Filth and the Fury, The

Synopsis: Documentary film on the punk band, The Sex Pistols, narrated primarily in voiceover from band members. They discuss how and why it all happened and how far their manager, Malcolm McLaren, (not interviewed) is responsible for their triumphs and disasters. Within the film are extracts from Olivier’s HAMLET (1948) and RICHARD III (1955). The RICHARD III extract acknowledges the influence that Olivier’s portrayal had on Rotten.
Language: English
Country: Great Britain; United States
Medium: Film
Technical information: Colour / Sound
Year of release: 1999
Duration: 107 mins; 9,660 feet

Production type: Documentary/Educational/News
Plays: Richard III
Keywords: Shakespeare, William (1564-1616); Olivier, Laurence (1907-1989); Sex Pistols, The

General: Some reviewers have observed that Richard III (as portrayed by Olivier) is a punk icon, a deformed malcontent; others interpret the interpolation as Temple’s wit, contrasting the Elizabethan world order with the screaming, spitting world of 70s punk. In John Lydon’s (Johnny Rotten) autobiography, Rotten: No Irish, No Blacks, No Dogs: he writes "best of all I loved the way Laurence Olivier played Richard II. He portrayed the character as so utterly vile, it was great...Johnny Rotten definitely has tinges of Richard III in him. I saw it long before conceiving Rotten. No redeeming qualities. Hunchback, nasty, evil, conniving, selfish. The worst of everything to excess. Having seen it aeons ago, I took influences from Olivier’s performance’.

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