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The Rutles: All You Need is Cash

Actor(s): Eric Idle, Neil Innes, Ronnie Wood, Mick Jagger, Paul Simon
Director(s): Eric Idle, Gary Weis
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Details

MPAA Rating: NR
Movie Release: 1978
DVD Release: 03/13/2001
Format: DVD - Black and White,Pan and Scan
Edition: Restored/Remastered
Audio Tracks: English
SwapaDVD Credits: 1
Number of Discs: 1
Run Time: 1 hrs 10 mins
Studio: Rhino Home Video
Members Wishing: 13
Genres: Comedy, Parody/Spoof, Mockumentary, Rock Musical

Synopsis

A mockumentary of a Beatles-like singing group called the Rutles, The Rutles is a collaboration between Monty Python alumnus Eric Idle and Saturday Night Live filmmaker Gary Weis. The members of the "pre-Fab Four" are Nasty, Barry, Stig, and Dirk. There really isn't any plot, just a series of vignettes, unctuously narrated by Idle, which mercilessly skewer the Beatles mythology. Under the guidance of agent Leggy Mountbatten (before he tragically takes a teaching post in Australia), the Rutles rise to the top with such hit songs as "Please Please Let Me Hold Your Hand" and "I Am the Waitress." Mention is made of the Rutles' film successes: "A Hard Day's Rut," "Ouch!," "Tragical History Tour," "Yellow Submarine Sandwich," and "Let It Rot." We also see such career highlights as Nasty's declaration that the Rutles are more popular than God (he meant "Rod," as in Rod Stewart), the rumor that Dirk is dead (whereupon Stiggy starts his own rumor that he is dead), and Nasty's unfortunate liaison with a Yoko Ono counterpart (depicted as a Neo-Nazi dominatrix). The Rutles gains an added veneer of verisimilitude through the participation of such rock stars as Paul Simon, Mick Jagger, and Ron Wood, as well as George Harrison himself, who shows up as a BBC commentator. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Cast

Eric Idle - Dirk McQuickley
Eric Idle - Narrator
Eric Idle - S.J. Krammerhead
Neil Innes - Ron Nasty
Ronnie Wood - Hells Angel
Mick Jagger - Himself
Paul Simon - Himself

Editorial Review

Short of a reunion and tour by the Rutles, this DVD is the deepest and widest ranging experience of the group that anyone is likely to see. The Rutles: All You Need is Cash pre-dated This Is Spinal Tap by many years, and broke so much new ground in comedy and television feature production that it's virtually a creation unto itself. The satire of the Beatles' music was too sophisticated to garner a major audience on American network television when it aired on NBC in 1978, but serious Beatles fans and devotees of Monty Python's Flying Circus and the Bonzo Dog Band devoured it; appropriately enough, it was originally released in America by Pacific Arts Video, a company owned by Michael Nesmith, the ex-member of The Monkees. As if the original Rutles special weren't enough by itself to recommend the purchase of this DVD, the supplement is so full of extras that it's practically a new version of the program. The documentary is intact, of course, and in sterling color and sound, but along with it comes a set of unused scenes (including performances of "Blue Suede Schubert" and extended portions of the Mick Jagger and Paul Simon interview material; the real treat, however, is the director's commentary by Eric Idle. At times he's very pedestrian, explaining the obvious source of various gags, but he also gives a good account of how certain shots were constructed, as well as how the interview material -- largely improvised -- ended up being more revealing of Mick Jagger's feelings about The Beatles than was obvious. Some of the narration is frustrating, as when Idle mentions that many of the Bill Murray outtakes are very funny to watch -- one would have liked to see the outtakes appended to the movie. Idle praises co-director Gary Weis, who handled the actual shooting of the scenes (as opposed to the acting) during the first third of the movie, but starting midway through, he finally gets around to praising Neil Innes, who wrote the Rutles' repertory, pointing out that Innes' song "I Must Be In Love" spawned the movie. He also mentions the fact that George Harrison and Ringo Starr had sung the Rutles song "Ouch!" to Idle and Innes at a friendly get-together in 2000. The menu pops up automatically on start-up and is very easy to navigate, with musical accompaniment as well. The other cool feature, apart from the bonus features (which includes a new intro by Eric Idle), is the built-in program command that allows viewers to play the songs exclusively. The 27 chapter breaks are well selected and include the key gag sequences as well as the songs. ~ Bruce Eder, All Movie Guide