Moviola > Films > Morris: a Life with Bells on

Morris: a Life with Bells on 

Back for a second season by permission of Twist Films!

Morris: a Life with Bells on is a heartwarming feature-length comedy shot in documentary format that follows the fortunes of one of the leading Morris teams in the country, Milsham Morris, and in particular those of its leader, Derecq Twist.  Morris is a gentle and affectionate look at an aspect of English culture which is, in the finest traditions of this country, unapologetically eccentric, and towards which there exists a huge amount of good will.  The film's events take place in the summer months in and around Dorset, and specifically centre around an idyllic thatched country pub, the Traveller's Staff.  The film is an unashamed celebration of not only the English countryside but also of what it means to be English. 

From the press release:

Morris: A Life With Bells On follows the fortunes of an avant garde folk dancer, Derecq Twist (Charles Thomas Oldham) and his team in their struggle to modernise folk dance. In doing so, they antagonise The Morris Circle (the political and sinister governing body of Morris dance in England). They are followed by a film crew who chronicle their highs and lows. After tragedy strikes the team, both in dance and personally, Derecq decides to give up dancing. The producer of the documentary has come to see Derecq as a friend and cannot leave his story on such a low note, he decides to intervene and change Derecq's life. From the gentle rolling hills and slow paced life in the West Country of England, Derecq is plunged into the glamour and buzz of California where he finds artistic freedom with a group of flamboyant Morris dancers sponsored by a billionaire philanthropist. For the first time in his life, Derecq discovers love. However, life is rarely as simple as the movies, and as Derecq discovers, you can search for answers all around the world, only to find them on your own doorstep. From England to America, through tragedy to love, Morris is a celebration of rural England, eccentricity and the triumph of individuality.

Filmed partly in Poole and Tisbury, Morris boasts a fantastic cast which includes Derek Jacobi, Harriet Walter, Greg Wise and Aidan McArdle.

www.morrismovie.com

Last modified: 23-Jun-2010

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