’24 Hour Party People’ returns to UK and Irish cinemas in 4K remaster
Marking 24 years since its original release, 24 Hour Party People returns to UK and Irish cinemas on 9 October in a 4K remaster. The film is available to own on digital platforms now and reaches 4K UHD disc on 26 October. Altitude handles distribution for both the theatrical run and physical edition, with the re-release confirmed as out now following the 9 October start.
A Revolution Films production directed by Michael Winterbottom, the feature was written by Frank Cotrell-Boyce and produced by Andrew Eaton.
Steve Coogan stars as Tony Wilson. The ensemble also features Paddy Considine from MobLand, Shirley Henderson of Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy, Lennie James from The Walking Dead, John Simm of Life On Mars, Ralf Little from The Royle Family, Andy Serkis known for Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, Peter Kay of Car Share, Sean Harris from Mission Impossible: Fallout and John Thomson of Inkheart, plus multiple cameos drawn from the Manchester scene.
Manchester in 1976 serves as the starting point for the story. Granada TV presenter Tony Wilson, played by Steve Coogan, is present at a Sex Pistols gig. This pivotal moment in music history totally inspires him and his friends to set up Factory Records, a record label. They proceed to sign a number of local bands that are destined to be some of the most influential artists of their time. The first band is Joy Division, who later go on to become New Order. Then come the Happy Mondays. What follows is a blackly comic tale of music, sex, drugs, larger-than-life characters, and the birth of one of the most famous dance clubs in the world, The Haçienda. The story is told through the eyes of one man who was in the centre of it all throughout. 24 Hour Party People graphically documents the vibrancy that made Madchester the place to be.
On release in 2002 the film earned widespread critical acclaim for its riotous genre-defying portrait of the Manchester music scene that still resonates. It captured the anarchic spirit of Factory Records and the Madchester era with wit and energy extending beyond that cultural setting.
Altitude distributes the re-release. Runtime stands at 1 hour 57 minutes with an 18 certificate. The 4K UHD disc provides the main physical format alongside digital availability. The UK and Irish theatrical re-release occurs on 9 October with the home entertainment release on 26 October.
