Comments on: THE COURIER (1988): DUBLIN, DRUGS, AND THE DICKENSIAN ASPECT http://dublinopinion.com/2009/08/16/the-courier-1988-recession-art-irish-style/ It's a group blog. What more do you need to know? Wed, 23 May 2012 13:49:50 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2.1 By: Helen Lahert http://dublinopinion.com/2009/08/16/the-courier-1988-recession-art-irish-style/#comment-76838 Helen Lahert Tue, 26 Apr 2011 10:58:22 +0000 http://dublinopinion.com/2009/08/16/the-courier-1988-recession-art-irish-style/#comment-76838 I have to agree with Hilary. The Courier, for all it's flaws, was the first attempt to make an urban film in Ireland and was definately breaking ground at the time - in dealing with issues like the drugs trade in Dublin. I have been dissapointed over the years to see it left out in various histories of Irish film making. It was a brave move for three young Dubliners starting out and deserves to be acknowledged as a milestone in Irish film. I have to agree with Hilary. The Courier, for all it’s flaws, was the first attempt to make an urban film in Ireland and was definately breaking ground at the time - in dealing with issues like the drugs trade in Dublin. I have been dissapointed over the years to see it left out in various histories of Irish film making. It was a brave move for three young Dubliners starting out and deserves to be acknowledged as a milestone in Irish film.

]]> By: Dcch http://dublinopinion.com/2009/08/16/the-courier-1988-recession-art-irish-style/#comment-75799 Dcch Tue, 21 Dec 2010 13:21:38 +0000 http://dublinopinion.com/2009/08/16/the-courier-1988-recession-art-irish-style/#comment-75799 I agree it was far from the rotten film it is being made out to be. It has the feel of a period piece now and is worth a second look (for the very handsome Mr O'Loinsigh if nothing else - what did happen to him?) and a second hearing for that soundtrack. I agree it was far from the rotten film it is being made out to be. It has the feel of a period piece now and is worth a second look (for the very handsome Mr O’Loinsigh if nothing else - what did happen to him?) and a second hearing for that soundtrack.

]]> By: hilary mcloughlin http://dublinopinion.com/2009/08/16/the-courier-1988-recession-art-irish-style/#comment-74588 hilary mcloughlin Fri, 17 Sep 2010 19:52:41 +0000 http://dublinopinion.com/2009/08/16/the-courier-1988-recession-art-irish-style/#comment-74588 sorry - should have signed that contribution - producer- The Courier sorry - should have signed that contribution - producer- The Courier

]]> By: hilary mcloughlin http://dublinopinion.com/2009/08/16/the-courier-1988-recession-art-irish-style/#comment-74587 hilary mcloughlin Fri, 17 Sep 2010 19:51:52 +0000 http://dublinopinion.com/2009/08/16/the-courier-1988-recession-art-irish-style/#comment-74587 Ok, time for the makers of the Courier to speak out. It's Frank Deasy's first anniversary today- a brilliant screenwriter and a truly lovely man. We did our best guys, the script was pretty good to be honest, but it never went to a second draft - we were complete novices catapulted into making a movie for cinema- the finance which we got for this one demanded that it be made immediately- we never intended it to be more than a tv movie at best. Casting was also something which was heavily influenced by the finance. But, The Courier was the first mainstream urban movie made in Ireland and as such it broke a lot of ground and made way for film makers after us, admittedly never our intention! it's time to just give the film its place in history and ease up a bit perhaps. Ok, time for the makers of the Courier to speak out. It’s Frank Deasy’s first anniversary today- a brilliant screenwriter and a truly lovely man. We did our best guys, the script was pretty good to be honest, but it never went to a second draft - we were complete novices catapulted into making a movie for cinema- the finance which we got for this one demanded that it be made immediately- we never intended it to be more than a tv movie at best. Casting was also something which was heavily influenced by the finance. But, The Courier was the first mainstream urban movie made in Ireland and as such it broke a lot of ground and made way for film makers after us, admittedly never our intention! it’s time to just give the film its place in history and ease up a bit perhaps.

]]> By: Conor McCabe http://dublinopinion.com/2009/08/16/the-courier-1988-recession-art-irish-style/#comment-72383 Conor McCabe Tue, 09 Mar 2010 16:43:28 +0000 http://dublinopinion.com/2009/08/16/the-courier-1988-recession-art-irish-style/#comment-72383 Jimmy I agree with you, I think it might have worked had they cast Andrew Connolly as the lead. The script is dire, though. Jimmy I agree with you, I think it might have worked had they cast Andrew Connolly as the lead. The script is dire, though.

]]> By: Jimmy Murphy http://dublinopinion.com/2009/08/16/the-courier-1988-recession-art-irish-style/#comment-72380 Jimmy Murphy Tue, 09 Mar 2010 13:48:13 +0000 http://dublinopinion.com/2009/08/16/the-courier-1988-recession-art-irish-style/#comment-72380 Thanks for this, been looking for ages for it and the soundtrack. I disagree that it's one of the worst Irish films. Sure it's flawed, some of the casting was fatal particularly with Padraig O’Loinsigh and Cait O’Riordan. (I can't help thinking how it would have turned out if Andrew Connolly had've been cast as the courier.) Other than that I think it's pretty decent film. Frank Deasy was way ahead of the game with this. And even though the film he wrote isn't exactly what we see, it was a breath of fresh air at the time and is well worth a look today. Thanks for this, been looking for ages for it and the soundtrack. I disagree that it’s one of the worst Irish films. Sure it’s flawed, some of the casting was fatal particularly with Padraig O’Loinsigh and Cait O’Riordan. (I can’t help thinking how it would have turned out if Andrew Connolly had’ve been cast as the courier.) Other than that I think it’s pretty decent film. Frank Deasy was way ahead of the game with this. And even though the film he wrote isn’t exactly what we see, it was a breath of fresh air at the time and is well worth a look today.

]]> By: Conor McCabe http://dublinopinion.com/2009/08/16/the-courier-1988-recession-art-irish-style/#comment-70671 Conor McCabe Mon, 24 Aug 2009 16:40:40 +0000 http://dublinopinion.com/2009/08/16/the-courier-1988-recession-art-irish-style/#comment-70671 you can see the back of my head in the scene where the coked-out guy is editing the Something Happens video. I was in the Baggot Inn for the shooting of it. <img src="http://irishlabour.com/dublinopinion/courier_me.jpg" alt="Courier Me" /> you can see the back of my head in the scene where the coked-out guy is editing the Something Happens video. I was in the Baggot Inn for the shooting of it.

Courier Me

]]> By: Sean Baite http://dublinopinion.com/2009/08/16/the-courier-1988-recession-art-irish-style/#comment-70666 Sean Baite Mon, 24 Aug 2009 08:12:24 +0000 http://dublinopinion.com/2009/08/16/the-courier-1988-recession-art-irish-style/#comment-70666 Ta for that Conor - and for the pirating clerical student in Maynooth who seems to have put it up on that site straight from his VHS. Only managed to get through 15 mins then keeled over from the sheer tediousness of it. Only thing of interest then, as now, is the soundtrack. Seem to remember waiting with bated breath for the, ahem, Something Happens track to appear - can't even remember which one it was now. Note Lord John White over the credits. As for Cait O'R, I prefer it when she sticks to the singing : <object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/e96nVYdYQPA&hl=fr&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/e96nVYdYQPA&hl=fr&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object> And it seems she's still stuck in Dublin - and being held hostage by members of the Hothouse Flowers (unfortunately, no singing by her or red hair either) : <object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/5bDF8Vy0OEs&hl=fr&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/5bDF8Vy0OEs&hl=fr&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object> Sounds a bit like when the Stones try to go country - pity about the terrible name - part of that wedding zombiedom that seems to have Ireland in its grip, I suppose. The amplified stuff on their MySpace is [ expletive that goes with onions deleted ] Ta for that Conor - and for the pirating clerical student in Maynooth who seems to have put it up on that site straight from his VHS.
Only managed to get through 15 mins then keeled over from the sheer tediousness of it. Only thing of interest then, as now, is the soundtrack.
Seem to remember waiting with bated breath for the, ahem, Something Happens track to appear - can’t even remember which one it was now. Note Lord John White over the credits.

As for Cait O’R, I prefer it when she sticks to the singing :

And it seems she’s still stuck in Dublin - and being held hostage by members of the Hothouse Flowers (unfortunately, no singing by her or red hair either) :

Sounds a bit like when the Stones try to go country - pity about the terrible name - part of that wedding zombiedom that seems to have Ireland in its grip, I suppose. The amplified stuff on their MySpace is [ expletive that goes with onions deleted ]

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