Even though the history of the cinematic medium is defined by the incredible work of countless talented actors, some stars are just too original and inventive to be counted alongside the rest. Peter Sellers undoubtedly belongs within that hallowed bracket, known for his career-defining performances in masterpieces such as Stanley Kubrick’s Dr. Strangelove. Championing a brand of black humour that fuelled many of his finest outings, Sellers was one of his kind.
In addition to changing the landscape of comedic performances with highly complex work in films like Hal Ashby’s Being There, Sellers was also a central part of the cultural sphere of his time. He not only collaborated with some of the most talented actors and filmmakers but also befriended the creative forces behind one of the greatest cultural phenomenons of the last century: The Beatles. In fact, he might just have contributed to their enduring interest in cinema.
On several occasions, all the members of the Fab Four championed the cinematic gems that they considered to be important – ranging from the unapologetically original vision of Alejandro Jodorowsky to the sublime experiments of Federico Fellini. However, it was Sellers who convinced George Harrison to actually enter the industry as a producer after he introduced the musician to Denis O’Brien. The first venture would prove to be nothing short of iconic.
During a conversation with Film Comment, Harrison revealed that his relationship with Sellers inspired him to take the jump: “Neither of us had any previous thought of going into the movie business, though Denis had a taste of it managing Peter Sellers and negotiating some of the later Pink Panther films. It was a bit risky, I guess, totally stepping out of line for me, but, as a big fan of Monty Python, my main motive was to see the film get made.”
HandMade Films was formed to act as the financial backer of Monty Python’s Life of Brian, the subversive comedy masterpiece that is regularly cited as one of their finest achievements. That was just the beginning of the interesting impact the company had since it went on to produce other acclaimed works such as Withnail and I. Harrison was the executive producer on more than 20 projects, reinforcing Sellers’ claim that he would be a great addition to the film industry.
In a separate interview, Harrison stated: “[Sellers] was a considerable influence on my getting into the film world. Peter used to come to my Henley house with all these 16-mim films, and we’d sit ’round and have dinner and watch. His favourite picture – which has been mine ever since Peter showed it to me–was Mel Brooks’ The Producers. He kept saying, ‘You’ve got to see this movie!’ Eventually, we put it on, and I’ve never taken it off.”
Watch the trailer for Life of Brian below.
