Who Killed the KLF? is a 2021 documentary film by Chris Atkins about The KLF.[2][3][4][5]

Who Killed the KLF?
Directed byChris Atkins
Produced byNicky Bentham
Edited byClaire Ferguson
Release date
  • September 2021 (2021-09) (Fantastic Fest)[1]
Running time
88 minutes
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish

The unauthorised documentary includes reconstructions of the band's dramatic gestures, played by actors. KLF members Jimmy Cauty and Bill Drummond refused to take part in the film or to authorise it.[6][7] However, old interviews with them, recorded on audio cassettes, were used. Limited clips of their music were included under the fair dealing copyright exception.[6] The KLF originally sought to block the film's release due to alleged copyright infringement, but later approved of the film.[6][8][9]

Cast

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[10]

Reception

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The film received positive reviews. The Guardian gave it four stars, saying it was "a very entertaining guide through what has to be the strangest A-list pop career of modern times".[10] Likewise, The Times also gave the film four stars.[11] The Hollywood Reporter also praised the documentary, describing it as "highly entertaining".[12]

Trivia

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Director Chris Atkins had been working on the film since 2009, however production was halted after he received a five–year prison sentence in 2016 for tax fraud.[11] After he moved to an open prison, he had a laptop sneaked in so he could start the editing process. When Atkins was released in December 2018, he said that the piece was "a rough cut that mostly resembled a radio play, with amazing audio commentary but nothing to look at" and within three weeks, he began to film reconstructions.[13]

References

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  1. ^ "Who Killed the KLF?". FantasticFest.com. Retrieved 16 April 2022.
  2. ^ DeFore, John (6 October 2021). "'Who Killed The KLF?': Film Review - Fantastic Fest 2021". Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 9 April 2022.
  3. ^ Richards, Will (5 April 2022). "'Who Killed The KLF?': watch the trailer for divisive new documentary". Rolling Stone UK. Retrieved 9 April 2022.
  4. ^ Potton, Ed. "Who Killed the KLF? Review — wry, bonkers and irreverent".
  5. ^ "New documentary 'Who Killed The KLF?' is out now". Mixmag. Retrieved 9 April 2022.
  6. ^ a b c Atkins, Chris (8 April 2022). "Prison, lawsuits and a glovebox of fake cash: the film the KLF didn't want you to see". The Guardian. Retrieved 9 April 2022.
  7. ^ "Watch the trailer for controversial new documentary 'Who Killed The KLF?'". NME. 5 April 2022. Retrieved 9 April 2022.
  8. ^ "KLF assert justified and ancient copyright claim to block documentary". The Guardian. 19 October 2021. Retrieved 9 April 2022.
  9. ^ "The KLF seek to block unauthorised documentary due to alleged copyright infringement". DJ Mag. 21 October 2021. Retrieved 9 April 2022.
  10. ^ a b "Who Killed the KLF? review – Chris Atkins' entertaining guide to true pop mavericks". The Guardian. 14 April 2022. Retrieved 25 April 2022.
  11. ^ a b "Who Killed the KLF? review — wry, bonkers and irreverent". The Times. 22 April 2022. Retrieved 1 June 2022.
  12. ^ "'Who Killed The KLF?': Film Review". The Hollywood Reporter. 6 October 2021. Retrieved 1 June 2022.
  13. ^ "Prison, lawsuits and a glovebox of fake cash: the film the KLF didn't want you to see". The Guardian. 8 April 2022. Retrieved 1 June 2022.
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