Death At A Funeral: official website production notes

Mrs Q, Karan, and Perfectly Matte all stumbled upon the updated official website and its new content. All new images added to the galleries but here is a copy of some of the production notes.

Production notes from the film:

At the center of the day's maelstrom is Daniel, the poor, put-upon son who just wants to give his father the send-off he deserves -- but instead finds himself unraveling the rampant improprieties in his family. To play Daniel, the filmmakers chose one of today's fastest rishing British stars, Matthew Macfadyen, who came to the fore and won global acclaim playing the ultimate romantic lead of Mr. Darcy in the 2005 film version of Pride and Prejudice. Having studied at the renowned Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, Macfadyen might be known for his more serious roles, but he proves he has the chops of the consummate straight man in the role of Daniel.

"For Daniel, I needed somebody who could play his character with honesty and, as a result, would set the bar for the rest of the cast's performance level, because he's the very core of the story," explains Oz. "If he had been too broad, everyone else would be too broad. But Matthew was extraordinarily subtle and that's what the film needed as a base. He's really amazing that way. I think he's on the edge of cracking up in nearly every scene, but he doesn't reveal it."

After being won over by the script, Macfadyen was further charmed by the idea of taking on a character who defies what audiences might expect from him. "Daniel is a great part and very different from anything I've done," he says. "The script was so funny and unpredictable. I'd never laughed so hard before. It was a hoot playing Daniel, and hopefully it'll be a real hoot for audiences to watch him go through this unbelievable day as well."

The actor notes that Daniel is rather stuck as the film opens -- unable to finish his novel, unable to move out of the house, unable to face his famous brother, and apparently unable even to pull off his own father's funeral without major mishaps. "He's someone who really needs to fly the nest and become a man," laughs Macfadyen. "But I think he kind of grows a spine throughout the film and by then end, as things get worse and worse, he finally starts to get a bit of steel in his back. Of course, when the stakes are highest, that's when hilarity comes."

Macfadyen might play his character with a nuanced, straight-faced realism, but he couldn't help but be bowled over by all the outrageous antics going on around Daniel, who himself starts to lose control. "Everyone in the cast was so brilliant," he comments. "They each have their own agenda, which are each very human and, therefore, very funny. I was so unable to stop giggling during so many of the scenes, it was quite appalling!"