FILMS… Kill Keith (2011)

#2010s #AllPosts

 

A cracking British comedy horror…

 

A new anchorman is needed for a TV show, and someone would kill to get the part.

 

David Easter and Susannah Fielding

Cheggers

Kill Keith on DVD 26th March 2012. Metrodome film and photos © Metrodome Distribution

 

In a quandary on what to write about next, I asked for some random help from a random friend who was going through a similar dilemma with her next blog entry. Like her, I was also in the throes of writer’s block and a total lack of inspiration. Titles for future film review blog entries were coming fast and furiously in my head then… nothing.

Or I would get inspired, then couldn’t find the film I was looking for in the DVD cabinet. I would then get distracted by the titles or the covers of our collection including a multitude of superheroes, Mad Men box sets, Star Wars related DVDs, Dallas box sets, Oscar-winning films and Tin Tin cartoons.

I then put the ones to be reviewed in a nicely organised pile. This ever-increasing pile of films I aimed to review after I had recovered from writer’s block or after I had gained sufficient time and energy to watch them again.

I felt it was time for something British or horror, as we had recently watched the British horror comedy film, Cockneys vs Zombies (2012). This film stars an ex-EastEnders actress, Michelle Ryan aka Zoe “Kat’s my muvvver” Moon and a few token British favourites such as Richard Briers and Honor Blackman.

Then my intuitive Darlin’ Husband suggested Kill Keith (2011). The DVD of Kill Keith had been spotted by Darlin Husband a few years ago when we were back in the UK. The DVD cover shows the once famous British cheeky chappie presenter from the 70s and 80s, Keith Chegwin in similar attire to Uma Thurman from the Kill Bill (2003) DVD.

Needless to say, Uma pulls the famous yellow outfit off much better. Kill Keith may look like a homage to the film or a fun documentary by a British one time TV presenter to the aforementioned Quentin Tarantino classic. But it’s not, it’s something much, much darker…

The film centres around a breakfast time TV show named The Crack of Dawn, and this title leads to lots of good old British double entendre at its best. Luckily this opening gambit is repeated and reinforced several times so the naive and the rest of the world have time to consult the internet just what this means in Britain.

Marc Pickering stars as the hero of the piece, Danny, a gormless TV runner who is by turns hapless and romantic. He is clearly besotted with Dawn the female presenter of this show. Danny has an overactive imagination and at times imagines himself as a hero such as Rambo or Superman and getting this girl’s undying adoration after saving her from a damsel in distress situation.

His leading lady, Susannah Fielding stars as the TV presenter Dawn, parodies many a familiar female anchorwoman for this show. She is a young and pretty Katy Perry / Zooey Deschanel lookalike. Her male counterpart in the programme is Cliff, a smug, seasoned TV presenter with anger issues.

He is played by David Easter, who I sadly remembered from his days as Pat Hancock in Channel 4 TV soap Brookside (1982-2003) back home. I remembered him in this soap back from in the 1980s, when he sported either a mullet or perm and he probably shared a flat with either an equally curly or mulleted heartthrob, Barry Grant or Terry Whatsisname.

But onto the plot, where all is not well in Breakfast TV land. Cliff (Easter) is leaving the programme, and a replacement is needed to fill this void. Many well-known British presenters are hoping to get the gig. This led to some cameos from a few familiar faces.

Amongst the presenters vying for the job, is the man on the road, Keith Chegwin. Chegwin plays himself and he sends up his own particular presenting style brilliantly. Meanwhile, a mysterious serial killer is at large and is killing off the potential new presenters of the Breakfast Show. These deaths are in lots of grim but inventive ways using breakfast cereal.

Dubbed the “Breakfast cereal killer” by the press this leads to some groan out loud puns. It also paves the way for some cameos, the oddest of these appearances is of an unknown (until now) actor playing a well-known BBC Radio 1 Disc Jockey, and the actual BBC Radio 1 Disc Jockey playing his own lookalike. Meanwhile, the hapless Danny is trying to protect Dawn from the killer after she receives a death threat at work…

The script mercilessly lampoons British Breakfast TV with all its quirkiness. It includes the adverts, the astrology section, the pointless quizzes and those presenters’ patronising approaches. A few really random and well-known (let’s not go as far as to say icons or even British National Treasures) British celebrities intentionally ham it up as themselves and their presenting styles and this adds loads to the fun.

If you have always wanted to see Russell Grant say “peeping at Uranus” in an inappropriate way, this is your film. However, if you are not a resident or have been brought up in the United Kingdom, most of this film’s comedy will make no sense whatsoever. So you may have to consult the internet, Wikipedia or phone a random friend, acquaintance or just anybody in the UK with a good memory. Especially if I lost you at the mention of Keith Chegwin. Or alternatively, you can just watch it as a film about a cereal serial killer.

 

Weeper Rating: 😦 /10

Handsqueeze Rating:  🙂  /10

Hulk Rating: ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎/10

 

---

The Horrorathon 2017, No 57

This review was added to Maddy Loves Her Classic Films  Horrorathon. Other reviews with this cast include,

• Keith Chegwin is remembered in his tribute HERE.
• Tony Blackburn in Top of the Pops.
• Susannah Fielding in Doctor Who.
• More horror comedy film reviews include Cockneys vs Zombies, Scream, Shaun of the Dead, Warm Bodies and An American Werewolf in London.

---