What The Critics Say

"Kinky Boots, a crowd-pleasing British import based on a true story, may be this year's "Full Monty." After a festival screening here, this perky, very English comedy with rousing musical numbers, about a struggling Northamptonshire shoe company and the drag queen that comes to its rescue, had the audience on its feet." Sura Wood HOLLYWOOD REPORTER "It's no surprise to learn that Kinky Boots is from the same team who gave us Calendar Girls. Slick and impossible to dislike, it also presents a side of provincial British life rarely seen nowadays: that of the frustrated dreamer. Australian actor Edgerton does just enough to convince as a Midlander, but this is ultimately Ejiofor's parade. He takes you beneath Lola's sequins and delivers one of the best performances of the year. Don't miss it." Adrian Hennigan BBC "With generically pleasant direction by first-timer Julian Jarrold and a script by Tim Firth (who wrote the identical "Calendar Girls") and Geoff Deane, "Kinky Boots" counts on its viewers being delighted by the most predictable of developments." Eric D Snider ERICDSNIDER.COM "Chiwetel Ejiofor (Melinda and Melinda, Love Actually) is fast becoming one of the finest actors working today, and if you want proof as to his talent, look no further than his masterful performance in Kinky Boots. Clearly, Ejiofor's performance makes this movie work, because with most other actors, the exploitative nature of the character of Lola would have been too silly to ever believe or care about. Instead of laughing at this very eccentric person, we sympathize with him, as he shows great strength and courage, while also very vulnerable and shy underneath." Vince Leo QWIPSTERS MOVIE REVIEWS "In a festival [SUNDANCE] full of incredible films, what stands out about "Kinky Boots" is how simultaneously charming and sexy it is. A solid British comedy, "Kinky Boots" is about a high-end shoe factory on the fritz & its young boss who is inspired by a big and sassy cabaret singer named Lola, boldly played by Chiwetel Ejiofor. Dan Kirkwood G W HATCHETT ONLINE

The Inside Story

"It's cine-spirit not too far from Strictly Ballroom, Kinky Boots is a well crafted comedy that wears a solid pair of dramatic shoes to take us down the road to an entertainment with something to say." URBAN CINEFILE

Can I let you in on a little secret? OK. But before I do you have to promise not to tell anyone, otherwise it won't be a secret, right?. Good. Well here goes. When I first saw the promo's for "Kinky Boots" I cringed. True, I did! Honest to Gud I did. I thought, not another 'gender bender' film. Bloody hell, first it was gay cowboys, next it was a gay writer, then it was a transexual and now, a bloke in boots. Give me a break. And that voice over saying "Kinky Boots", sent a shiver down my spine. What was happening, has the whole world turned gay. Am I the only straight guy left on the freekin' planet? Then the gorgeous Daniella invited me to a CineBuzz screening at the GU Megaplex. How could I resist. I mean lets face it, Danielle's a pretty hot chick, the type guys go ape over and will do anything to impress. Good looks, well presented, intelligent and she has 'the voice'. I just about swoon every time I get a call from her. My head spins at the sound of her voice and my heart races faster than a thoroughbred racehourse heading for the finish line in a Melbourne Cup. I'm putty in her hands. What ever Daniella says goes. Hell, if she said, "jump off a cliff", I'd do it. No hesitation! Come on! I'm just a guy. But "Kinky Boots"? All of a sudden, that cliff was looking awful high. "I will leave you a double pass at the box-office", she said. "Uhm, I don't know," I replied. "Ok", she said. "Final Offer. A double pass and a Candy Bar voucher for a Chok-Top and Coke". What did I have to lose. "I'm waiting," the voice on the phone said. "Are you going to get your backside into that theatre or not?" The tone of her voice snapped me back to reality. It had a menace in it I'd never heard before. I was flirting with death and it would not be a pleasant one. Besides, I really did want to make it to my sixtieth birthday, which is just around the corner. "Oh alright then, I'll do it" I said with a submissive whimper, adding, "but only because you asked so nicely." "you're such a sweetie for an old guy", she said. "Yeh, right", I said to myself. "Sorry, missed that", she asked. Gud, that voice. If the fabled 'Sirens Of The Sea' had voices like Danielle's, it's no wonder they all jumped ship and vainly attempted to swim ashore. "Catch you later and don't forget to have the review up by Thursday", she ordered. The deal was done. I was off to "Kinky Boots" and all I could say was, "It had better be bloody kinky." I needn't have worried. Like everyone else at the CineBuzz screening, I left the theatre very uplifted. It wasn't all that kinky, but it was very, very entertaining. The credits noted it was the Kinky Boots Shoe Company who inspired the production of the film. Was it really it true though? I can confirm it was. "Kinky Boots" was inspired by British shoe manufacturer, Steve Pateman. Steve's story was an almost typical tale of the rise and fall of a traditional Northampton family shoe manufacturing business but with a twist. With the 100 year old family business struggling to survive, Steve Pateman turned his back on tradition and started to produce kinky boots for a niche market demanding women’s' boots for men. After a faltering start, the new product line started to win orders and the future looked destined for success, largely due to Steve’s good humour, loyalty and determination to marry the past with the future. Eventually his story made it into the media. Harbour Pictures Nick Barton and Suzanne Mackie were intrigued by Steve's story. At the time the story broke, they were working with Buena Vista International on their UK comedy "Calendar Girls". Also interested in the shoe companies story was Co-Producer Peter Ettedgui, who said, "I thought it was a poignant and exciting idea. On the one hand you have the English tradition of shoemaking, unchanged for hundreds of years and on the other this fantastic fun, kinky culture and the potential conflict of what might happen if these two cultures met." When Ettedgui found out no-one had the film rights to the story, he immediately contacted Barton and Mackie. The three arranged to meet with Steve Pateman at his factory. Excitedly they set off for Northhampton. "I remember walking into the factory for the first time and there was a fantastically sensual atmosphere with the noise and the smell of leather," recalls Suzanne. "I saw an older man wearing a holey green cardigan, tweed trousers and very smart brogues. He was a quintessential nice old boy who’d been there for centuries, working with absolute concentration on this huge, big red leather boot and I just thought, there’s the film." There's no doubt what they saw at Northhampton that day left a lasting impression on the three Producers. "There was a carousel in the factory which was bringing round various sorts of brown brogues and traditional shoes and then next came these long, high heeled leather boots and then a pair of leopard skin boots and these images became symbolic of the film really," Nick Barton recalls. Harbour Pictures once again approached Buena Vista with their idea. Buena Vista "immediately saw the comedy potential of juxtaposing the factory world with an erotic kinky world, as well as the more poignant reference to the state of manufacturing in the UK." Having been given the green light, Ettedgui added writer Geoff Deane to the production team. Later they would added writer Tim Firth who had worked with them on "Calendar Girls". "I was attracted to the story because of its similarities to the great Ealing Comedies," Firth recalls. "It is really a new millennial take on an Ealing Comedy, following a similar pattern but with an unexpected modern twist." So how much remains true to the original? "It’s inspired by a true story but we’ve fictionalised the story a lot," says Barton. "Charlie is our main protagonist and loosely based on someone who inherits a shoe factory, but we have created various characters including Lola, our drag queen, who becomes the catalyst for change." And what a catalyst she/he is. "I wanted Lola to be much more sophisticated and cool and avoid the queeny territory," say Firth. But they needed to balance the film between Charlie and Lola. But wait a minute. Why the name Lola? The team says "Lola stood out, evoking an air of ironic glamour as well as having certain pop culture references and appeal." Ettedgui revealled more saying, the name resonated nicely with the world of cabaret/burlesque and sounded at once both retro and modern. [Lola is of course the name of Marlene Dietrich's heroine in 'The Blue Angel' and we liked the association with the heyday of Berlin cabaret]." Director Julian Jarrold admits he was attracted to the project by Lola. "I was attracted to the character of Lola and the clash between Lola’s world and Charlie’s world with the small town, conservative values versus Soho, transvestites and the vibey music, but also that it was based on a true story," he said adding, "I think this is the key to the film; that it is rooted in reality and you have a real story and real characters that you believe in and you believe in the transvestite world and the factory world." When it came to casting LOla, the team knew they would require someone very special for the role. I truly believe audiences will fall in love with their choice. "All the actors used a variety of different and interesting ways of approaching the part of Lola, but Chiwe was the only one who came into the audition with a wig and when he put on this very long, straight, black wig, it transformed him immediately; Naomi Campbell with a difference. Chiwe instantly got the humour, was very fresh, full of energy and had a lovely direct quality," Jarrold says. "He blew us away really." Chiwetel Ejiofor [pronounced Chew it tell Edge oh for] says "Lola always seemed to have a very forthright way of looking at the world and a determined streak to her and that’s what I wanted to bring to the casting room. I also wanted to present an idea of what I saw her as, so I got a wig, tested it out on some friends, gave it a trim and put it on. It seemed important to me to do that and also the sort of lengths which Lola would go to." The producers loved his Lola. "Barton said, We saw the camera test and it was just perfect. The moment we saw him we knew within seconds he was going to be Lola." Ettedgui recalls, "He was extremely funny, very poignant and hit every single note that we felt the character should have." Next task was to find their 'Charlie'. Julian Jarrold says he "wanted someone who could embody Charlie’s everyman type of qualities and as well as being understanding, have a basic masculinity which is upset and disorientated when Lola uses her sexuality around him." After auditioning many actors they found their man. It took an Australian, Joel Edgerton, to bring Charlie to life. "I’d seen a lot of British comedy films and I think they are particularly good at getting them right," Edgerton explained. Australian sense of humour is very akin to British sense of humour and I really felt the humour in the script." He says he was also excited by the prospect of working with Ejiofor. "I had met Chiwe before, as he had worked with a friend of mine, Radha Mitchell on Melinda and Melinda and I think he is a fantastic actor, so to know he was involved really raised my enthusiasm to an extra level." There is, as always, so much more I'd love to tell you about the making of kinky boots. But let me close by saying "Kinky Boots" once again, "it's very, very entertaining." The support cast, the costumes, the factory scenes, the boots, Milan and the fabulous songs are so good. This is one uplifting joyous celebration of life you don't want to miss. Shoe Facts – The Historical, Weird & Wonderful

What is the oldest shoe in the world? The oldest existing footwear in the world is a sandal found in a cave in Missouri USA, which was made 8,000 years ago. Egyptians led the way in shoemaking? Up to 1850 all shoes were made using practically the same hand tools that were used in Egypt as early as the 14th Century BC. Why are shoes found hidden in buildings? To protect the house and inhabitants from evil and misfortune. Shoes have been found concealed in many parts of buildings. Lucky shoes? There is a custom of throwing a shoe after a newly wedded couple, supposedly to bring them luck. Unlucky shoes? It is a widely believed folk law that if you put your shoes on a table, you’ll receive bad luck. Is there a patron saint of shoemakers? St Crispin is the patron saint of shoemakers, born of a noble Roman family in the 3rd century. Martyred in Soissons in France c.300 AD, St. Crispin’s Day is 25th October. What is a Cordwainer? A shoe maker. What is a Clicker? A shoe worker who cuts leather into the pieces that are later sewn together to make the shoe upper. What is a Last? A mould used for shaping the leather and making shoes. As late as 1850 most shoes were made on absolutely straight lasts – not left and right and only two widths. Ouch. Passionate about sandals? The British love sandals, but the Japanese have long been sandal wearing people, and different sandals indicated the social status of the wearer and for different vocations and professions. Who kept the Allied Forces in shoes in WWI? Great Britain. They supplied nearly 80million shoes and boots, two thirds of which were made in Northamptonshire.

Cast & Crew Bytes "KINKY BOOTS" stars .......
Joel Edgerton ["The Hard Word", "Ned Kelly", "The Night We Called It A Day", "King Arthur" and "Star Wars: Episode III"]; Sarah Jane Potts ["Five Seconds to Spare", "Wonderland", "Young Blades", "National Lampoon's Barely Legal" and "Breaking Dawn"]; Jemima Rooper ["The Higher Mortals", "Owd Bob", "The Famous Five" and "A Sound of Thunder"]; Linda Bassett ["Oscar and Lucinda", "The Hours", "Calendar Girls" and "Separate Lies"]; Nick Frost ["Danger! 50,000 Zombies!", "Shaun Of The Dead" and "The Man Who Would Be Shaun"]; Robert Pugh ["The Angry Earth", "Old Scores", "Hello, Hello, Hello" and "Enigma"]; Kellie Bright ["Blackrock", "Ali G Indahouse" and "Imagine Me & You"]; Mona Hammond ["Fords on Water", "Pure", "The Life and Death of Peter Sellers" and "Imagine Me & You"]; Ewan Hooper ["How I Won the War", "Dracula Has Risen from the Grave", "Julius Caesar" and "Personal Services"] and Chiwetel Ejiofor ["Dirty Pretty Things", "Love Actually", "Melinda and Melinda", "Four Brothers" and "Serenity"] as Lola.
"KINKY BOOTS" was .......
directed by Julian Jarrold ["Fighting for Gemma" and "Some Kind of Life"]; screenplay by Geoff Deane [TV'S "Birds of a Feather" and "Last Man Standing"] and Tim Firth ["Blackball" and "Calendar Girls"]; costume design by Sammy Sheldon ["Black Hawk Down", "D.I.Y. Hard", "The Calcium Kid" and "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy"]; production design by Alan MacDonald ["Man To Man", "Rogue Trader", "The 51st State" and "The Jacket"]; edited by Emma E Hickox ["The Brylcreem Boys", "A Walk To Remember", "Blue Crush" and "The Jacket"]; cinematography by Eigil Bryld ["Possessed", "Before the Storm", "To Kill A King" and "The King"]; original music by Adrian Johnston ["The Debt Collector", "You Can't Dance", "Piccadilly Jim" and "Lassie"] produced by Suzanne Mackie ["Calendar Girls"], Nick Barton ["Calendar Girls"] and Peter Ettedgui ["Kinky Boots"]. What It's All About

"Chiwetel Ejiofor is ... utterly convincing as Lola and plays her as a force of nature; funny, loud, sexy and, in the film's most dramatic scenes, genuinely moving" Matthew Turner VIEWLONDON

Young Charlie Price is leaving the family shoe business to pursue a career in marketing. Not long after arriving in London he's called back to Northhampton. The sudden death of his father means he must take over the reigns of Price and Sons. Charlie soon makes a terrible discovery. A cancelled order has left him holding six hundred pairs of classic men’s brogues. He tries to call in a few favours but times have changed and the best he can do is sell two hundred pair at cost. Then fate steps in. He comes across a group of men accosting a young lady. Charlie's intervention is awkward but it saves the day, even if he does end up unconcious on the cobble-stoned alley. Coming to, he realizes the young lady is in fact a man. A trans-gender entertainer by the name of Lola. Lola is a stylish entertainer who wears outrageous high cut boots. Later back at the factory, while going through the unenviable task of laying off fifteen of the factory workers, one suggests he look for a niche market. Suddenly those boots Lola wears take on a new meaning. Price and Sons will make sexy boot for men who want to be women. With Lola on board, Charlie and the factory workers set about making two and a half feet of pure sex. But how will they market their products? Charlie has the answer. He decides to remortgage his house so they can launch Price and Sons "Kinky Boots at the world famous Milan Shoe Fair. The Verdict "This is the sort of film you just go along to, settle back, and have fun! When it comes to comedy, the British certainly know how to tickle an audiences funny bone. "Kinky Boots" is camp, funny, outrageous and totally loveable. Great cast. Great Songs. Australian actor Joel Edgerton is sterling in the role of young Mr Price, but it is Chiwetel Ejiofor who continually steals the show. Hold back any homophobic or gender bender hangups you might have and you'll thoroughly enjoy this tale of love, survival and acceptance. Very recommended indeed to anyone who wants to have a really enjoyable time at the flicks. Go on, get cracking." Who's Who?

Joel Edgerton Chiwetel Ejiofor Sarah Jane Potts Jemima Rooper Linda Bassett Nick Frost Robert Pugh Ewan Hooper Kellie Bright Mona Hammond Stephen Marcus Geoffrey Streatfeild Joanna Scanlan Gwenllian Davies Leo Bill Courtney Phillip Sebastian Hurst-Palmer Ilario Bisi-Pedro

... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

Charlie Price Lola Lauren Nicola Mel Don Harold Price George Jeannie Pat Big Mike Richard Bailey Trish Mrs Cobb Harry Sampson Young Lola Young Charlie Lola’s Dad

The Angel Boys

Fausto Danese Gianni Dileo David Moulden Tom Sapsford Carmello Segura Karl Stevens

The Crew Directed by Julian Jarrold Written by Geoff Deane & Tim Firth Produced by Nick Barton/Peter Ettedgui/Suzanne Mackie Original Music by Adrian Johnston Cinematography by Eigil Bryld Film Editing by Emma E Hickox Casting by Gail Stevens Production Design by Alan MacDonald Art Direction by Philip Elton & Peter Wenham Set Decoration by Tina Jones Costume Design by Sammy Sheldon Run Time 107 minutes Rated M [AUST] Copyright ©2006 - Buena Vista Pictures - All Rights Reserved Copyright Protected © 2006 - Impact Internet Services & The Movie Pages - All Rights Reserved