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Créatures féroces (1997)

Fierce Creatures (original title)
PG-13 | | Comedy | 19 February 1997 (France)
Zookeepers struggle to deal with the policies of changing directors.

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Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
John Cleese ... Rollo Lee
Jamie Lee Curtis ... Willa Weston
Kevin Kline ... Vince McCain / Rod McCain
Michael Palin ... Bugsy Malone
Ronnie Corbett ... Reggie Sealions
Carey Lowell ... Cub Felines
Robert Lindsay ... Sydney Small Mammals
Bille Brown Bille Brown ... Neville Coltrane
Derek Griffiths Derek Griffiths ... Gerry Ungulates
Cynthia Cleese ... Pip Small Mammals
Richard Ridings ... Hugh Primates
Maria Aitken ... Di Admin
Michael Percival ... Ant Keeper
Fred Evans Fred Evans ... Flamingo Keeper
Lisa Hogan Lisa Hogan ... Sealion Keeper
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Storyline

A massive corporate conglomerate, Octopus, Inc., run by a shrewd and cruel tycoon named Rod McCain (Kevin Kline), purchases a U.K.-based leisure company, and also the failing London Marwood Zoo. To bring more business to the zoo, Octopus hires a new manager, Rollo Lee (John Cleese), who promptly comes up with a way to increase profits - do away with all of the animals except for the ferocious ones. This new Fierce Creatures Policy shocks the Marwood zookeepers, led by the unendingly talkative Adrian "Bugsy" Malone (Sir Michael Palin). Eventually, Rod McCain's son Vince McCain (Kevin Kline), along with the up-and-coming business executive Willa Weston (Jamie Lee Curtis), take control of the zoo and revoke the Fierce Creatures Policy. Vince instead comes up with many under-handed and vicious schemes to attract customers - unauthorized celebrity endorsements, shoddy, overpriced zoo merchandise, and using robotic animals instead of real ones. However, Vince is also stealing from the zoo's... Written by Josh Martin <jmartin@netarrant.net>

Plot Summary | Add Synopsis

Taglines:

Don't pet them.

Genres:

Comedy

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for sexual innuendo and language | See all certifications »

Parents Guide:

View content advisory »
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Did You Know?

Trivia

Terry, Adrian "Bugsy" Malone's pet tarantula, was named for Terry Jones, who, with Sir Michael Palin (who played Bugsy), wrote a sketch called "The Fierce Creatures Policy", on which this movie was based. See more »

Goofs

When Vince says 'I am not a wuss' to Rod, John Cleese in the background also mouths the line. See more »

Quotes

Sponsor: [Rollo has been caught being kissed by Pip and Cub] Now I know why they keep him in a cage!
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Crazy Credits

No animals were injured during the making of this movie, only humans. See more »

Alternate Versions

To receive a PG certificate for UK cinemas one cut was made to remove Rollo's use of 'fucking hell'. Video and DVD releases were uncut and the rating increased to a 12. See more »

Connections

References Monty Python, sacré Graal (1975) See more »

Soundtracks

Hungry Heart
Written and performed by Bruce Springsteen
See more »

User Reviews

 
Lots of harmless fun
12 April 2003 | by Laitue_GonflableSee all my reviews

"Fierce Creatures" was marketed as a somewhat adventurous endeavour in teaming up much of the old team from the highly acclaimed "A Fish called Wanda" to do another film that was completely different and had nothing the same, except much of the cast.

Does this have the same sparkle? The short answer is no, but it is still good viewing. It tells the story of a highly greedy and successful business magnate, Rod McCain (Kevin Kline) who has just taken over a zoo in England. However, business regulations require that the zoo return 20% of revenue or it will be shut down. Put in charge is Rollo Lee (John Cleese), who is then somewhat overthrown by new recruit Willa Weston (Jamie Lee Curtis) and McCain's 'idiot' son Vince (also Kline). Essentially the film deals with the three of the new directors and their different schemes for making money and raising the revenue to 20%, but with plenty of sexual tension and comedies of error along the way.

It's a lot of fun, I think I've made that clear. It's by no means the best comedy put on film but it has a lot of the same laughs as a normal Cleese-written comedy; in some ways the character of Rollo Lee is very much like the character of Basil Fawlty. Kline is brilliantly hilarious as usual, he's the standout, while Curtis, Michael Palin, Robert Lindsay and Ronnie Corbett all give spirited performances. It's also nice for an Aussie to see Bille Brown making his big screen debut as the terrible right-hand man Neville.

Overall, it's an above average piece of writing, directing and performing that gives you a laugh. Perfect for a night in. 3 1/2 stars out of 5.


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Details

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

19 February 1997 (France) See more »

Also Known As:

Créatures féroces See more »

Filming Locations:

England, UK See more »

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Box Office

Budget:

$25,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$3,759,480, 26 January 1997

Gross USA:

$9,381,260

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$9,381,260
See more on IMDbPro »

Company Credits

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Technical Specs

Runtime:

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby SR | DTS-Stereo | Dolby Digital (5.1 surround) (DVD version)| Dolby Digital

Color:

Color (Rankcolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.39 : 1
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