragedy for everyone involved. Robin Williams appears unbilled in The Secret Agent; in some listings, his role is credited to George Spelvin. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Bob Hoskins, Patricia Arquette, (more)
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