Fierce Creatures (1997)

Directors:

Fred Schepisi
Robert Young

Writers:

John Cleese (writer) &
Iain Johnstone (writer)

Release Date:

24 January 1997 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Tagline:

Don't pet them.

Plot:

Zookeepers struggle to deal with the policies of changing directors.

Plot Keywords:

Zoo | Animal | Sequel | Death | Cult Favorite

Cast

John Cleese	...	Rollo Lee
Jamie Lee Curtis	...	Willa Weston
Kevin Kline	...	Vince McCain / Rod McCain
Robert Lindsay	...	Sydney Lotterby
Michael Palin	...	Adrian 'Bugsy' Malone
Ronnie Corbett	...	Reggie Sea Lions
Carey Lowell	...	Cub Felines
Bille Brown	...	Neville
Derek Griffiths	...	Garry Ungulates
Cynthia Cleese	...	Pip Small Mammals
Richard Ridings	...	Hugh Primates
Maria Aitken	...	Di Harding
Michael Percival	...	Ant Keeper
Fred Evans	...	Flamingo Keeper
Lisa Hogan	...	Sea lion Keeper

Also Known As:

Death Fish II (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

93 min

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Rankcolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS

Certification:

Iceland:L | USA:PG-13 (certificate #34999) | South Korea:15 | Ireland:12 | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Chile:14 | Finland:K-8 | Germany:12 (bw) | Portugal:M/12 | Spain:7 | Sweden:7 | UK:12 | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

England, UK

Company:

Fish Productions

Trivia:

Robert Lindsay's character is named Sydney Lotterby. The real Sydney Lotterby was a BBC comedy stalwart with a long list of shows he either directed or produced, including "Some Mothers Do 'Ave Em", "Yes, Minister" and "Yes, Prime Minister" and "As Time Goes By".

Goofs:

Continuity: The spade that falls from the wall when Vince enters the shed replaces itself.

Quotes:

[Vince opens the door and leans halfway into Willa's office]
Vince McCain: Willa, can I ask you a question?
Willa Weston: Sure.
Vince McCain: Those breasts real?
Willa Weston: Yes.
Vince McCain: [Closes door, but we hear him through it] Yippee.
[Reopens door and comes in]
Vince McCain: You know, Willa, uh, you better be careful dressed like that around here. People will think you're sleeping your way to the top.
Willa Weston: Just as long as they don't think I'm sleeping my way to the middle.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The John Cleese Interview (1998) (V)

Soundtrack:

Hungy Heart

This comedy is a lot of fun, if you are a fan of "A Fish Called Wanda".

When a old farting heartless corporate mogul (Oscar-Winner:Kevin Kline) takes over a failing Zoo. The mogul is hoping to make money out of it by hiring a new Zoo director (John Clesse) by making the animals fiercer under the supervision of a bright business woman (Jamie Lee Curtis) and the dumb mogul's son (Played by Kline also). The new Zoo director has to deal with a resentful staff and other complications.

Directed by Robert Young (Splitting Heirs) and Fred Schepisi (Mr. Baseball, Roxanne, Six Digress of Separation) made an uneven but entertaining fitfully comedy that doesn't quite pays off as it should but it is Kline's comedic dual performance comes off best. The sexual tension between Clesse and Curtis is quite funny also. The film was originally filmed in 1995 by Young and then largely re-filmed by Schepisi. Then they edited Young's and Schepisi's version together into one film. Clesse, Curtis, Kline, Michael Palin, Maria Aitken and Cynthia Clesse. Which the six actors are in this film, also were together before in the instant classic comedy "A Fish Called Wanda". Panavision. (****/*****).