What Do The Critics Say?

"The prospect of a mockumentary about a children's dance school sounds as tired as some of the stars of a certain celebrity ballroom competition. But what a delightful surprise this satire on suburban aspiration and ruthless ambition proves to be. Step aside Kenny, Razzle Dazzle is the most entertaining Aussie film in years." Kerry Bashford NINEMSN "Winning at any cost is the theme of Razzle Dazzle, a quirky, feel-good comedy that shuffles high kicks, an obsessed stage mother and two dance teachers with conflicting philosophies. Mockumentary in style, the film's tone is coated with biting black humour that lends to an inward chuckle rather than a hearty laugh. Writer Director Darren Ashton (Thunderstruck) takes us into two dance studios, where we meet the teachers, the dancers, the parents." Louise Keller URBAN CINEFILE "A wonderful film, hilarious and touching. You’ll dance out of the cinema." Ben Elton "The film takes a while to find its footing but does become infectiously entertaining as the cast of recognisable Australian faces increases; there are cameos from Paul Mercurio, Barry Crocker and Leo Sayer, as well as humorous supporting roles from Tara Morice, Nadine Garner, Noeline Brown and Denise Roberts." Mark Beirne OUR BRISBANE "Armstrong's glittering, flittering train wreck of a performance culminates with a stage routine in which she and her daughter perform on stage dressed in identical pink tutus. Not to be outdone, Denise Roberts' obsessive behind-the-scenes helper sends back foster children who don't have a highly developed sense of rhythm. If the parents are the villains of this piece, the dance teachers are their accomplices. Jane Hall is terrific as the classically minded and extraordinarily driven Miss Elizabeth, five time Grand Final winner." Vicky Roach DAILY TELEGRAPH

"Despite a few too many familiar strokes, Razzle Dazzle holds its own as a well-made and engaging satire, punctuated by two strikingly funny and award-worthy performances. While the world it projects is inherently self-parodying, and the structure soporifically familiar by the time the third act rolls around, Razzle Dazzle peels back the leotards and sequins perceptively enough for a limited audience to take the ride." Julian Shaw FILMINK "It seems that mockumentaries are leaping to the forefront of the Australian film industry. No sooner does "Kenny" sweep most of us away than along comes "Razzle Dazzle" about a dance competition and the people who yearn to win it. Director Darren Ashton, who co-wrote the screenplay with his wife Carolyn Wilson and with Robin Ince of The Office fame, underplays the comedy effectively, very much in the manner of Christopher Guest’s films. It’s a charming crowd-pleasing film." Margaret Pomeranz ABC AT THE MOVIES "A well observed, brilliantly performed comedy." Steve Coogan "A spot-on, note-perfect and warm-hearted surprise." Russell Edwards CIAO MAGAZINE "Armstrong tackles the mum role with a competitive edge worthy of her namesake Lance, and should prove a crowd-pleaser with her dominant performance here. Audience appeal has been ensured by the number of well-known performers who've joined the project, some of them in roles smaller than their status in Australian show business might suggest. Barry Crocker good-naturedly joins in the fun as the Master of Ceremonies whose version of Sherbet's Howzat unlikely to find its way back on to the pop charts, and Toni Lamond and Noeline Brown are seen in cameos." Des Partridge COURIER MAIL

The Inside Story

Mr Jonathon’s Jazzketeers. With new ideas and fresh talent, this could be the time they go all the way. But will dance politics and parental interference be a help or a hindrance? Justine, the pushiest of the stage mothers, becomes increasingly driven as she tries to promote her daughter Tenille to the centre-stage spot. Justine has big plans for Tenille. Barbara - a born organiser whose philanthropic endeavours extend to only fostering children with a sense of rhythm - is worried about her place as Mr Jonathon’s right-hand helper, and of the team’s chances of victory. Paulette and her daughter Grace are new to the troupe, although Grace has already had a taste of life on the stage. Marianne, the troupe’s designer and seamstress, is always on hand - a silent observer who brings Mr Jonathon’s visions to life. Miss Elizabeth is a five-time Grand Final winner. Runs her studio with an iron fist. Miss Elizabeth has an old-fashioned approach to dance that has served her well. Nothing gets past her.

Director Darren Ashton revealed that the latest aussie film production "Razzle Dazzle" came about quite by accident. "One evening I stumbled across a short story, untitled. It was a 3 page scenario about a desperate stage mother, her name Justine, her desire to see her child succeed at any cost. It was riveting. This brief, incredible story became the foundation of our lead female character. She was driven, dangerous and fantastic. It was from Justine that everything else was born." It was obvious that for the success of the film, finding the right actress to play Justine was critical. What Ashton initially thought would prove a real challenge quickly vaished when her met with 2000 Centenary of Federation Medal recipient Kerry Armstrong. "It was one of those encounters in which you’re meeting each other for the first time, testing each other out, exploring ideas. It wasn’t an audition; it was an experiment, and the results were exciting." He would discover more about Armstrong at future meetings and when filming got underway. "We’d spent over two hours pushing Justine one way then the other, Kerry improvising and wrestling with ideas, sometimes playing drunk and singing, at other times being forthright and determined," Ashton recalled. "This pattern of discovery continued until the day we completed our last shot. Never had I met an actress who challenged me or came to a role with so much creative energy. Kerry never stopped thinking about her role, but she also did much more: she thought about the film and the relationships of the characters within the story." When it came to finding the right actor to play Mr Jonathon the task says Ashton "was near impossible. Not until we went to the UK did we discover Ben Miller. From the first moment I knew we'd found our man. It all made sense. What evolved was something far stronger than anything I ever imagined. Ben was incredible. He was inventive, attacking the role with an inspiring vigour and insight. Not only was he very funny, but his comments on the script and character were intelligent." Ashton's vision for the film was that it should remain as close to reality as possible. That created a need for Mr Jonathon to come across as a credible dance teacher. Trouble was Ben Miller had only danced at weddings and discos. That brought onboard John O'Connell, dry-humoured choreographer who had worked with Richard Gere and Jennifer Lopez on the critically acclaimed film, "Shall We Dance" and, Paul Mercurio on the 1992 fim, "Strictly Ballroom". When it came to developing the script, "Thunderstruck" producers Jodi Matterson and Andrena Finlay played an active role. "Jodi, Darren and I wanted to work together again," says "The Hard Word" producer Finlay. "We had a really good experience on "Thunderstruck" and I felt that Darren’s strengths of observation, humour and heart should be encouraged for a second time." It seems they all had something in common when it came to the film. "Darren and Carolyn are the parents of a girl who dances; Jodi is an ex-dancer and I have a daughter who dances as well. So when they came up with this satirical but gentle look at the world of children’s dance competitions, I loved it from the moment they pitched it to me," Finlay said. When it came to writing the script were any of its characters written for specific actors? "Aunty Barbara was essentially written with Denise Roberts in mind", says Ashton. Getting the cast together went like a dream. It seems that as soon as they read for a role, Nadine Garner, Tara Morice, Roy Billing and Paul Mercurio (the celebrity dance teacher brought in by Justine to coach Tenille) immediately committed to the project. "We used the script as a blueprint, but it was not until the characters were cast and the actors came into workshop the project that it really came to life," says producer Matterson. So how did they go about casting all the young dancers for "Razzle Dazzle"? First to be cast were the 'Jazzketeers' and Miss Elizabeth's Dance Troupe. They had plenty to choose from, because over six hundred children came to the first audition. The hopefuls were put through dance, improvisation and reading lines until the twelve girls and one boy were cast. Next to be chosen were those for Miss Elizabeth's Dance Troupe. "There is an incredible wealth of talent in this country of children who can dance and we were so fortunate to be able to put together the troupes that we did," notes Finlay. And here's a twist. When it came to filming, Director Darren Ashton never gave the main ensemble of Jazzketeers a copy of the script. From the first day they walked onto set they had no idea what was going to happen from one moment to the next. "It was important to create a world that felt real to them," the director explained. "For them each moment in the film unfolds for the first time when they are in it. Obviously they rehearsed their dance numbers, but this was done in a way closer to how they would prepare for a troupe dance competition than for a dance routine for a feature film." The children worked very hard in the three week lead-up to shooting "Razzle Dazzle". Not only did they have to attend scholl every day, they also has to put in four hours after school, rehersing with choreographer John 'Cha Cha' O’Connell. 'Cha Cha' certainly had his hands full. He also had to train the films leading man, Ben Miller. How did Miller handle the process of learning both the script and how to look the part? "I had no time to worry about the script or the character because I was concentrating on how to learn to dance" says Miller. "John is one of the most fabulous people I’ve ever worked with. He inspires you beyond your ability." Amongst those in the production team who deserve plenty of kudos, is costume designer Ariane Weiss. "Ariane looked at what dance schools do with their costumes, and then lifted it one hundred notches. She is so incredibly creative and both she and Troy Follington have lifted the film visually," says producer Jodi Matterson. Hair and makeup designer Troy Follington has a headstart when it came to working on the film. His wife owned a ballet school for six years. Follington even devised a 'Chi Chi' make up pack which was given to each of the Jazzketeers with instructions as to the look. This was for the girls and their parents to interpret and apply, just as they would if they were in an actual dance troupe. Similarly the girls were asked to do their own hair for both the class scenes and the competitions. Follington and Weiss played a huge part in bringing Justine to life. "There were two elements that went into the creation of Justine," says Kerry Armstrong. "Troy had the hairpiece and Ariane had these intense mini-skirts, and from there Justine just popped out like something out of some terrible 1950s retro birthday cake, and we couldn’t get her back in!" Associate producer John L Simpson was given the challenge of finding the locations for the two major eisteddfod days for the Semi and Grand Final, complete with competing troupes. His search of dance schools in and around Sydney would uncover fourty to fifty incredibly talented troupes. "We are incredibly grateful to the children, their parents and their teachers for being so enthusiastic and gracious, not to mention talented and allowing us to film them," says Finlay. "They are very much part of the fabric of the film and bring so much to it." Besides the great cast, wonderful costumes and make-up and exciting dance routines there is another big standout. The films soundtrack. "We were amazed by how enormous the effect music has on this film. During the editing period when we were doing test screenings, we used these as an opportunity to test different music choices. When we made good choices, the film soared. When we picked the wrong songs, it was disastrous!" says Matterson. "A number of well-known music tracks were used in the film, but all are original versions. We had a great deal of fun, working with some legendary Australian performers doing 'pumped up' versions. Deborah Conway provides vocals on two tracks, including "Big Spender" ,and she was very excited when we asked her to perform this song, because it was the song her family made her sing as a child every time they had relatives and visitors over!" While "Razzle Dazzle" will never be a "Strictly Ballroom" it is, in its own right a grand effort and the team have produced what they set out to do. As producer Jodi Matterson summed up; "We wanted to do a satire about dancing and pushy stage mothers, but we wanted to do it with great affection because we have such a love of the world of dance and the people who live within it." Synopsis

"Razzle Dazzle" follows eager young Dance Academy members from Mr Jonathon's Dance Academy who, with their unique dance routines, compete for Grand Final success at Australia's most prestigious competition, The Sanosafe Troupe Spectacular. Mr Jonathon is a teacher and choreographer who believes that through dance he can educate and entertain. When a documentary crew begins shooting, the year is set to be a big one for his 'Jazzketeers'. With new ideas and fresh talent, this could be the time they go all the way as they compete against Miss Elizabeths girls. But will dance politics and parental interference be a help or a hindrance? There's parental politics, petty rivalry, creative controversy and the hysterics of pushy stage mothers behind the glamour and the glitter of a world where, sometimes, winning is everything! Will this be the year Mr Jonathon breaks through?

The Verdict "I for one am not going to go 'ape' over "Razzle Dazzle" and make a monkey out of myself by making a big song and dance about it. While it is a glitzy, well put together production with a most capable and delightful cast, the problem "Razzle Dazzle" faces is this; it has a limited target audience. Just putting it 'out there' may not be enough to attract a return at the box-office large enough or modest enough to acclaim it as a 'success'. What will work well for "Razzle Dazzle" is, selling it to friends and relatives who have been through the pain of being involved in what "Razzle Dazzle" portrays exceptionaly well: those annual dance, drama and singing competitions organized through associations, schools or dance clubs which inevitabley brings one in contact with pushy teachers, pushy mums and their star-struck, prententious little charges (the child with an ego or smugness that is unfortunately usually bigger than their talent) and one-eyed relatives who can't stop talking about how naturally talented their little niece, nephew or grandchild is. So, if you enjoy "Razzle Dazzle" as I did, spread the word. After all, 'word of mouth' worked well for both "Little Miss Sunshine" and "Kenny". Recommended. 3 1/2 STARS." Cast & Crew Bytes "RAZZLE DAZZLE" stars .......
IF Best Actress Award and AFI Best Actress Award winner Kerry Armstrong ["Lantana" and "Lantana"]; Nadine Garner ["The Henderson Kids", "Neighbours" and "Changi"]; Denise Roberts ["The Dish", "The Road to Nhill" and "Fat Pizza"]; Tara Morice ["Strictly Ballroom", "Hildegarde" and "Candy"]; 2006 Centenary of Federation Medal recipient Toni Lamond A.M. ["Spotswood", "How Wonderful" and "Running From The Guns"]; Barry Crocker O.A. ["The Adventures of Barry Mackenzie" and "Barry Mackenzie Holds His Own"]; Noeline Brown ["Emma’s War" and "Walkabout"]; Roy Billing ["The Dish", "Black and White", "Strange Bedfellows" and "Thunderstruck"] with Jane Hall ["The Nugget ", "The Craic" and "Dead Letter Office"] as Miss Elizabeth and Ben Miller ["The Prince & Me", "Birthday Girl" and "Johnny English"] as Mr Jonathon.
"RAZZLE DAZZLE" was .......
directed by Darren Ashton ["The Extra" and "Thunderstruck"]; screenplay by Robin Ince ["Big Impression", "The Ralf Little Show" and "Comedy Doubles"] and Carolyn Wilson ["Razzle Dazzle: A Journey Into Dance"]; choreography by John O'Connell ["Strictly Ballroom", "Romeo and Juliet", "Moulin Rouge" and "Shall We Dance"]; costume design by Ariane Weiss ["Me Myself I" and "Thunderstruck"]; production design by Karen Harborow ["Ned" and "Thunderstruck"]; hair and make-up design by Troy Follington ["Idiot Box", "Matrix Reloaded", "Monkey Puzzle" and "Matrix Revolution"]; cinematography by Gary Phillips ["Gettin’ Square", "The Monkey’s Mask", "Candy" and "Catch A Fire"].; Who Plays Who?

Kerry Armstrong Shayni Notelovitz Ben Miller Nadine Garner Clancy Ryan Denise Roberts Tara Morice Jane Hall Toni Lamond Barry Crocker Noeline Brown Roy Billing Susie Lindeman Scott Irwin Damon Gameau Andrew McFarlane Paul Mercurio Leo Sayer Steve Le Marquand

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

Justine Tenille Mr Jonathon Paulette Grace Barbara Marianne Miss Elizabeth Sherry Leonard Donie Destry Leonara Biviano Arthur Rudd Miss Jodi Patrick Neil Trevor himself himself Bob

Run Time 91 minutes Rated PG [AUST] Copyright ©2007 - A Wild Eddie Production - All Rights Reserved Copyright Protected 2007 - Impact Internet Services & The Movie Pages - All Rights Reserved