Funny Man

Dir: Simon Sprackling

1994

*****

Simon Sprackling's quirky Funny Man is a misunderstood masterpiece and one of many overlooked great British films of the last few decades. In 1994 most people were celebrating Four Weddings and a Funeral, The Madness of King George and Shallow Grave, and while I like all three of those films, something else was happening that very few people were taking notice of. Even today, Funny Man is virtually forgotten, the occasional late night screening on certain horror channels being the only thing keeping it alive. I think one of the reasons it didn't do as well upon release was because it was largely misunderstood. I think people thought it was going to be the British answer to A Nightmare on Elm Street, which it really isn't. The other factor is the humour, you either love it or you just don't get it. It's based on the legend of Thomas Skelton, also known as Tom Fool. Fool is remembered as a court jester but the truth is he was more likely a teacher first with a penchant for practical jokes. He became the chief performer at Castle Muncaster but would become better known for his deadly practical jokes. According to legend, Skelton had a habit of sitting beneath a chestnut tree on the castle grounds, where he would chat with and offer directions to travellers and passers-by on the road that ran past the castle. If he took a dislike to anyone, he would intentionally direct them toward a perilous and all but undetectable patch of quicksand by the nearby cliffs, from which there was little chance of escape. He is also said to have cut the head of the castle's carpenter for not paying back a small debt. This serial-killer jester has had much written about him but the legend is largely based on hearsay, rather than any written fact, and it grows and becomes more gruesome depending on who tells it. He's ghost is said to still walk the castle grounds to this day, causing mischief and scaring passers-by. While it's not Muncaster Castle in the film, it's still the same idea, albeit a 1994 version of the story. When Max Taylor, a London yuppie with a cocaine and gambling habit, wins the ancestral home of Callum Chance (played by the legendary Christopher Lee) he can't quite believe his luck. He moves his family in explores his new property and discovers a 'wheel of chance' which he can't resist spinning. He lands on lose and an ancient demonic creature awakens from the soil surrounding the mansion. Known as The Funny Man, this demonic being is part Court Jester, part Punch and Judy puppet with a highly irreverent sense of humour. Incorporating a sort of dark pantomime style, Tim James's Funny Man talks directly to the audience, tells jokes and acts as a contemporary version of his legend, adding current events into his jokes and black-humoured monologues. He then kills each member of Max's family, each one more inventive than the next. When a coach-load of characters (all extreme stereotypes of members of 90s society) arrive looking for lodgings, the Funny Man is given even more opportunity to stretch his murderous tenancies once more. Tim James is brilliant in the title role, delivering each line in a hilarious but terrifying manner. The supporting cast of characters is also very good, with each representing a different element of society with loads of in-jokes, self-awareness and a huge slice of satire. It's wickedly funny and a very British horror. It was ahead of the game too, as the satirical horror/comedy genre really took off on British TV around this sort of time and for my money, Funny Man beats most of it hands down. A brilliant alternative masterpiece, almost completely forgotten.