Review: Film 'Boys From County Clare'

Subject: Review: Film 'Boys From County Clare'
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 27 Jan 06 - 03:10 PM

Made a mess of the other thread, so I'll restart it here, and someone can just delete the mess please.

So we have threads that go into hundres of posts for other 'music' movies like Oh Brother, Songcatcher, and A Mighty Wind... Where's the thread for the gem that is "The Boys From County Clare"?   Directed by John Irvin... Staring the likes of Bernard Hill and Colm Meaney.... A great film about Ceili bands...

It's got a great quote in it

"If you've got the music, you've got friends for life."

IMDB Page

Subject: RE: Review: Film 'Boys From County Clare'
From: michaelr
Date: 27 Jan 06 - 03:20 PM

Is it in theatrical release over here, or on DVD?

Subject: RE: Review: Film 'Boys From County Clare'
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 27 Jan 06 - 03:44 PM

Where's "Over Here" michaelr??

(Though I suspect if you look closely, you'll find that information on the IMDB page... It appears to be released on DVD in North America... I was lucky enough to catch it on one of Canada's Cable-Movie networks....)

Subject: RE: Review: Film 'Boys From County Clare'
From: michaelr
Date: 27 Jan 06 - 06:59 PM

Over here in America... Looks like a fun filim. No info on that page about a DVD release, though.

Cheers,
Michael

Subject: RE: Review: Film 'Boys From County Clare'
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 28 Jan 06 - 01:12 AM

Top right hand side bub...

Under the word SHOP

Subject: RE: Review: Film 'Boys From County Clare'
From: michaelr
Date: 28 Jan 06 - 09:42 AM

Ah, thanks Clinton. My peripheral vision must be going...

Subject: RE: Review: Film 'Boys From County Clare'
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 04 Feb 06 - 02:22 PM

So... no one else?

Subject: RE: Review: Film 'Boys From County Clare'
From: Desert Dancer
Date: 04 Feb 06 - 02:52 PM

I found it in the Blockbuster lists - thanks for the reminder today, I may have a chance to rent it.

~ Becky in Tucson

Subject: RE: Review: Film 'Boys From County Clare'
From: Cluin
Date: 05 Feb 06 - 12:29 AM

Soon as it turns up in my local video store, I'll give it a scan for sure.

Subject: RE: Review: Film 'Boys From County Clare'
From: The Shambles
Date: 05 Feb 06 - 08:20 AM

The official site where you can see clips and hear the music.

http://www.boysandgirlfromcountyclare.com/

Subject: RE: Review: Film 'Boys From County Clare'
From: JJ
Date: 05 Feb 06 - 08:55 AM

The USA title was THE BOYS (AND GIRL) FROM COUNTY CLARE, perhaps to feature Andrea Corr. I remember those parentheses in the film's ads, although I can't find any evidence for them elsewhere.

I saw it in NYC last year, but doubt if it got much of a release in the rest of the country.

Delightful film, and highly recommended.

Subject: RE: Review: Film 'Boys From County Clare'
From: Noreen
Date: 05 Feb 06 - 01:29 PM

Never even heard of it before over here in England. Would definitely like to see it, particularly as I used to play in the Liverpool Ceili Band, and have played in the All Ireland Ceili Band competition! (Those were the days.)

I looked at all the information I could find, but nowhere do I see that it is available in UK format on DVD, nor is there any mention of cinema release in the UK.

I even emailed the two contact addresses given, but both have come back as undeliverable.

Any more ideas, folks?

Thanks for the info, Clinton.

Subject: RE: Review: Film 'Boys From County Clare'
From: GUEST
Date: 05 Feb 06 - 03:46 PM

Subject: RE: Review: Film 'Boys From County Clare'
From: Noreen
Date: 05 Feb 06 - 05:24 PM

Thanks, GUEST...

Subject: RE: Review: Film 'Boys From County Clare'
From: GUEST,Val
Date: 06 Feb 06 - 01:21 PM

I rented it last year via Netflix in the U.S.

Can't recall whether it was catagorized as "foreign" (i.e. import) film, or if it's being distributed domestically. Netflix does seem to have a largish selection of import films.

Pretty fair movie. Emphasis is on the drama of the storyline (rival brothers, young lovers from bands of said rival brothers), and much less emphasis on the music itself, although the performances themselves seem pretty good (I don't consider myself qualified to judge cailie bands).

Subject: RE: Review: Film 'Boys From County Clare'
From: GUEST,Whistle Stop
Date: 07 Feb 06 - 08:05 AM

I saw it on DVD recently. It was fun, as long as you didn't examine the story line too closely. Not a great film, but an enjoyable one.

Subject: RE: Review: Film 'Boys From County Clare'
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 03 Apr 06 - 04:36 PM

refresh

Subject: RE: Review: Film 'Boys From County Clare'
From: Seamus Kennedy
Date: 03 Apr 06 - 05:18 PM

Git on DVD from Blockbuster.
Enjoyed it immensely.

Seamus

Subject: RE: Review: Film 'Boys From County Clare'
From: GUEST
Date: 04 Apr 06 - 05:18 AM

Originally to be called "The Ceili Band Wars", I think. Partly made in the Isle of Man (as was "Waking Ned Devine") with Francie McPeake (the younger) as musical consultant.

Subject: RE: Review: Film 'Boys From County Clare'
From: The Shambles
Date: 04 Apr 06 - 06:05 AM

See also

BS The Boys and Girls of County Clare

Subject: RE: Review: Film 'Boys From County Clare'
From: katlaughing
Date: 05 Aug 06 - 11:00 PM

Just watched this. Got it from Netflix. Enjoyed it a great deal, but someone should have coached the "musicians" esp. the young woman fiddler, to move their fingers while "plyaing" the fiddle! Otherwise it was a really fun movie! Thanks for the thread, CH.

Subject: RE: Review: Film 'Boys From County Clare'
From: harpmolly
Date: 05 Aug 06 - 11:44 PM

Loved it! My dad sent it to me for Christmas. I love Bernard Hill and Colm Meaney, and of course the rest of the cast did a great job too.

Granted, it focused on the rivalry more than the music. But I'm grateful for any film that is character- and relationship-driven, rather than explosion- or hormone-driven (was going to say "testosterone-driven", but that seemed unfair given the great number of truly crappy chick flicks out there). ;)

And really, if all they had wanted to do was make a film about ceilidh bands, they could have booked a segment on PBS. Narrative films (IMHO of course!) are more compelling when they center on people.

M

Subject: RE: Review: Film 'Boys From County Clare'
From: MAG
Date: 06 Aug 06 - 11:19 AM

I liked it too. Especially the scene where the U.S. band is playing in front of the judges. There were plenty of clues about the conclusion to the competition but I thought it was clever.

Subject: RE: Review: Film 'Boys From County Clare'
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 06 Aug 06 - 11:45 AM

" it focused on the rivalry more than the music"
That's because it's a movie, more about the rivalry, than the music.....

" if all they had wanted to do was make a film about ceilidh bands"
They would have made a movie that no one would have seen

Subject: RE: Review: Film 'Boys From County Clare'
From: harpmolly
Date: 06 Aug 06 - 12:01 PM

My point exactly, Clinton. ;)

(Well, not exactly...I do watch a lot of PBS. But it wouldn't have been as compelling.)

M

Subject: RE: Review: Film 'Boys From County Clare'
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 06 Aug 06 - 12:05 PM

"I do watch a lot of PBS"
Sorry for your trouble