"I have always thought in the back of my mind, Cheese and onions."

The semi-legendary story of the prefab Four, The Rutles, is brought to life in this 1978 documentary by Eric Idle. The strangely familiar tales of Ron, Dirk, Stig and Barry and their rise to stardom is retold in full with input from a whole host of stars who they inspired along the way. Including hits from legendary albums such as Tragical History Tour and A Hard Day's Rut, The Rutles Story is both fascinating and tragic, beginning with their tight trousers and culminating in more lawsuits than can be healthy for you. It's time to relive Rutlemania.

"On January 21st, 1959 the Rutles story really began at 43 Egg Lane, Liverpool, where Ron Nasty and Dirk McQuickly first bumped into each other. Ron invited Dirk to help him stand up. Dirk, merely an amateur drinker, agreed and on that spot a legend was created - a legend that will last a lunchtime. They were soon joined by Stig O'Hara, a school leaver of no fixed hairstyle, but it would be another two years before they found their regular drummer, Barrington Womble, hiding in the van. When they did, they persuaded him to change his name to save time and his haircut to save Brylcreem. He became simply Barry Wom."


skyjude review
This Is Spinal Tap. Well, this isn't Spinal Tap - this was made several years earlier and probably inspired Rob Reiner's legendary film. But for anyone who knows The Beatles history well then This Is Spinal Tap. A superbly crafted play on The Beatles and their rise to fame, The Rutles really earns it's place in comedy legend with the teriffic songs. Hey if you're a fan of The Beatles or of any of Christopher Guest's superb mockumentaries then dig out a copy of this hard-to-find classic and give it a try. You'll be humming the tunes for ages.

Top 5 Reasons for Watching The Rutles

[5] Ron Decline
All Belushi has to do is walk through his office and it's hysterical. And he then offers his best Capone impression in explaining where the money isn't. To himself in the mirror.

[4] Ruttling Orange Peel (and Mrs Peel of course)
The guy who set them all on their way to stardom - The Rutles, Frank Sinatra and The Everly Brothers. But then he's always lying.

[3] Piggy In The Middle
Of all the superbly recreated shows and pop-promos in the movie, the Piggy In The Middle skit is my favourite. Containing all the madcap elements of The Rutles this is the defining moment in proving just how well The Rutles had captured their ahem, major influence.

[2] Cameo appearances
Some as themselves and some as the oddest characters on film - The Rutles is full of cameo appearances. Featured stars include Mick Jagger, Bianca Jagger, Paul Simon, Ron Wood, John Belushi, Dan Aykroyd, Bill Murray, Gilda Radner, Lorne Michaels and not forgetting George Harrison himself!

[1] The music
As a lifelong Beatles fan I can speak with some confidence on how The Rutles music brilliantly captures the genius of The Beatles melodies and lyrics. Each Rutles song is a mysterious blend of several tunes by the Fab Four but always a little obscured making it hard to place exactly and never less than hilarious. Infact, I'm listening to the soundtrack CD as I write this - Cheese And Onions - genius!


The Rutles quotes

Narrator: Their first album was made in twenty minutes. The second took even longer.

Narrator: What did he like?
Iris Mountbatten: The trousers.
Narrator: Well, what about the trousers.
Iris Mountabatten: Well, they were very, um, tight.
Narrator: Tight?
Iris Mountbatten: Yes, you could see quite clearly...
Narrator: Oh I see...
Iris Mountbatten: Everything. Outlines. Clear as day.
Narrator: Yes, yes. Thankyou.

Narrator: For four hungry, working class lads there are worse places than prison and Der Rat Keller, Hamburg is one of these. This is where they found themselves - far from home and far from talented.

Archie Macaw: They had something.
Narrator: What was it?
Archie Macaw: I think it was the trousers.

Narrator: Dick Jaws, an unemployed music publisher of no fixed ability signed them up for the rest of their lives.
Dick Jaws: Lucky really.

Interviewer: What's your ambition?
Barry Wom: I'd like to be a hairdresser. Or two. I'd like to be two hairdressers.
Ron Nasty: I'd like to own a squadron of tanks.
Dirk McQuickly: What Ron and I'll do is probably to write some songs, you know, and sell them to people. We tried to write some for The Rolling Stones and they're probably gonna buy them.

Journalist: It must have been a great honour meeting the Queen.
Ron Nasty: Yeah, it must have been.
Journalist: What did she ask you?
Barry Wom: She asked us who we were.
Journalist: What did you say?
Dirk McQuickly: I said I was him.
Ron Nasty: I felt more like him than me.
Journalist: Do you feel better after seeing the Queen?
Ron Nasty: No, you feel better after seeing a doctor.
Dirk McQuickly: Not my doctor you don't.
Ron Nasty: Not your doctor, no.
Journalist: What are you gonna do now?
Dirk McQuickly: Back to your place.

Ruttling Orange Peel: Yes Sir, I originated The Rutles, they got it all from me. Every single bit of it.
Narrator: Well, how do you mean?
Ruttling Orange Peel: Well Sir, they come here and they took everything I ever written. Those four guys from Liverpool came here.
Mrs Peel: He's lying!
Ruttling Orange Peel: I ain't lying!
Mrs Peel: He's always lying!
Ruttling Orange Peel: I ain't lying!
Mrs Peel: Everytime there's a documentary on white music around here he claims he started it all.
Ruttling Orange Peel: I did, I did, I did!
Mrs Peel: Last week he claimed he started Everly Brothers, Frank Sinatra and Lawrence Welk. He's always lying!

Narrator: Che Stadium. Named after the Cuban Guerilla leader - Che Stadium.

Narrator: In 1966 The Rutles faced the biggest threat to their careers. Nasty, in a widely quoted interview apparently had claimed that The Rutles were bigger than God and had gone on to say that God had never had a hit record. The story spread like wild fire in America. Many fans burnt their Rutles albums. Many more burnt their fingers attempting to burn their albums. Rutles album sales sky rocketed - people were buying them just to burn them. But infact it was all a ghastly mistake. Nasty, talking to a slightly deaf journalist, had claimed only that The Rutles were bigger than Rod. Rod Stewart would not be big for another eight years.

Dirk McQuickly: It's not up to me. If you come to me and ask me I'm gonna tell you the truth. Because it is the truth, I have had tea. Lots of tea. Indian tea. And biscuits.

Narrator: It was a bombshell for The Rutles, They were shocked. And stunned.
Dirk McQuickly: Well, we're shocked.
Ron Nasty: Yeah, shocked.
Barry Wom: Shocked.
Dirk McQuickly: And stunned.
Ron Nasty: Yeah, stunned.
Barry Wom: Very stunned.

Narrator: Decline had a reputation as a hardman. His only weak spot was dishonesty. Anyone was free to inspect his books but no-one could find his accounts. He struck terror into the hearts of his sub-ordinates. People would commit suicide rather than meet him. In business his left hand never knew who his right hand was doing. Nasty adored him - he was a man after his own wallet.

Narrator: In the midst of all this public bickering, "Let it Rot" was released as a film, an album, and a lawsuit. In 1970, Dirk sued Stig, Nasty, and Barry; Barry sued Dirk, Nasty, and Stig; Nasty sued Barry, Dirk, and Stig; and Stig sued himself accidentally. It was the beginning of a golden era for lawyers, but for the Rutles, live on a London rooftop, it was the beginning of the end.



Production companies: Rutle Corp, Broadway Video, Above Average Productions Inc.