It's not exactly Visconti. But, hey! it just has something about it. Oliver Tobias is great in it, fascinating glimpses of Tramp in 1978, plus Top of the Pops disco troupe, Legs & Co. doing their thing, nice location shots of London and Berkshire- and a pretty respectable cast.
I've never seen the film although I was a big Oliver Tobias fan - I met him three times and still have the ribbon he wore in his hair from Pirates of Penzance in London (Drury Lane, I think).
Yes. Sort of. But thinking about it very, very British. I'm not sure how well it would have translated for an American audience? Saucy innuendo, a touch of nod-nod and a wink-wink, seaside pier, 'Confessions of a Window Cleaner' meets the very British, Old Etonian class stuff. Plus a dash of Studio 54 disco, which is very NYC. They're dancing to 'Native New Yorker' in London- in Jermyn Street. During the late 70s, the energy was with NYC. Andy Warhol, Debbie Harry, Studio 54 etc, etc.
I recall British films of the era and genre as offering a more generally accepted level of racy titillation, allowing the broader audience “a bit of fun” in an understandable language (no subtitles or bad dubbing). Also, the British class system was clearer and more long term than the American one in which it was all about the money while in Britain there were titles and lands (even if mortgaged to the hilt or even sold off) to stiffen the divides. Limited release in selected markets would have been the plan I would think.
I don’t think it’s just British but of a certain London/ Southern genre. Totally incomprehensible to most but to be gawped at as how some aspired to live. Didn’t we laugh big time at / with it at the time? Fairly sure I sneered lol. Hmm
And the class stuff too… Yep, it’s all very Jackie Collins bonkbuster, a manual for teenage girls on the Jetset- which, of course, is deeply amusing- but it’s still there.
Funny! Can't help but wonder if this period piece has really aged as well as Joan Collins!
It's not exactly Visconti. But, hey! it just has something about it. Oliver Tobias is great in it, fascinating glimpses of Tramp in 1978, plus Top of the Pops disco troupe, Legs & Co. doing their thing, nice location shots of London and Berkshire- and a pretty respectable cast.
I've never seen the film although I was a big Oliver Tobias fan - I met him three times and still have the ribbon he wore in his hair from Pirates of Penzance in London (Drury Lane, I think).
Your purple prose all but melted my platform shoes!
Ah, I see why I missed this, I was in Africa that year so missed it if it managed to get to the States, but it was practically a genre wasn’t it.
Yes. Sort of. But thinking about it very, very British. I'm not sure how well it would have translated for an American audience? Saucy innuendo, a touch of nod-nod and a wink-wink, seaside pier, 'Confessions of a Window Cleaner' meets the very British, Old Etonian class stuff. Plus a dash of Studio 54 disco, which is very NYC. They're dancing to 'Native New Yorker' in London- in Jermyn Street. During the late 70s, the energy was with NYC. Andy Warhol, Debbie Harry, Studio 54 etc, etc.
I recall British films of the era and genre as offering a more generally accepted level of racy titillation, allowing the broader audience “a bit of fun” in an understandable language (no subtitles or bad dubbing). Also, the British class system was clearer and more long term than the American one in which it was all about the money while in Britain there were titles and lands (even if mortgaged to the hilt or even sold off) to stiffen the divides. Limited release in selected markets would have been the plan I would think.
I don’t think it’s just British but of a certain London/ Southern genre. Totally incomprehensible to most but to be gawped at as how some aspired to live. Didn’t we laugh big time at / with it at the time? Fairly sure I sneered lol. Hmm
And the class stuff too… Yep, it’s all very Jackie Collins bonkbuster, a manual for teenage girls on the Jetset- which, of course, is deeply amusing- but it’s still there.
But I’m talking about the saucy, seaside pier, a nod and a wink stuff! That’s very British!
Indeed
Great write up. I don’t think I’ve watched it since I wasn’t old enough to 😂
I do enjoy a bit of a kitsch fest. May well indulge myself soon.