Michael Cumming, Oxide Ghosts director, has a showreel to die for. His TV credits include Brass Eye, Toast of London, Toast of Tinseltown, The Mark Thomas Product, Snuff Box, The Mark Steel Lectures and Rock Profile. His filmography includes the lauded King Rocker, made with Stewart Lee. He is set to take Oxide Ghosts on an extensive theatre tour for the third time.
Michael kindly spoke to me about the film, Chris Morris, and his upcoming projects.
Oxide Ghosts screenings sold out theatres in 2017 and 2022. Short of re-editing your film, can aficionados expect any material they haven’t seen before?
MC: It’s the same film, of course, but there is a lot packed in and it can’t ever be released digitally. So people have come to see it more than once. It’s a chance for like-minded people to gather and watch TV comedy in a cinema together. What makes the Oxide Ghosts shows different every time is the Q&As after the film. This is where fans and comedy aficionados can ask questions they want.
The incredible legacy of Brass Eye
Is it possible for you to explain the ongoing popularity of the film?
MC: That would be down to the enduring appeal of the Brass Eye series that, as time goes on, seems even more unique. A perfect moment when the singular vision of Chris Morris aligned with a television broadcaster’s willingness to take risks.
You directed the pilots and series over two years. Please tell us about the highs and the lows of that time.
MC: The high points for me were always connected with that feeling that we were doing something unlike other TV. I came from a fine art background and had made video art that often had a critical relationship with broadcast media, but was probably only ever seen by a handful of people.
The idea of a large budget TV series, watched by a lot of people but critical of the medium it used, seemed perfect to me. So, the low points were definitely the occasions when it looked like the series was never going to see the light of day due to legal and editorial wrangling.
The genius of Chris Morris
How inspirational was working with Chris Morris?
MC: Incredibly so. Almost every aspect of Chris’ ideas involved some high-level problem solving. To have that as one of your first TV directing jobs meant that everything that followed seemed fairly easy by comparison.
Similarly, what creative skills of yours do you think he most admired?
MC: I don’t think Chris was looking for a jobbing comedy director or I wouldn’t have had a look in. To be honest, I’d never even thought of directing comedy. I think my art school and film school background might have been part of the appeal. I’d also just been directing film inserts for the late-night C4 show The Word. So was no stranger to controversy. Perhaps he knew that would come in handy ?
You have enjoyed a remarkable career in TV and film? Are you at liberty to talk about any other projects in the pipeline?
MC: From the moment that Brass Eye was transmitted in 1997, I suddenly became a ‘comedy director’. I have worked closely with some remarkable people: Stewart Lee, Matt Berry, Mark Thomas, Jo Brand, Mark Steel, Omid Djalili, and Lucas and Walliams…
I’ve always got an in-tray of stuff I hope will happen. I don’t want to jinx it by talking about it too much.
The Ice Man cometh
One thing I can talk about is a documentary film Melt It, of which I’m executive producer.
It’s about another singular, but long forgotten, performer Anthony Irvine. The film should be out in 2025. It looks at the life and times of a perfoming entertainer, AKA The Ice Man, a speciality comedy act from the 80s whose shows consisted largely of him trying to melt a big block of ice! It features Ice fans: Robin Ince, Jo Brand, Stewart Lee, Simon Munnery, Ronni Ancona, and a host of others.
How about revisiting your early music career?
MC: Hah! Well, I’m not sure it was ever much of a career. However, I did earn good money playing music from the age of about 14 to 18! It’s possibly what I thought I might end up doing – but I still make music in my home studio. The main outlet now is making money-saving soundtracks for my own work!
It’s been a pleasure talking with you Michael. Good luck with the film tour and your future creative ventures.
Thank you!
Michael Cumming’s film Oxide Ghosts: The Brass Eye Tapes – tours the UK from 28 October to 27 November 2024.
Ticket links at: www.michaelcumming.co.uk
Did you enjoy reading this article? Please let me know in the comments below. Why not subscribe to my blog using the form above? Don’t miss out on upcoming articles about music, film, radio. Basically what appeals to me and I hope will be interesting for you.
