BFI Flipside Releases

[Viva Chiba]

Can anyone recommend / deride any of these titles?

Was salivating over a few of the releases at the local Fopp. . .

"Permissive" looks great. . I've already seen "Privilege" . . .but wot are "The Bed Sitting Room", "Herostratus" and "Man of Violence" like? Herostratus sounds right up my avenue - stylish biting period media satire.

Don't suppose anyone has any of the above and is interested in a trade. . .?

[eric-adams]

i got permissive the weekend, but the advert for it on the dvd put me off so i havent watched it yet.

Bed sitting room is a Spike Milligan thing isnt it? ive not seen that either though so im no help. i had it from lovefilm but it didnt play.

[wayne]

The Bed Sitting Room is a minor late 60s classic, absurdist stuff set after a nuclear holocaust that mixes up Monty Python and Beckett, written by Milligan and John Antrobus, worth a watch, but probably a bit 'marmite' as films go...others I've not seen or only saw so long ago I can't remember much about them, but there's a DVD introducing the genre - 'Kim Newman's Guide To The Flipside' - that has a doc about the movies in the series, plus a few shorts, and that was being knocked out in Fopp for £2 last time I looked.

[Viva Chiba]

Perhaps a lovefilm "trial" might be the most cost effective way to see these

[alanmck]

Perhaps a lovefilm "trial" might be the most cost effective way to see these

if my experience of that idea is anything to go by, forget it. i waited 18 months or more for some of the less mainstream stuff to arrive, it never did. subs cancelled.

[MPFlapp]

Can anyone recommend / deride any of these titles?

Was salivating over a few of the releases at the local Fopp. . .

"Permissive" looks great. .

I've already seen "Privilege". . .
but wot are "The Bed Sitting Room", "Herostratus" and "Man of Violence" like? Herostratus sounds right up my avenue - stylish biting period media satire.

"Permissive" - is a must see... not the best film ever made, but the context and music are outstanding - the extras are great too - The Stanley Long short has a fair chunk of the "Groupie Girl" OST included...

"Privilege" - more than worth while seeing as I've only seen a VHS transfer before - restoration action done here...

The three films you mention are all must see's in my book - the only issue was funds - - next month...

Did you pick up the 1.99 preview DVD that was available in Fopp and HMV..?

EDIT: Missed Wayne's post

worth a watch, but probably a bit 'marmite' as films go...

Classic comment with respect to marmite - I like marmite - nice on a baked potato - how does marmite go with film - viniger yes - marmite..?

[nlgbbbblth]

Primitive London
London In The Raw
Are really good. Somewhat like watching a sideshow but gripping. Basil Kirchin does the sounds on Primitive London. Lots of different situations - almost like a run through a variety of shorts from different directors. Some people have decried them on a "what was all the fuss about?" basis but I was fascinated.

The Bed Sitting Room is very watchable. A post-apocalyptic piece of surrealism - in a Monty Python / Goon Show-type vein. Scripted by Spike Milligan and features a motley crew cast - Roy Kinnear, Arthur Lowe, Marty Feldman, Dudley Moore, Peter Cook. You gotta keep moving or else you'll be turned into something inanimate...

For some strange reason, Blu-Rays of these three are three quid cheaper than the DVD version on Amazon.

Of the rest they've released, the ones that stand out most are
Peter Watkins Privilege with Paul Jones as the robotic pop star kept on the government's puppet strings.
I saw a grubby copy of Permissive a long time ago and thought it was nice and sleazy. Don't recall the soundtrack too much as I hadn't delved into acidic folk but I believe Comus are on it. That DVD has an extra film called Bread about a DIY music festival (1971). Sounds good.

Man Of Violence - directed by Pete Walker (whom I love) so should be decent.

That Kind Of Girl - have only seen clips but looks like gloriously evocative portrait of early 60s (pre-swinging) London.

Herostratus and All The Right Noises have good reps but don't know much else.
They're a real labour of love with genuinely good extras and decent essays so I'll probably pick up more of them soon.

Here We Go Round The Mulberry Bush is also supposed to get a release on this label.
In short, recommended!

[ginghamkitchen]

Primitive London
London In The Raw
Are really good. Somewhat like watching a sideshow but gripping. Basil Kirchin does the sounds on Primitive London. Lots of different situations - almost like a run through a variety of shorts from different directors. Some people have decried them on a "what was all the fuss about?" basis but I was fascinated.

The Bed Sitting Room is very watchable. A post-apocalyptic piece of surrealism - in a Monty Python / Goon Show-type vein. Scripted by Spike Milligan and features a motley crew cast - Roy Kinnear, Arthur Lowe, Marty Feldman, Dudley Moore, Peter Cook. You gotta keep moving or else you'll be turned into something inanimate...

For some strange reason, Blu-Rays of these three are three quid cheaper than the DVD version on Amazon.

Of the rest they've released, the ones that stand out most are
Peter Watkins Privilege with Paul Jones as the robotic pop star kept on the government's puppet strings.
I saw a grubby copy of Permissive a long time ago and thought it was nice and sleazy. Don't recall the soundtrack too much as I hadn't delved into acidic folk but I believe Comus are on it. That DVD has an extra film called Bread about a DIY music festival (1971). Sounds good.

Man Of Violence - directed by Pete Walker (whom I love) so should be decent.

That Kind Of Girl - have only seen clips but looks like gloriously evocative portrait of early 60s (pre-swinging) London.

Herostratus and All The Right Noises have good reps but don't know much else.
They're a real labour of love with genuinely good extras and decent essays so I'll probably pick up more of them soon.

Here We Go Round The Mulberry Bush is also supposed to get a release on this label.
In short, recommended!

Spot on. 'Man Of Violence' looks very cool, and I can thoroughly recommend the two documentaries, esp. 'Primitive London'.

I believe they're doing 'Deep End' as well, which will be brilliant.

They should be more affordable - they'd shift loads.

[Viva Chiba]

All of em were only £12 in Fopp - reckon I may well give Herostratus a go first . . .

[peter sundae]

Went to the Tate modern and on the walk back popped into the BFI up the road. They have a little shop at the back of the complex with all the titles mentioned for sale.

Picked up for the sampler DVD Wayne refers to 'Kim Newman's Guide To The Flipside' first, before I start splashing the clash (£13 something a pop)on the films, seeing as I've not heard of most of them. Nothing really jumped out as a 'must see' but the guide is interesting. It's worth picking up the sampler anyhow as it features three shorts on it, all the trailers and short descriptions of each film in the series.

[son of stan]

I thought "Permissive" was dismal tripe, to be honest....

"Man of Violence" is tripe too, but of the enjoyable sort. That's also got an incomprehensible 60s thriller "The Big Switch" on it. One film or the other has scene with Timebox playing in a club.

"Primitive London" / "London in the Raw" are great. The latter also has "Chelsea Bridge Boys" - amusing 1965 documentary about a gang of greasers.

[Mumbles]

I believe they're doing 'Deep End' as well, which will be brilliant.

You know, there was a time when the BBC used to show films like this

[eric-adams]

i wish they would do the ghost storys for christmas, a box set with documentarys and bonus stuff would be well recieved in my house.

[wayne]

i wish they would do the ghost storys for christmas, a box set with documentarys and bonus stuff would be well recieved in my house.

Quite a few are out on BFI dvds as individual titles, eg: The Signalman, but, yes, a proper box-set with extras would be marvellous (and a lot cheaper, I suspect).

The 'marmite' comment on 'Bed Sitting Room' just reflects the fact that I have been known to enthuse at people about films like this, only for them to come round a few weeks later asking me personally for the hour and a bit of their lives back...

[MPFlapp]

The 'marmite' comment on 'Bed Sitting Room' just reflects the fact that I have been known to enthuse at people about films like this, only for them to come round a few weeks later asking me personally for the hour and a bit of their lives back...

- Up the Marmite hours I say..!

[alanmck]

Up the Marmite hours

i watched that once.

not pleasant.

and not at all what my dear old gran thought it was when she rented it.

[nlgbbbblth]

I have been known to enthuse at people about films like this, only for them to come round a few weeks later asking me personally for the hour and a bit of their lives back...

:d

Ted Post's The Baby

[nlgbbbblth]

I believe they're doing 'Deep End' as well, which will be brilliant.

They should be more affordable - they'd shift loads.

I find that "niche" stuff like this is always priced highly - or higher than the usual run-of-the-mill stuff. Remember when Artificial Eye VHS tapes were £25 + ?

got a copy of Deep End in a trade recently, would be grateful for a proper release. I think it was on TCM last month. Dors + Asher = oooooh eeerrr.

[Filthy Rich]

"Herostratus sounds right up my avenue - stylish biting period media satire."

Yeah, I reckon you'll dig that Damon, it really is a beautifully shot film and the plot is interesting too. You get decent extras as well.
Herostratus was apparently a bloke in ancient Greece who burned down a temple and when he was asked why he did it he replied that it was purely so that his name would become famous. As a punishment it was decreed that no historians should record his name and thus his little wheeze would fail - however at least one guy did record his name and he thus became the original famous for being famous guy and the precursor of reality show contestants.

[Viva Chiba]

Hmm .. . don't suppose you might have a copy of this in your possession, Mr Rich?

[Filthy Rich]

"Hmm .. . don't suppose you might have a copy of this in your possession, Mr Rich?"

A moody one - could send you if you like.

[Payback3000]

I have ordered the sampler with the Doc on. The releases themselves are just over £10 on Amazon at the moment.

[Viva Chiba]

Moody as in iffy?

[Filthy Rich]

"Moody as in iffy?"

I mean my friend sent me a copy that he'd made. Seems a bit naughty now that the thing is actually legally available but happy to send it to you.

[Viva Chiba]

Wot's the quality of the copy like? Could be a goer - sure I can provide you with something fittingly obscure in return

[Filthy Rich]

Good as far as I remember. pm me your address (again) and I'll send it over in the next few days.

[Viva Chiba]

Done !

[eagerbeaver]

I've seen Bedsitting Room and other than the visuals I thought it was a stinker. Great film to look at (top marks to the visual designers) but it's Spike Milligan at his most feeble IMO (and I have quite a lot of time for some of his prolific output). ISTR the movie itself only got made because the studio had committed themselves to making a film in England and some other project got canned, so budget became available. When BSR finally came out, the studio buried it and it's acquired some sort of reputation, perhaps more thru being obscure than being much cop.

Here We Go Round The Mulberry Bush (mentioned above) used to be on late-nite TV quite often: it's yer average Swinging London boy-chasing-dolly-birds flick. Spencer Davis Group (the later version) supplied the theme tune. OK but not essential.

just my $0.02 of course

[son of stan]

A couple of new releases...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SmbVQnukgJU

Who knew that Alan Bradley off "Corrie" had worked with Kinski?

And this, which I've wanted to see for ages:

http://filmstore.bfi.org.uk/acatalog/info_16407.html

Off into town in a bit, am going to try to pick these up.

[J.R]

Woo hoo to the Party's Over.

60s Olly reed is ace.

Check out The Damned too. Not Flipside but prime early Reed and one of Hammer Studios finest moments.