Sparkle (2007)

Directors:

Tom Hunsinger
Neil Hunter

Writers:

Tom Hunsinger (writer)
Neil Hunter (writer)

Release Date:

17 August 2007 (UK)

Genre:

Comedy

Plot:

Sam is a charming, young chancer who has ambitions in the glamorous world of public relations when he moves to London. However, his best laid plans suffer a real setback when true love turns his world upside down in the most unexpected of circumstances.

Cast

Stockard Channing	...	Sheila
Shaun Evans	...	Sam
Anthony Head	...	Tony
Bob Hoskins	...	Vince
Lesley Manville	...	Jill
Amanda Ryan	...	Kate
John Shrapnel	...	Bernie
Peter Gordon	...	Ivor
Lorenzo Martelli	...	Rooftop party man
Roy Carruthers	...	Frank
Sophia Dawnay	...	Camilla
Ellie Haddington	...	Frances
David Woodcock	...	Simon
Omar Berdouni	...	Luis
Richard Cant	...	Adrian
Joanna Van Gyseghem	...	Diane
Emily Davies	...	Diane's daughter
Richard Sails	...	Ralph
Meriel Schofield	...	Carol
Robin Craine	...	Neil Buckley
Inna Cheshire	...	Belly dancer
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
David Barlow
Phillip Barnwell
Ed Barrett
Mike Bell
Gail Carr
Cheryl Catherall
Allan Arthur Fielding
Spencer Hawken
Kerrie Hayes
Nick Jones
Mike Lockley	...	Bearded Man
Sean Nugent	...	Paul
Adam Sarath
James Spofforth
June Stenson
Penny Stenson
Michaela Stringer
Laura Wallace
April Burns	...	Protester (uncredited)
Ana Rosa De Eizaguirre Butler	...	Girl at bus stop (uncredited)
John Campbell	...	Protester (uncredited)
Reg Edwards	...	Protester (uncredited)
Lee Isserow	...	Office Worker (uncredited)
Lora Pilling	...	Protester (uncredited)
Kerry Williams	...	Protester (uncredited)

Directed by
Tom Hunsinger
Neil Hunter

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Tom Hunsinger		writer
Neil Hunter		writer

Produced by
Steve Christian	....	executive producer
Christopher Moll	....	executive producer
Martin Pope	....	producer
Michael Rose	....	producer
Julia Valentine	....	line producer

Original Music by
Adrian Johnston

Cinematography by
Sean Van Hales

Film Editing by
Martin Brinkler

Production Design by
Cristina Casali

Art Direction by
Simeon Halligan

Costume Design by
Alexandra Caulfield

Makeup Department
Teresa Barker	....	additional makeup artist
Lesley Brennan	....	makeup designer
Mel Crump	....	additional makeup artist
Jayne Greenwood	....	makeup artist
Lucy Sibbick	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Jim Edge	....	unit manager
Claire Newton	....	unit manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Chris Chambers	....	trainee assistant director
Rob Cross	....	trainee assistant director
Joe Geary	....	first assistant director
Daniel Gill	....	third assistant director (as Dan Gill)
Rebecca Hardiman	....	trainee assistant director
Julie Heskin	....	additional assistant director
Simon Noone	....	second assistant director
Sarah Puzzar	....	trainee assistant director

Art Department
Nurey Al-Kahzrajie	....	props
Sally Black	....	production buyer
John Brown	....	stand-by art director
Hugh Fottrell	....	stand-by art director
Beverley Gerard	....	stand-by props
Julie Hall	....	stand-by props
Kate Halsall	....	graphics/art department assistant
Mike Hennessey	....	dressing props
Ed Oldham	....	additional props
Mike Roberts	....	dressing props

Sound Department
Ben Brazier	....	sound editor
Robert Brazier	....	sound editor
Gary Desmond	....	sound recordist
Tim Fraser	....	sound recordist
Jess Richards	....	assistant sound: Isle of Man
Chris Roberts	....	adr editor
Chris Roberts	....	adr supervisor
Anna Sulley	....	sound effects editor
Justin Wilkinson	....	boom operator
Rowena Wilkinson	....	foley artist

Stunts
Ray Nicholas	....	stunt coordinator
Bean Peel	....	stunt double

Camera and Electrical Department
Brian Bassnett	....	grip assistant
Paul Benson	....	additional electrician
Lawrence Carter	....	additional rigger
Mark Davenport	....	assistant camera
Dave Glossop	....	rigger
Joe Judge	....	gaffer
Simon Lewis	....	grip
Joseph Mastrangelo	....	second assistant camera
Michael McHugh	....	best boy
Louis Mulvey	....	camera operator
Lenny O'Brien	....	electrician
Jon Priddle	....	first assistant camera
Mike Prior	....	additional electrician
Dean Rogers	....	still photographer
Colin Simkiss	....	additional electrician
Matilda Smith	....	assistant camera
Tony Wilcock	....	additional electrician

Costume and Wardrobe Department
John Dunn	....	costume assistant

Editorial Department
Trevor Brown	....	colorist

Music Department
Terry Davies	....	conductor
Steve Parr	....	score recordist

Transportation Department
David Callister	....	unit driver
Andrew Duncan	....	unit driver
Ade Holland	....	unit driver
Peter Lamont	....	unit driver
Tony Lamont	....	unit driver
Sammy Pasha	....	driver
Dave Yates	....	unit driver

Other crew
Ollie Allgrove	....	assistant coordinator (as Oliver Allgrove)
Shanna Baynard	....	assistant production coordinator
Mia Bays	....	marketing and distribution
Chris Chambers	....	runner
Andrew Duncan	....	picture vehicles co-ordinator
Denise Hanrahan	....	assistant to producer
Tom Harnick	....	location manager
Chris Ingram	....	production assistant
Alistair MacKay	....	electronic press kit
Sue Mahoney	....	script supervisor
Miguel Pariente	....	location accountant
Reinhard Spiolek	....	production accountant
Sian Sutherland	....	location manager
Anna Tracey	....	production coordinator
Duncan Woods	....	location manager
Thomas Woods	....	production runner

Thanks
Charles Gant	....	thanks

Production Companies

• Isle of Man Film Commission
• Magic Light Pictures

Distributors

• Bankside Films (2007) (worldwide) (all media) (sales agent)
• Vertigo Films (2007) (UK) (theatrical)

Other Companies

• One Post  digital intermediate
• Soho Images  digital laboratory
• St. Anne's Post  post-production facilities

Runtime:

Germany:100 min (European Film Market)

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Filming Locations:

Castletown, Isle of Man

Company:

Isle of Man Film Commission

Trivia:

Originally the main character, Sam, was going to be an electrician and that is why the title was Sparkle. (In the UK, a sparky is a nickname for someone in that profession.) However over time the plot developed and Sam's character was just looking for any kind work when he went to London. The producers however still wanted to call the film Sparkle, so had to come up with another reason for that. They gave Sam the surname Sparks, and developed his mum's character as a singer, so that they could continue to use Sparkle as the film's title.

not really feel-good

Not as good as the writers'/directors' previous effort, LAWLESS HEART, despite an array of fine actors. I think the problem lies in the limited range of the male lead. Scenes between everyone else work well enough, but his cheeky-chap persona grates after a while. This is more of a criticism of the script than of the actor. When we finally see his vulnerable side, it's too late for the rom-com ending.

The relationship between the characters also seems too conveniently close-knit to convince. Sure, by definition every work of fiction is artificial, a fabrication. There was a central idea in LAWLESS HEART - a bereavement - that bound the whole thing together. Here, unfortunately, the inter-connections seem worthier of a novel than a movie.

Bob Hoskins is particularly endearing in SPARKLE, so fans of his should see the movie if they can. Otherwise, in spite of reliable performances from reliable performers, this feels like a rather half-hearted attempt at a feelgood movie.