Independent Films, Film Profiles

Spice World (film)

Spice World is a feature film starring English pop girl group the Spice Girls directed by Bob Spiers and written by Kim Fuller and Jamie Curtis. The lighthearted comedy, made in a similar vein to The Beatles' A Hard Day's Night, depicted fictional events leading up to a major concert at London's Royal Albert Hall, liberally interspersed with dream sequences and flashbacks as well as surreal moments and humorous asides. The film premiered on 15 December, 1997 and was released in British cinemas on Boxing Day, 1997, followed by the release in other countries in January 1998. The film featured guest appearances by Roger Moore, Elton John, Jennifer Saunders, Richard E. Grant, Michael Barrymore, Elvis Costello, Stephen Fry, Hugh Laurie and Meat Loaf.As their film opens, the Spice Girls are enjoying their fame, but becoming dissatisfied with the burdens of it. The sinister owner of a newspaper, Kevin McMaxford (Barry Humphries), is trying to ruin their reputation in order to cash in on the headlines, and even dispatches a photographer (Richard O'Brien) to take pictures and tape recordings of the girls. Less threatening but more annoying is a film director (Alan Cumming) who with his crew stalks the band, hoping to use them as documentary subjects; at the same time, the girls' uptight manager, Clifford (Richard E. Grant), is fending off two over-eager Hollywood writers (George Wendt and Mark McKinney) who relentlessly pitch absurd plot ideas for a Spice Girls feature film. Elton John also passes by a crowd of people.Amid this, the band must prepare for an Albert Hall concert, their biggest performance yet. At the heart of it, the constant practices, traveling, publicity appearances, and other burdens of celebrity affect them on a personal level, preventing them from spending much time with their best friend outside the band, Nicola (Naoko Mori), who is due to give birth soon. Throughout their busy schedule, the girls keep asking Clifford for time off to spend with Nicola and to relax, but he refuses - mainly because his own boss, the cryptic and eccentric "Chief" (Roger Moore), won't allow it. The stress and overwork compound, culminating in a huge argument with Clifford, his assistant Deborah (Claire Rushbrook) and among the bandmates; the girls storm out on the evening of their concert at the Albert Hall.Separately, the bandmates think back on their humble beginnings, their struggle to the top, and their strengthened friendship. They reunite by chance outside the now-closed pub where they practiced in the early days, reconcile, then decide to take Nicola out dancing. However, she goes into labor at the nightclub and is rushed to the hospital in the tour bus (while the girls attempt to coach her with conflicting advice). The band stay at the hospital to provide Nicola with support, refusing to perform until after she has given birth.The next morning, the day of their Albert Hall gig, Nicola finally gives birth to a girl. As they are leaving the hospital, the girls bump into a doctor, but when Emma notices he has a camera, the girls realise the doctor is the photographer who has been stalking them in disguise. The photographer runs off with the girls in hot pursuit, only to hit his head on the wall after colliding with an empty stretcher, and when he sees the girls standing over him, he tells them that they've made him see the error of his ways, and he goes after the owner of the newspaper, who is subsequently fired in a "Jacuzzi Scandal".After noticing their bus driver (Meat Loaf) missing, Victoria decides to drive herself. So, it becomes a race against time as she drives like a maniac, screaming, "Get out of the way! Get out of the way!" to innocent bystanders. Along the way to the Albert Hall, the bus drives by Buckingham Palace, the girls wave to the Royal Family. The girls end up on the roof of the bus and fall through the sunroof, collapsing onto each other in a pile when Victoria puts her foot down on the gas pedal. When approaching Tower Bridge it starts to go up to let a boat through. They land safely on the other side, but when Emma opens a trapdoor in the floor, she discovers a bomb, and the girls scream before Emma slams the trapdoor shut again.The girls finally arrive at the Albert Hall, and run up the steps to the Rocky theme, but they have one more obstacle to overcome; a policeman who wants to charge them with "dangerous driving, criminal damage, flying a bus without a license, and frightening the pigeons". Emma is pushed forward, and she explains to the officer they were in a hurry. Emma smiles at him, and he lets them off.In the film's climax, the girls performed their song "Spice Up Your Life". Footage airs during the closing credits of the films various stars talking about the film, and even talking to the girls. Mel C then looks towards the camera, and tells the other girls someone is watching them. The girls talk into the camera, and discuss various things. Victoria even says to a certain woman in the audience, "I like your dress". When Mel C suddenly asks what happened to the bomb on the bus, her question is answered by a loud explosion.