Film > 24 Hour Party People > Intro

An introduction to 24 Hour Party People

'24 Hour Party People', about Factory Records and the Manchester music scene from Punk to Acid House roughly speaking; the film was awarded an 18 certificate by the BBFC and released in the UK on 5 April 2002; the soundtrack was released on 8 April 2002 and was preceded by a single by New Order (in collaboration with The Chemical Brothers) called Here To Stay - on 1 April.

The film is directed by Michael Winterbottom (Nine Songs, Welcome to Sarajevo, A Cock and Bull Story, The Trip). In the film Steve Coogan plays Anthony H (Tony) Wilson and he addresses the camera directly in parts to explain his thoughts. In the recently released UK cinema trailer this style is showed off to great amusement "This is the trailer for the new movie 24 Hour Party People", "this is the director credit" and "this is the title block that nobody reads".

Tony Wilson has published his novelisation of the screenplay, also called 24 Hour Party People.

John Simm (The Lakes) plays Bernard Sumner, Ralf Little (The Royle Family) is Peter Hook. Vini Reilly and just about everyone who was anyone has a cameo. Rowetta (ex-Happy Mondays) plays herself and is the only person to be given this accolade.

The movie itself has been awarded the accolade of a Factory catalogue number - FAC 401. The reconstruction of the Hacienda for the filming has been given the number FAC 451 (a number it apparently shares in true Factory style with a documentary film about the Hacienda)

The official website has yet another FAC number - FAC 433 - and this is at www.partypeoplemovie.com but actually now sits on the FHM magazine website.