MovieChat Forums > Big Train (2000) Discussion > Mark Heap on the DVD commentary

Mark Heap on the DVD commentary

posted 19 years ago by cal_adamson
25 replies | jump to latest

Has anyone else watched the DVD of the first series with the commentary on?

What is Mark Heap's problem? He acts like a sullen prick the entire way through - barely saying a word, even when the other guys talk directly to him or ask him for his input on a scene.

Do you think he just really didn't give a *beep* about doing the commentary, or he had bad memories from making the show, or he was just attempting some extremely dry humour?

I thought Simon Pegg, Kevin Eldon and Graham Linehan all seemed like they were having a great time in comparison.

[–] mariannekk25 19 years ago

I totally agree, he barely said a word and was really miserable. Having never heard him speak 'as himself', though, I've nothing to compare it to. Perhaps he's always like that.

[–] frankingstein2 19 years ago

From what I remember (and this was a long time ago) he had a similar disposition in the 'Spaced' DVD commentaries, but I think he might have talked a little bit (and he did parts of an interview too).

But yes.

[–] busybuzzybumbles 19 years ago

...There's commentary? *Is stupid*

[–] solmaquina 19 years ago

He's just a quiet guy. Most of his characters are like him in that respect. He's not too dry though. When I've seen him interviewed he is very quiet, but really whacky too at the same time. Like in the Spaced "Skip to the End" documentary.
"Can you paint?"
"...no..no, no...but I am good at falling off chairs"
*randomly falls off his chair backwards*

So yeah. He's quiet, don't hold it against him.

Really? Worst film you ever saw? Well, my next one will be better. Hello? Hello?

[–] cal-76 16 years ago

I love that bit! *merry clapping*

[–] original_hell_child 19 years ago

you need to chill

just cos hes funny doesnt mean he has to be a jokes a minute like with simon & kevin

love all of them

[–] madcatzara 19 years ago

Unfortunately, his career seems to be going nowhere, unlike Pegg's and that. The commentary was added years after Big Train finished. It isn't my place to guess what his problem was, but it is worth mentioning that during the commentary he would have been sitting among his fellow Big Train actors who had all 'gone places' since... Sure, he's doing a bit of this and that, but nowhere near Simon Pegg's level.

I'm just theorizing now, I could be absolutely completely wrong. In fact, I probably am. He's probably just quiet. Anyway, he's my favourite ever comedy actor.

[–] 19 years ago

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[–] Magic_Roundabout 19 years ago

I would have to disagree with the statement that his career is going nowhere. He has a major part in the fantastic series 'Green Wing' which has also seen cameo roles from other Big Train actors and some from 'Shaun of the Dead'.

[–] Tess_D 18 years ago

I thought Mark Heap came across pretty well on the 'Spaced' DVD commentary. "The housewives' favourite" according to a certain Mr. Pegg.

[i]~Skip to the end...[i]
www.myspace.com/blondejones

[–] nevred 18 years ago

I've listened to the commentary too and I never had the impression that Mark Heap is arrogant or something. As somebody already mentioned, I think he's just quiet, maybe shy, and not as outgoing as Kevin Eldon or Simon Pegg.

----------
I'm absolutely top-hole, Sir, with a ying and a yang and yippiedeedoo!!

[–] irishpatrick11 18 years ago

He's just a pretty quiet guy in general. This sounds more pointlessly poncey than I want it to but I know someone who knew him when he was part of the 'Medieval Players' and they said that he's always been that way. Still a little whacky (see the Spaced documnetary post) and genuinely funny, but just quite shy

---'Gimme a Martini, would'ya?'---

[–] knifey-spoony 18 years ago

I think there may have been a falling out somewhere along the way.

Notice how he's the only cast member from Spaced to not feature in either of the Pegg/Wright movies?

[–] paul-machnicki 17 years ago

http://www.spaced-out.org.uk/forums/index.php?showtopic=7566 in this interview he seems quite bitter about not being in the feature films.

[–] Wyrmis 17 years ago

The bitterness seems almost a joking bitterness, but I don't see why they wouldn't allow him at least a cameo. I suppose it is possible he didn't want to do a cameo and is just pulling out what seems to be his sense of humor and making it look like they shorted him.

At the same time, maybe they did have a big fight over some matter or another.

Si Vales, Valeo.

[–] disco_pigs1332 17 years ago

I didn't get the impression that he was being an arse or whatever, it was making the other guys laugh so I reckon he was having a laugh, and if you look at interviews with these group of guys they sometimes have a pop at each other, but obviously they are just joking.

[–] 17 years ago

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[–] 17 years ago

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[–] amylopan 16 years ago

I heard that Mark was actually going to be in Hot Fuzz, but hurt his back and had to pull out. In fact, someone told me it was Kevin's role that Mark was originally going to play. I don't know how recent the Big Train commentary was made, but they all seemed like buds. I think it's great fun to hear them all together.

[–] cal-76 16 years ago

It bugs me that you don't get to hear more from Mark in the commentaries, but I simply figured he was doing the whole mumbling, surly thing as a gag.

No matter. There's enough there from the others involved!

[–] anchorlove06 16 years ago

I don't think he comes off as a sullen prick... I've noticed in the Spaced commentary he doesn't talk much either. Maybe he just can't find much to say because the sketches go by quickly, and Graham, Kevin and Simon are all jabbering away so much that he can't really find a moment to say something. He's just a quiet guy.

[–] Glendinni9 16 years ago

I thought he seemed a little miserable when I first listened to the commentary but looking back he just seems a little shy.

[–] jimmypalooza-1 16 years ago

Well, someone is actually saying "Mark has become such a miserable (something) the last couple of years"..

A strange thing to say maybe if it's seriously meant, and maybe there is a joke there somewhere, like he's always been miserable or something.

But to me he seemed more bitter and miserable than shy on the commentary.

[–] FiHappy5 16 years ago

It's impossible to know why, of course, but he's behaved like that in all the commentaries I've heard him in. I've also heard cast/crew in other commentaries and interviews (Tamsin Greig springs to mind) commenting on his hatred of corpsers and the generally 'unprofessional'. Makes me suspect he might be rather hard to work with. But that's talent for ya!

I can't help thinking I've heard him actually say he hates doing audio commentaries, or perhaps someone explaining his absence for that reason.

Fiona

[–] ebm83 15 years ago

I think that everyone else was talking so much that Mark needed to be quiet just to balance them out... Whenever you have more than a couple of people on a commentary track, some are inevitably going to fill more space than others.