AWFULLY BIG ADVENTURE (DVD/WS-1.85/ENG-SP SUB) DVD

An Awfully Big Adventure
A misleading title and a different type of performance from Hugh Grant are two of the offbeat features of An Awfully Big Adventure. Virginal theatre fanatic Stella (Georgina Cates), who speaks with her dead mother by phone, joins a theatrical troupe in 1947 England headed by manipulative director Meredith Potter (Grant). Stella quickly falls for Potter, but he doesn't return her affections, driving her into the arms of the troupe's arrogant star, P.L. O'Hara (Alan Rickman). O'Hara eventually takes Stella's virginity, although she secretly remains devoted to Potter. More secrets of the troupe are revealed at the story's climax, although nothing is really resolved to any of the characters' satisfaction. Not quite a satire and not quite a drama, An Awfully Big Adventure is occasionally mean-spirited and frequently dour, which may just be a result of its subject matter. ~ Don Kaye, All Movie Guide

Cast Alan Rickman as P.L. O'Hara Hugh Grant as Meredith Potter Georgina Cates as Stella Alun Armstrong as Uncle Vernon Peter Firth as Bunny Prunella Scales as Rose

Crew Andrew Warren - Associate Producer Susie Figgis - Casting Victor Glynn - Co-producer Joan Bergin - Costume Designer Martin O'Malley - First Assistant Director Mike Newell - Director Jon Gregory - Editor Mark Shivas - Executive Producer John Sivers - Executive Producer John Kelleher - Executive Producer Richard Hartley - Composer (Music Score) Peter Sutton - Musical Direction/Supervision Anni Buchanan - Makeup Mark Geraghty - Production Designer Dick Pope - Cinematographer Philip Hinchcliffe - Producer Hilary Heath - Producer Charles Wood - Screenwriter Beryl Bainbridge - Book Author

An Awfully Big Adventure
An unconventional coming-of-age film, An Awfully Big Adventure takes its name from a line of dialogue in Peter Pan, the play staged by the acting troupe that Stella (Georgina Cates) joins. The production is an apt choice, seeing as the film is filled with characters that have not quite grown up. Stella herself is trying to find her place in the world without the guidance of her mother. Hugh Grant plays way against type as the cruel director of the troupe. His cigarette-stained, yellowed fingers and amoral behavior are attractive to Stella, who is looking for a strong figure to follow. Although Grant is flamboyant and interesting, Alan Rickman is brooding and mysterious as the older actor whom Stella ends up spending most of her time with, although there may be some uncomfortable reasons for their mutual attraction. Little more than a character study of the damaged people who make art because they need to more than because they want to, An Awfully Big Adventure may turn off those who are not willing to spend time with unpleasant people. But those with a taste for the offbeat should enjoy these idiosyncratic characters. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
 

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General Specifications: Language Options: English Subtitle Options: English, Spanish Sound Processing: DD5.1: Dolby Digital w/ sub-woofer channel DDS2.0: Dolby Digital w/ 4 channels of sound from a 2-channel stereo mix. DTS: Digital Theater Systems (akin to 5.1) Additional Features: none specified DVD Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1: Theatre Wide-Screen MPAA Rating: R DVD Discs Included: 1 DVD Sides: 1 DVD DVD Region Code: 1 Content Length: 113 min   DVD Chapters: Side #1 -- 1. Opening Sequence [5:44] 2. Audition [5:00] 3. First Day [5:42] 4. About Hilary [6:25] 5. Burgeoning [6:05] 6. Sugar to Tea [5:58] 7. Stella's Debut [4:13] 8. Silly Girl [6:27] 9. What Are You Miserable About? [4:35] 10. Haven't Changed [4:29] 11. Captain Hook [5:23] 12. Launch of the Ship [8:41] 13. A Ride Home [5:26] 14. I've Got Something to Tell You [4:21] 15. She's Gone [4:40] 16. Made for Each Other [3:55] 17. Football Game [7:07] 18. Jealous of Him [5:47] 19. Accident [9:36] 20. End Credits [2:33]