Northern Soul (film)
| Northern Soul | |
|---|---|
UK theatrical poster
|
|
| Directed by | Elaine Constantine |
| Produced by | Debbie Gray |
| Written by | Elaine Constantine |
| Starring | Elliot James Langridge Antonia Thomas Steve Coogan |
| Cinematography | Simon Tindall |
| Edited by | Stephen Haren |
|
Production
company |
Stubborn Heart Films
Baby Cow Productions |
| Distributed by |
Universal Pictures UK Freestyle Releasing |
|
Release date
|
|
|
Running time
|
99 minutes |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
Northern Soul is a 2014 British historical film directed by Elaine Constantine. It tells the story of two young Lancashire teenagers, Matt and John, whose lives are changed forever by the discovery of American soul music and the dance culture that grew up around it in Britain. The film was selected to be shown in the City to City section of the 2015 Toronto Film Festival.
Set in Lancashire in 1974, the film follows Matt and John as they leave behind a humdrum life of youth clubs and factory lines to chase a dream of travelling to the US, unearthing unknown soul 45s and establishing themselves as top DJ's on the Northern soul music scene. Their dance and amphetamine fuelled quest brings them into contact with some of the darker elements of the scene and tests their friendship to its limits.
The film was a 15-year labour of love for writer/director Elaine Constantine that experienced real difficulties getting off the ground. Turned down by all the major funding bodies, key festivals and institutional production partners in the UK, the film was eventually funded through a mix of private investors and Constantine's substantial personal investment. The film was eventually picked up for distribution by Universal Pictures who sub-licensed the theatrical release to Munro Film Services. Despite only being given a three-day theatrical window and a limited marketing campaign, the film went on to become the widest short-window release to date in the UK according to its producers. Initially expected to open on six to fourteen screens nationally, the film opened on 89 screens on its opening night and 120 screens across its opening weekend. With 97/98 percent seat occupancy across 235 individual screenings these were enough to propel the film into the box office top 10 for its opening weekend.
The soundtrack from the film reached no. 7 in the UK Compilation Chart. On 2 December the movie was released on Netflix in the United States.
The film has had a warm reception with the public and critics alike. On publication of early projections for the number of independent screens due to take the film, social media groups sprang up campaigning for the film to come to their local cinema. This grass roots pressure on local indie screens, which included 23 Ourscreen bookings; the committed efforts of Munro Film Services and a growing media interest in the film's progress saw distribution snowball to the levels above. The film went on to screen in nearly 300 separate cinemas and other venues in the UK.
...
Wikipedia