Originally Posted by
martydmc12
Monkeys is a one hour BBC TV movie directed by Danny Boyle (Trainspotting, Slumdog Millionaire, Steve Jobs). It's based on the FBI transcripts and book "The DeLorean Tapes: The Evidence".
The BBC and Boyle wanted to make a DeLorean movie, but John DeLorean was suing anyone and everyone who was trying to do just that. At the same time in Hollywood, another production company came very close to making a TV miniseries, which would have starred James Coburn. DeLorean threatened legal action, and it was shut down before production could begin. Because of the nature of John's continuing legal problems in the UK, and because The DeLorean Tapes were based on what basically became public domain after the 1984 trial, Boyle and BBC were able to get away with making Monkeys without having John or the British government being able to come after them.
I've got a copy somewhere in my archives, and I've watched it two or three times. It's honestly not very good. The most memorable thing for me was the actor who plays James Hoffman, William Hootkins, most notably known for playing X-Wing pilot Jet Porkins in Star Wars, and Lt. Eckhardt in Tim Burton's Batman. Manning Redwood who plays John DeLorean isn't very good as John; he doesn't seem to have John's characteristics down very well, and makes John come off as looking kind of dense and slow. At least that's my memory of it.
I contacted the BBC several years ago about it, and was told that Danny Boyle claims the copyright to it, and it would best to contact him about getting it released. I contacted Boyle's representatives, and was told that he wouldn't be interested in digging it up. To me, that sounds like he's not happy with the completed result, and would rather leave it dead and buried. That being said, the only way to obtain a copy would be through illegal bootlegs. Please don't ask me to do that sort of thing, as it's something I won't do.
If anything, Monkeys proves that you can't tell the DeLorean story correctly in the span of a two hour feature length movie. Monkeys is an hour, and only covers the FBI entrapment leading up to the arrest. It would be nearly impossible to include John's days at GM, the rise and fall of DMC, the drug trial, etc. in a two hour time frame. That's why it's got to be a miniseries, where you have six or more hours to tell the whole story.