Alan Parker
England | 1976 | 93mins | 35mm | Colour
Alan Parker’s debut feature is a delightful, charming and original pastiche of Prohibition-era gangster movies. Based in 1929 Gotham, the cast is comprised entirely of children, memorably led by fourteen-year-old Jodie Foster who plays the spirited songstress Tallulah and Scott Baio in the role of Bugsy, a gangster caught up in the feud between Fat Sam and Dandy Dan. Both mobsters want to put each other out of business and Fat Sam hires the reliable Bugsy to help him blow Dan out of the water.
The rival gangs do battle using ‘splurge’ guns that shoot marshmallow whip and tarts instead of bullets, cleverly spoofing the rich, cliché-ridden history of films about organised crime. These frantic, slapstick gangster scenes are woven together with Paul Williams’ wonderful songs, creating a movie of taste, wit, and melody along with an undeniable affection for the adult world, scaled down to a child’s playground. Bugsy Malone remains a true original, one of the most stylish children’s films ever made.
Winner of 5 Bafta Awards
Free Admission – Tickets Available From Festival Box Office |
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