The original title of ‘It’s All Gone Pete Tong’, was released in Spain as ‘La leyenda del DJ Frankie Wilde’. The original title is an English rhyming slang, where one word has been replaced for another that rhymes with it, leading to a typical phrase. Thus, the expression “It’s all gone a bit wrong” is replaced by the rhymed “It’s all gone Pete Tong”, which refers to the popular English DJ and music producer. Pete Tong appears in this film, presented as a mockumentary, about a DJ who is going deaf. Along with Tong, other disc jockeys are also involved such as Carl Cox, Paul Van Dyk, Charlie Chester, Sarah Main, Tiësto, Danny Whittle, Barry Ashworth and Lol Hammon.
For the characterization of Frankie’s character, the Canadian director and screenwriter Michael Dowse was inspired by movie characters such as Jeffrey Lebowski ( ‘The Big Lebowski’, 1998) and Emmet Ray ( ‘Sweet and Lowdown’, 1999). According to the director, the character is also based on the eccentricities of real DJs like Larry Lavan, Paul Oakenfold and Brandon Block.
‘It’s All Gone Pete Tong’ was well received by the public and critics, earning several awards at various festivals and was the subject of an Indian remake, entitled ‘Soundtrack’ (2011), directed by Neerav Ghosh.
In “It’s All Gone Pete Tong ‘ he worked as assistant director of the Ibizan filmmaker Carmen Vidal Balanzat, who later would win the Student Academy Award for his documentary filmed in New York, ‘6 A. M’ (2006), kick starting an award-winning career in the United States, where he has worked as a producer of the television program ‘New York’, for which has won several New York Emmys.
Commentary written by Enrique Villalonga, head of the production company Filmótica.
Showbizmonkeys.com. Mark McLeod interview by Michael Dowse. June 23, 2005.
