Скачать или смотреть A Cock and Bull Story Audio Commentary Steve Coogan & Rob Brydon

Tristram Shandy: A Cock and Bull Story (2005), directed by Michael Winterbottom, is a witty, postmodern meta-comedy that tackles the "unfilmable" 18th-century novel The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman by Laurence Sterne. The film is a chaotic, meta-fictional exploration that follows a film crew trying to adapt the famously digressive book, resulting in a movie-within-a-movie that spends as much time on the frustrations of filmmaking as it does on the story itself.
The narrative flips between the 18th-century scenes and the chaotic 21st-century production, focusing heavily on the ego and insecurities of the lead actor, Steve Coogan, playing an exaggerated version of himself. Coogan, who also plays the role of Tristram Shandy and his father, Walter, is constantly worried about his stature and his status, especially regarding his co-star, Rob Brydon.
The Plot Breakdown
The film opens with the cast and crew in the make-up chairs, establishing the self-referential tone, with Coogan and Brydon engaging in petty, authentic-feeling banter about their careers and the nature of their roles. Brydon, playing Uncle Toby, argues that his part is a "co-lead" rather than a supporting role, which annoys the insecure Coogan.
As they attempt to shoot scenes from the novel—including Tristram’s conception, his birth, and his accidental circumcision—the film highlights the absurdity of trying to adapt the chaotic, digressive original text. These scenes are frequently interrupted by the realities of the film set, such as director Mark trying to get a perfect, albeit bizarre, shot of Coogan inside a giant womb.
Behind-the-Scenes Chaos
The "real" life of the actor Steve Coogan is also shown to be chaotic and self-centered. He is depicted dealing with his girlfriend, Jenny (Kelly Macdonald), arriving with their baby, while simultaneously engaging in a flirtatious dalliance with a production assistant. He is also pursued by a journalist, adding to his anxiety, and frets over the film's budget constraints and the threat of financiers pulling the plug.
The film shines in its depiction of the rivalry between Coogan and Brydon, with scenes of them trading impressions, specifically Al Pacino, while navigating the costume demands of a period drama.
The Meta Ending
The film-within-a-film reaches its climax with the cast viewing a rough cut of their "completed" movie. After a chaotic and fragmented journey, the movie ends by acknowledging its own nature, concluding with the line from the novel: "It is a story about a Cock and a Bull – and the best of its kind that ever I heard!".
A Cock and Bull Story is, ultimately, a comedy about the impossibility of translating a complex, rambling, andmeta-fictional literary masterpiece into a conventional film narrative. It is a "tale of inability" that celebrates the chaotic, often frustrating, but ultimately creative process of filmmaking. The movie is often considered a spiritual predecessor to The Trip, utilizing the same naturalistic, improvisational chemistry between Coogan and Brydon.