Neil Jordan’s Breakfast on Pluto is a 2005 film based on the novel of the same name by Patrick McCabe, the book was adapted for the film by Jordan and McCabe.
Breakfast on Pluto follows the exploits of Patrick “Kitten” Braden (Cillian Murphy). Abandoned as a baby in his small Irish hometown, and aware from a very early age that he is different, Patrick survives a harsh environment with the aid of his wit and charm.
Gavin Friday played Billy Hatchet, the sexually ambiguous singer of a showband. The songs he performs as Billy Hatchet and the Mohawks (Sand, Wig Wam Bam) in the movie are featured on the soundtrack.
Breakfast on Pluto will be screened at the Berlin film festival on February 11th.
Complete list of screenings:
Sat, Feb 11 21:30 Zoo Palast 1
Sun, Feb 12 10:30 CinemaxX 7
Sun, Feb 19 17:00 International
You can download a nice pdf flyer about the film on the festival website.
Peter Murphy talks to author Pat McCabe in Hot Press magazine and asks: ‘How was it revisiting Breakfast On Pluto ten years after?’
“Like anything we’ve ever done, Neil does most of the architecture, he’s made so many movies, he knows instinctively what you shoot and what will work. I wouldn’t change a word of the book, it’s completely and utterly done, not a word I could add or take away that would improve it, and I know that for a fact ‘cos I spent so long on it. But that’s not true of a movie script, you’re always adding to it right up to the end, actors and designers bring so much to it. Gavin Friday for example, the invention of Billy Hatchet, that’s him, he came up with all that. It’s almost 30% of the movie. I spoke to him a little bit about it, but he instinctively understood the character.”
“Gavin Friday stands out as Billy Hatchet, simultaneously the lead singer in a glam rock band (Billy Hatchet and the Mohawks) and a gun pusher for the IRA. His performance is gruff and outrageous, but he is easily swayed by Kitten’s eyes and sweet nothings.”
Wake up to “Breakfast on Pluto” – Silver Chips Online.
Neil Jordan on the music used in Breakfast on Pluto – the movie based on Pat McCabe’s book:
‘In a way, Patrick saw the whole world through songs, didn’t he?’ says Neil Jordan, who chose the soundtrack selections. ‘He kind of believed in the naïve sugary hopefulness of the lyrics of pop songs. So I decided that the whole burden of the soundtrack would be carried by songs from the era.’
The title phrase, Breakfast on Pluto, comes from a ’70s song by Don Partridge, a one-man-band folkie who still goes by the name of ‘King of the London Buskers.’ The flamboyant music scene of the day is reflected not only in song selections: for example, smooth rock crooner Bryan Ferry is cast as a sinister Mercedes-driving assailant; the bar band “Billy Rock and the Mohawks” synthesizes various strains of entertainingly wretched pop, and Billy is played by onetime punk hero Gavin Friday. Even the mascara and elephant-bell flares that Patrick sports as a young teen conjure up Marc Bolan and early Bowie.
The film has no conventional score. Jordan says: ‘Sometimes it seems that scores drown out the emotion in films these days.’
Songs used in the film include:
Sugar Baby Love – The Rubettes
You’re Such a Good Looking Woman – Joe Dolan
Breakfast on Pluto – Don Partridge
Me & My Arrow – Harry Nilsson
You’re Breaking My Heart – Harry Nilsson
Running Bear – Gavin Friday (production)
Wig Wam Bam – Gavin Friday (production)
Honey – Bobby Goldsboro
Sand – Gavin Friday (production)
Me & Mrs Jones – Billy Paul
Fuck the British Army – Paddy’s Irish Clan
Everyday – Slade
The Moonbeam Song – Harry Nilsson
Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep – Middle of the Road
The Wombling Song – The Wombles
Freelance Fiend – Leafhound
Tell Me What you Want – Jimmy Ruffin
Feelings – Morris Albert
Smoke Gets in Your Eyes – Billy Livesey
Windmills of your Mind – Dusty Springfield
Caravan – Santo and Johnny
Children of the Revolution – T-Rex
No More White Horses – T2
For The Good Times – Kris Kristofferson
Dream World – Don Downing
For What It’s Worth – Buffalo Springfield
Love is a Many-Splendored Thing – Jerry Vale
Makes You Blind – The Glitter Band
Rock Your Baby – George McCrae
In the Rain – The Dramatics
Madame George – Van Morrison
Cypress Avenue – Van Morrison
Fly Robin Fly – Silver Convention
How Much is That Doggy – Patti Page
Gavin has completed his work on Neil Jordan’s Breakfast in Pluto and has returned from the set in Northern Ireland.
There may still be some reshoots to do before the end of the year.
