Take It or Leave It

Movie
Original title	Take It or Leave It
Country of production	Great Britain
original language	English
Publishing year	1981
length	85 (DVD: 100) minutes
Age rating	FSK -
Rod
Director	Dave Robinson
script	Philip McDonald, Dave Robinson
production	Dave Robinson
music	Madness , Fats Waller , Four Tops
cut	Michael Ellis
occupation
	Members of the band Madness : Graham "Suggs" McPherson; Mike "Monsieur Barso" Barson; Mark "Bedders" Bedford; Lee "Kix" Thompson; Carl "Chas Smash" Smyth; Daniel "Woody" Woodgate; Chris "Chrissy Boy" Foreman; John Hasler; as well as among others Clive Langer; Zoot Money;

Take It or Leave It is a semi-documentary, autobiographical film from 1981 about the beginnings of the band Madness .

action

The film Take It or Leave It tells the story of the music group Madness , which established themselves in London in the late 1970s and early 1980s. In documentary and reenacted scenes, he describes the development of the band from 1976 as The Invaders to 1980, when they celebrated their first chart successes after being renamed Madness ; Performances in London pubs, scenes from the early chart hits and their first international tour are shown. The development of individual members of the band is followed. A feature of the film are the band's early hits like “The Prince” , “One Step Beyond” , “Baggy Trousers” and “Night Boat to Cairo” . The film was released on DVD in 2002 .

Reviews

“The problems (of the band) are, if you believe madness, line-up changes, fights within the band, idleness and selfishness and - last but not least - lack of musical competence. But if you look at the band's streak of hit singles, the latter claim - and the fact that the film dilutes Madness' ties to her early skinhead followers - is what is hardest to believe about the movie's statements is. Otherwise it is a romanticizing, but successful advertising product. "

swell

^ The problems, according to Madness, are personnel changes, in-fighting, sheer idleness and selfishness, and - not least - lack of musical competence. But given the band's succession of fine hit singles, this last claim, and the fact that it fudges the issue of Madness' relationship with its early skinhead following, are the two things it's most difficult to swallow about the film. Otherwise, it's an adequately mythologizing promo job. ( RM in TimeOut London )

Web links

Take It or Leave It in the Internet Movie Database (English)
This Is Madness - website of the band

[1] The problems, according to Madness, are personnel changes, in-fighting, sheer idleness and selfishness, and - not least - lack of musical competence. But given the band's succession of fine hit singles, this last claim, and the fact that it fudges the issue of Madness' relationship with its early skinhead following, are the two things it's most difficult to swallow about the film. Otherwise, it's an adequately mythologizing promo job. ( RM in TimeOut London )