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Photos - Behind The Scenes Manchester

It is unusual: low-budget Welsh film outperforms big hitters

Although we haven't seen "A Bit of Tom Jones" yet, we send our congratulations to the filmakers and applaud their creativity, pluck and determination. We wish them much success and hope they continue to inspire other independent-minded talent who might have a dream to realize. http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2009/nov/22/welsh-film-tom-jones The Hollywood blockbusters 2012 and A Christmas Carol are playing to respectable audiences Merthyr Tydfil's Vue multiplex, entertaining fans with their multimillion pound effects.

But in screen eight, the staff are having to drag in extra beanbags in an attempt to accommodate everyone who wants to see a comedy made for just £100,000 and with a marketing budget of a couple of grand.

In these days when megabucks movies dominate, A Bit of Tom Jones?, is providing hope for independent film-makers who may have ideas and talent but no money.

The movie is a bawdy farce with a plot turning an attempt to sell the Welsh superstar singer's severed manhood (better not to go into too many details for taste as well as spoiler reasons). And it is outselling rivals such as Michael Jackson's This is It and the sci-fi drama The Fourth Kind at some cinemas in south Wales.

Unlike other low-budget movies that have found homes in small arthouse cinemas, A Bit of Tom Jones? is doing good business at large screens in multiplexes.

It has already spread from Merthyr, in the Welsh valleys, to Cardiff and Vue is now considering releasing it just across the English border, perhaps in Bristol to start, to see if it can gradually take hold across the rest of the UK, just about the reverse of the normal multiplex model in which films are released with huge hype and quickly vanish.

Writer and director Peter Watkins-Hughes, a former BBC producer, could hardly contain his excitement as he introduced the film, his first feature, in Merthyr this week. "We're killing The Fourth Kind, we're killing Harry Brown and that's got Michael Caine in it," he said. "I think it's just extraordinary." The making of the movie sounds a little like something out of an Ealing comedy. Set mainly in the valleys town of Tredegar, the team begged and borrowed to eke out the budget. Watkins-Hughes had originally imagined setting it in 1960s Los Angeles with Errol Flynn's penis at the centre of the plot. But cost prompted him to bring the setting back to south Wales.

Businesspeople, including a pub landlord and solicitor, clubbed together to raise funds while Welsh actors including Eve Myles, Gwen Cooper in the BBC's Torchwood, and Margaret John, who plays Doris in the BBC sitcom Gavin and Stacey, worked at reduced rates.

A factory loaned a small fleet of dumper trucks for the film's chase scene and the local force provided flashing lights for a police car.

The film was originally intended to be a straight-to-video release. But Watkins-Hughes decided to send it to the Vue in Merthyr. Staff looked at the film, thought it had potential and passed it on to head office who agreed it ought to be shown.

The production team has not been able to afford many 35mm prints and so, on one crazy day, they had to play half the movie at one cinema, take that reel to another so it could start there and then repeat the process for the second half.

Meanwhile, the paucity of the advertising budget meant Watkins-Hughes and his cohorts had to drum up an audience themselves. They bought a little bit of advertising space on local radio in the valleys and then blitzed the area with photocopied posters until the police and local councils warned them to calm down. It also helped that a little controversy was sparked because some Tom Jones fans were upset at the film's premise.

But mainly it has been about word of mouth. At the first screening in Merthyr, Watkins-Hughes told the audience: "I want to make a contract with you. If you enjoy this film, will you do me a favour, will you tell other people: 'Saw this Welsh film, it should have been shit but it was really funny'."

Watkins-Hughes told the audience the film aimed to "capture the valleys' sense of humour." But he said there was a serious side in that the success of the film could prompt others to make movies in and about their own communities.

Craig Matthews, the manager at the Merthyr Vue, said: "It's great that a local product has done so well. They've made it work because of the energy they've put into it." Clive Threadgold, Vue's film buyer for the south west, said he felt other independent film-makers could follow the Tom Jones model – if they matched the effort and verve of Watkins-Hughes and his backers.

Bernie Snowball, the manager of the Market Hall cinema in Brynmawr, said: "I'm not surprised the film is doing well. It's a laugh-out-loud comedy, with the added bonus of being set in Wales." Adding that it comfortably beat the Michael Jackson film at his cinema, he said: "It's a mad thing they've done, but a brilliant one."

Tom Jones review from Budapest

Finally the security gave it up, Tom Jones fans ran to the stage to dance.. he evening started in a solid mood as the bigger part of the audience was from the senior age-group, and the youngers were not extreme figures either. Everybody waited for The Voice patiently, sitting on their seats. There were only seats, as the promoter thought the audience who come to a Tom Jones concert, can stay seated during the best dancing-songs. A few minutes after 9 Tom Jones appeared on the stage dressed in black and smiling, as we could always see him in the last years, only his hair became white since the video of Sexbomb. He started with Sugar Daddy which was written for him by Bono, and after the James Bond song Thunderball and a few new songs came Delilah and a part of the audience sprang to their feet for dancing. The show continued with Mamma Told Me and Burning Down The House and then more and more people felt they couldn’t sit on their seats. During What’s New Pussycat the security guards tried to keep the original sectors but when Tom Jones himself told the audience to dance at the beginning of She’s A Lady, nobody could resist dancing and going to the front of the stage. And the biggest hits just came after this, the audience danced and screamed, and it really looked like Tom Jones enjoyed the concert very much. His voice was the same as we got used to it, nobody would say that he’s almost 70. Furthermore, he left the stage with such energy that we didn’t wonder if he had gone to a party to dance after the show.

Melinda Serfozo, Nepszabadsag

Timeless Tom Jones bridges generation gap with Belfast gig

It’s not unusual to begin to show your age as you get older ? unless you are Tom Jones. The singing legend best described as ‘The Voice’ hit town again last night to a rapturous response from his adoring fans and — having attended many of his concerts since his first visit here in the 1960s — it did seem unusual that he now appears to be more comfortable with his mature looks than ever before. His physical appearance may have changed slightly, but his powerful vocals remain as strong and impressive as ever as he set the tone for the evening (while sending himself — or, at least, his perceived image — up) with the Bono/Edge opening song, Sugar Daddy. Totally relaxed and with a tongue-in-cheek approach, the Welsh warbler doesn’t take himself too seriously, as he has nothing left to prove in a career that has spanned five decades.

With a knack for reinventing himself for every generation and a rare ability to cut across all generations and genres, this crooner remains one cool dude.

Damien Murray

Interview with Emma Crosby on GMTV

The Welsh wonder is back on the road! That's right, legendary crooner Tom Jones is back on tour entertaining the masses his classic songs. Tom is a living legend who has befriended, collaborated and hung out with practically every key character in the music and showbiz worlds. He has the rare ability to cut across generations and genres, appealing to young and old, mainstream and cutting edge alike. If you'd like to see him in action, here's where he'll be performing: October 2009 UK tour

• Friday 09 - Cardiff CIA
• Tuesday 13 - Newcastle Metro Radio Arena
• Wednesday 14 -Glasgow SECC
• Friday 16 - Manchester Evening News Arena
• Saturday 17 - Liverpool Echo Arena
• Sunday 18 - Birmingham LG Arena
• Tuesday 20 - Bournemouth BIC
• Friday 23 - Brighton Brighton Centre

Tom plays Jools Holland

Sir Tom Jones has been entertaining audiences since the 1960s and sold over 100 million records. As the man they call The Voice gears up for another UK tour this October, Rob Brydon tells the story of the Welsh sex-bomb who became one of the most famous singing voices on the planet. It's an incredible story of how a factory worker from a Welsh mining town shot to international superstardom thanks to hits like It's Not Unusual, What's New Pussycat and Delilah. Idolised by women all over the planet, he became a huge star of Las Vegas making friends with Elvis Presley and Frank Sinatra along the way. He's now part of our national heritage but unlike his singing, success didn't come easy. Featuring a new interview with the big baritone himself, this documentary follows Tom's journey to

1970s - Global Superstar

Tom continues to tour America and around the world to sold-out audiences. He releases albums in a variety of styles. Tom and Elvis become good friends, spending time together in Las Vegas. A lot of good times with classic acts of the era, many of whom Tom worked with over the years.

Tom Jones treats fans to a performance to remember

HE MAY be celebrating his 70th birthday next year but Tom Jones last night showed little sign of his advancing years. Jones marked the first of a three-night residency at Cardiff International Arena with a blistering set spanning his long career in the music business.As he sashayed and crooned his way onto the stage, there were no signs of any pre-gig nerves Jones had confessed to suffering from as he returned to his home turf. The opening three songs represented a no-nonsense start as they came in quick succession with minimal interaction between Jones and the highly- charged crowd.

But from then on it was as if the flood gates had opened.

His first words to the crowd as he walked on stage were “Thank you” and “Diolch” which brought a huge cheer from his faithful followers inside the International Arena.

“It’s great to be back home once again,” Jones said. “Is everything all right so far? Good –just checking.”

Backed by a new 10-piece band, Jones instead brought a little piece of Vegas glamour to the sell-out audience in Cardiff last night.

While he may now be more silver fox than Peter Pan, after allowing his natural colour to dominate, Jones has lost none of his star charisma or his trademark voice.

Indeed his showmanship last night could have taught a thing or two to numerous acts half his age who have also performed at the CIA.

Against a glitzy backdrop and dressed in an equally glitzy jacket, the Voice from Pontypridd gave a masterclass in singing as he worked his way through his considerable repertoire.

The old and inevitable classics, for which we have come to know and love Jones by – Delilah, Green Green Grass of Home, It’s Not Unusual – were greeted loud roars of approval and equally deafening applause.

As were his contemporary offerings, from his own take on Sex Bomb, to the wonderful Mama Told Me Not to Come and his latest songs from the 2008 album 24 Hours.

Jones told the audience he was really proud of this album, which he co-wrote most of – a first for him – as he admitted.

“I finally learned how to spell,” he joked.

Jones also revealed the opening song of his set called Sugar Daddy was written for him by Bono and the Edge from U2 but with a rye smile on his face he told the crowd he didn’t know why they called it Sugar Daddy.

But the standout tracks of the night, which showed off Jones’ vocal capabilities to best effect, were the good old-fashioned soul numbers, including perennial favourite Hard to Handle, and his Bond soundtrack Thunderball.

This was an impressive 20-plus song performance which Jones obviously enjoyed, especially as its as close to his Ponty roots that he’s going to get without making a permanent move home.

There were no signs of any of the nerves Jones had confessed to suffering from as he returned to his home turf last night. This was a truly impressive performance

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/showbiz-and-lifestyle/2009/10/10/tom-jones-treats-fans-to-a-performance-to-remember-91466-24896923/