Fierce Creatures
Fierce Creatures promotional poster
Directed by	Fred Schepisi Robert Young
Produced by	John Cleese Michael Shamberg
Written by	John Cleese
Starring	John Cleese Jamie Lee Curtis Kevin Kline Michael Palin Robert Lindsay Ronnie Corbett Derek Griffiths Maria Aitken
Music by	Jerry Goldsmith
Cinematography	Adrian Biddle
Distributed by	Universal Pictures
Release date(s)	United States - January 24, 1997  United Kingdom - 14 February 1997
Running time	93 min. Fred Schepisi AO (born December 26, 1939) is an award-winning Australian Film director and Scriptwriter. Robert William Young (born March 16, 1933) is a British television and Film director. John Marwood Cleese (ˈkliːz born 27 October, 1939) is a British Actor, Comedian, Writer, Film producer Michael Shamberg (born 1945 is an American former Time-Life correspondent and current Film producer. John Marwood Cleese (ˈkliːz born 27 October, 1939) is a British Actor, Comedian, Writer, Film producer John Marwood Cleese (ˈkliːz born 27 October, 1939) is a British Actor, Comedian, Writer, Film producer Jamie Lee Curtis (born November 22 1958 is a two-time Golden Globe -winning BAFTA -winning and Emmy -nominated American Film Kevin Delaney Kline (born October 24 1947 is an American Academy Award, Screen Actors Guild Award and two time Tony Award -winning stage and film Michael Edward Palin, CBE (born 5 May 1943 is an English Comedian, actor writer and Television presenter best known for being one of the members Robert Lindsay (born 13 December 1949 is an award-winning English actor who is best known for his television work especially his roles in Citizen Smith Ronald Balfour "Ronnie" Corbett, OBE (born 4 December 1930) is a British Actor and Comedian, born in Scotland Derek Griffiths (born Woking, Surrey, UK July 15, 1946) is an actor who appeared in numerous British Children's television programmes Maria Aitken (born 12 September 1945) is a British actress and director Jerrald King "Jerry" Goldsmith ( February 10, 1929 – July 21, 2004) was an American Film score Composer Adrian Biddle, BSC (born on 20 July 1952 in Woolwich, London &ndash 7 December 2005 in London) was an Universal Studios (sometimes called Universal Pictures or Universal City Studios) a subsidiary of NBC Universal, is a major Global American The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Events 41 - Gaius Caesar (Caligula, known for his eccentricity and cruel Despotism, is Assassinated by his disgruntled Year 1997 ( MCMXCVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1997 Gregorian calendar The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located Events 842 - Charles the Bald and Louis the German swear the Oaths of Strasbourg in the French and German Year 1997 ( MCMXCVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1997 Gregorian calendar
Language	English
IMDb profile

Fierce Creatures is a 1997 comedy film. English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States Year 1997 ( MCMXCVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1997 Gregorian calendar Comedy film is a genre of Film in which the main emphasis is on humor. Although not a sequel, it was a follow-up to the wildly popular A Fish Called Wanda, starring the same four actors, John Cleese, Jamie Lee Curtis, Kevin Kline and Michael Palin. A Fish Called Wanda is a 1988 Comedy film released by MGM. It was written by John Cleese and Charles Crichton and directed John Marwood Cleese (ˈkliːz born 27 October, 1939) is a British Actor, Comedian, Writer, Film producer Jamie Lee Curtis (born November 22 1958 is a two-time Golden Globe -winning BAFTA -winning and Emmy -nominated American Film Kevin Delaney Kline (born October 24 1947 is an American Academy Award, Screen Actors Guild Award and two time Tony Award -winning stage and film Michael Edward Palin, CBE (born 5 May 1943 is an English Comedian, actor writer and Television presenter best known for being one of the members The movie was written by John Cleese and directed by Fred Schepisi and Robert Young. Fred Schepisi AO (born December 26, 1939) is an award-winning Australian Film director and Scriptwriter. Robert William Young (born March 16, 1933) is a British television and Film director.

The story is centred on a British zoo which has recently been acquired by New Zealand businessman Rod McCain (played by Kevin Kline) and put under the management of Rollo Lee (Cleese). The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located New Zealand is an Island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses (the North Island and the South Island In order to boost profits, Lee decides to institute a "fierce creatures" policy that means that only potentially deadly animals will be featured in the zoo. The film was dedicated to Gerald Durrell and Peter Cook, and was partially filmed at Jersey Zoo, the zoological park started by Durrell. Gerald ('Gerry' Malcolm Durrell OBE ( January 7, 1925 &ndash January 30, 1995) was a naturalist, Zookeeper Peter Edward Cook (17 November 1937 &ndash 9 January 1995 was an English Satirist, Writer and Comedian. Jersey Zoological Park or Jersey Zoo is a 25- Acre (100000 m² zoological park established in 1959 on the island of Jersey in the

Plot

The story centres around Marwood Zoo (named after John Marwood Cleese) that has recently been acquired by Octopus Inc. John Marwood Cleese (ˈkliːz born 27 October, 1939) is a British Actor, Comedian, Writer, Film producer , a corporation that requires that all its investments return a 20% profit margin. Retired policeman Rollo Lee (John Cleese) is put in charge of the zoo, and in order to reach the required profit margin he institutes the "fierce creatures" policy where only potentially lethal animals will be kept in the zoo, based on the belief that violence will attract more visitors. John Marwood Cleese (ˈkliːz born 27 October, 1939) is a British Actor, Comedian, Writer, Film producer

All the animal keepers, including the spider-handler Bugsy (Michael Palin), protest the policy and make various attempts to get Rollo to change his mind. Michael Edward Palin, CBE (born 5 May 1943 is an English Comedian, actor writer and Television presenter best known for being one of the members One such attempt involves the caretakers feigning injuries all over the zoo, which they claim was caused by the animals suddenly becoming fierce. Rollo sees through their ruse and calls them on it. When a real zoo visitor is injured in an unrelated accident, Rollo refuses to take it seriously, and his rough treatment of the injured woman causes him to be suspended.

At this time, businesswoman Willa Weston (Jamie Lee Curtis) from Octopus Inc. Jamie Lee Curtis (born November 22 1958 is a two-time Golden Globe -winning BAFTA -winning and Emmy -nominated American Film arrives at the zoo to take over, demoting Rollo to middle management. Tagging along is Vince McCain (Kevin Kline), the son of the Octopus Inc. Kevin Delaney Kline (born October 24 1947 is an American Academy Award, Screen Actors Guild Award and two time Tony Award -winning stage and film CEO Rod McCain (also Kevin Kline). Kevin Delaney Kline (born October 24 1947 is an American Academy Award, Screen Actors Guild Award and two time Tony Award -winning stage and film Willa and Vince begin obtaining numerous sponsorships for the zoo to raise the revenue. Soon Vince starts using celebrity names and over-the-top advertising that degrades the animals as well as their caretakers. His shallow understanding of the zoo makes him the enemy of everyone there, including Rollo and Willa, who have begun to fall in love with the zoo and with each other.

When Rod McCain arrives in London for a visit, everyone is concerned about the zoo's status. Rollo and Bugsy learn that Rod wants to close to zoo for under-performing, and it is revealed that Vince has been stealing the sponsorship money.

A confrontation takes place at the zoo office, with Willa, Rollo and Bugsy stopping Vince from running off with a bag containing the money. When Bugsy refuses to shut up, Vince loses his temper and grabs a Beretta pistol from the management office. Rod arrives just as Vince is being subdued, and he announces that the police are on the way to arrest Vince for stealing. Vince tries but fails to shoot his father, and when Bugsy takes the pistol it accidentally goes off, shooting Rod between the eyes.

In the panic that follows a plan emerges to fool the arriving police. The animal caretakers work together to dress Vince up as Rod, since he can imitate his father's New Zealand accent fairly well. When the police and Rod's assistant, Neville, arrive, Vince (as Rod) tells them that he has re-written his will, specifying that the zoo will become a trust of the caretakers and Vince inherits everything else, and he wants all of them to be witnesses. After signing the new will, Vince locks himself in a caretaker hut where he feigns Rod's suicide.

Now free, Willa and Rollo begin a new life together while continuing to run the zoo.

Cast

• John Cleese as Rollo Lee
• Jamie Lee Curtis as Willa Weston
• Kevin Kline as Vince McCain/Rod McCain
• Michael Palin as Adrian 'Bugsy' Malone
• Robert Lindsay as Sydney Lotterby
• Ronnie Corbett as Reggie Sea Lions
• Carey Lowell as Cub Felines
• Bille Brown as Neville
• Derek Griffiths as Garry Ungulates
• Cynthia Cleese as Pip Small Mammals
• Richard Ridings as Hugh Primates
• Maria Aitken as Di Harding

References to A Fish Called Wanda

Fierce Creatures is a follow-up, but not a sequel, to A Fish Called Wanda, featuring the same creative team, the same leading quartet of actors (John Cleese, Jamie Lee Curtis, Kevin Kline and Michael Palin) and a number of returning supporting actors. John Marwood Cleese (ˈkliːz born 27 October, 1939) is a British Actor, Comedian, Writer, Film producer Jamie Lee Curtis (born November 22 1958 is a two-time Golden Globe -winning BAFTA -winning and Emmy -nominated American Film Kevin Delaney Kline (born October 24 1947 is an American Academy Award, Screen Actors Guild Award and two time Tony Award -winning stage and film Michael Edward Palin, CBE (born 5 May 1943 is an English Comedian, actor writer and Television presenter best known for being one of the members Robert Lindsay may refer to Robert Lindsay of Pitscottie (c 1532&ndash1580 Scottish chronicler Robert Lindsay (actor (born 1949 English Ronald Balfour "Ronnie" Corbett, OBE (born 4 December 1930) is a British Actor and Comedian, born in Scotland Carey Lowell (born February 11, 1961) is an American actress and former model. Bille Brown (born 1952 is an Australian Shakespearean actor and acclaimed Writer of plays. Derek Griffiths (born Woking, Surrey, UK July 15, 1946) is an actor who appeared in numerous British Children's television programmes Cynthia Cleese (born February 1971 is an English / American Actress. Richard Ridings (born September 19 1958) is a British Actor, known for his portrayal of Allan in ITV Television drama Maria Aitken (born 12 September 1945) is a British actress and director A Fish Called Wanda is a 1988 Comedy film released by MGM. It was written by John Cleese and Charles Crichton and directed John Marwood Cleese (ˈkliːz born 27 October, 1939) is a British Actor, Comedian, Writer, Film producer Jamie Lee Curtis (born November 22 1958 is a two-time Golden Globe -winning BAFTA -winning and Emmy -nominated American Film Kevin Delaney Kline (born October 24 1947 is an American Academy Award, Screen Actors Guild Award and two time Tony Award -winning stage and film Michael Edward Palin, CBE (born 5 May 1943 is an English Comedian, actor writer and Television presenter best known for being one of the members (In fact, during development, it was referred to as "Death Fish II". ^[1]) The main four actors have roles here that display similar dynamics to their roles in A Fish Called Wanda: John Cleese's character is the morally-upright straight-man, Jamie Lee Curtis's character starts out morally grey but ends up romantically linked to John Cleese's character, Kevin Kline is the dense antagonist of the film's plot, and Michael Palin's character provides an active supporting role to the main events. Michael Palin's character in Fierce Creatures, however, is a chatterbox that is difficult to keep quiet, the opposite of his personality in A Fish Called Wanda, where he was a stutterer unable to say anything.

Other small gestures throughout the film recall "Wanda". In one scene, a keeper tells Rollo that Willa liked him. When Rollo reacts in surprise, Bugsy starts explaining to him the pheromones he releases into the air attract her. After this, Rollo sniffs his armpit as if to check on how he smelt. This was a gesture done by Kevin Kline as Otto in "Wanda". Also in a throwback gesture, in A Fish Called Wanda there was a fish named after Jamie Lee Curtis' character; in Fierce Creatures there is a lemur named after Cleese's character. A Fish Called Wanda is a 1988 Comedy film released by MGM. It was written by John Cleese and Charles Crichton and directed In the final scene John Cleese also "accidentally" calls Jamie Lee Curtis' character "Wanda" instead of Willa.

Supporting actors from A Fish Called Wanda returning for Fierce Creatures include Maria Aitken (wife of Cleese's character in A Fish Called Wanda, his assistant in Fierce Creatures) and Cynthia Cleese (daughter of Cleese's character in A Fish Called Wanda and Pip Small Mammals in Fierce Creatures). Maria Aitken (born 12 September 1945) is a British actress and director Cynthia Cleese (born February 1971 is an English / American Actress. Tom Georgeson, who played George Thomason in "Wanda", also made a brief cameo as a zoo visitor. Tom Georgeson (born 8 August 1941) is a British actor known for his television and film work

John Cleese explained in a David Letterman appearance he didn't want to make a sequel to A Fish Called Wanda because of the expectations and how often sequels are inferior to the original. David Michael Letterman (born April 12, 1947) is an American late-night Talk show host and Comedian and the host since 1993 A sequel is a work in Literature, Film, or other media that portrays events following those of a previous work He points out Aliens and The Godfather, Part II as rare examples of sequels surpassing the originals. This article is about the film for the video games see Aliens (Square computer game and Aliens (arcade game. The Godfather Part II is a 1974 Crime drama film directed by Francis Ford Coppola from a script co-written with Mario Puzo.

References to Monty Python

The screenplay of Fierce Creatures was co-written by Python John Cleese and stars two Pythons: John Cleese and Michael Palin. Monty Python (sometimes known as The Pythons) is the collective name of the six creators of Monty Python's Flying Circus, a British Television Monty Python (sometimes known as The Pythons) is the collective name of the six creators of Monty Python's Flying Circus, a British Television John Marwood Cleese (ˈkliːz born 27 October, 1939) is a British Actor, Comedian, Writer, Film producer Monty Python (sometimes known as The Pythons) is the collective name of the six creators of Monty Python's Flying Circus, a British Television John Marwood Cleese (ˈkliːz born 27 October, 1939) is a British Actor, Comedian, Writer, Film producer Michael Edward Palin, CBE (born 5 May 1943 is an English Comedian, actor writer and Television presenter best known for being one of the members This creative input lead to the film containing several references to Monty Python. Monty Python (sometimes known as The Pythons) is the collective name of the six creators of Monty Python's Flying Circus, a British Television Direct lines lifted from Monty Python projects are Pip (played Cleese's daughter Cynthia) saying, "It's just a flesh wound!" (a line originally from Monty Python and the Holy Grail) and a spectator describing the sea lions as having "beautiful plumage" (a line originally from the Dead Parrot sketch). Monty Python (sometimes known as The Pythons) is the collective name of the six creators of Monty Python's Flying Circus, a British Television Monty Python and the Holy Grail is a 1975 film written and performed by the comedy group Monty Python ( Graham Chapman, John Cleese The Dead Parrot sketch, alternatively and originally known as Pet Shop sketch or Parrot Sketch, is a popular sketch from Monty Python's Flying Another reference is that the character Bugsy (Michael Palin) has a pet, Terry the tarantula, named after Terry Jones, with whom Palin once wrote a sketch called "The Fierce Creatures Policy". Michael Edward Palin, CBE (born 5 May 1943 is an English Comedian, actor writer and Television presenter best known for being one of the members For other uses see Terry Jones (disambiguation. Terence Graham Parry Jones (born 1 February 1942) is a Welsh Palin and Jones also wrote the series Ripping Yarns, which was produced by Sydney Lotterby. Ripping Yarns is a British television Comedy series written by former members of the Monty Python team Michael Palin and Sydney Lotterby OBE is a British Television producer and director. This is also the name of the second small mammals keeper (played by Robert Lindsay). Robert Lindsay may refer to Robert Lindsay of Pitscottie (c 1532&ndash1580 Scottish chronicler Robert Lindsay (actor (born 1949 English

External links

• Fierce Creatures at the Internet Movie Database