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Post by jno on May 8, 2017 17:46:49 GMT
This week it's two pop stars who decided to make films ... but which (generally speaking) of the two, if forced at gunpoint to watch one over the other, would you rather watch a repeat of? No fence sitting unfortunately, there can be only one. Here are some reminders...  All photos courtesy of the Cornish Film Archive (CFA). |
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Post by billyfarmer on May 8, 2017 18:03:59 GMT
I have always liked Cliff Richard and Elvis Presley, but given the choice, I would rather watch a repeat of an Elvis Presley film, there are some Elvis films, which I have no wish, to ever see again (he did make some turkeys), but he did make some enjoyable films, especially some of the the early ones - Loving You, Jailhouse Rock and King Creole, some of the later films, were also enjoyable, Viva Las Vegas (co-starring Ann Margret) and Roustabout, were two favourites, I also liked Girl Happy (1965), which co-starred Shelley Fabares (one of my favourite Elvis co-stars), Elvis, made too many films, and too many Musicals, a shame he wasn't given more of a chance, to become a serious Actor, something which he was more than capable of becoming.
I haven't seen any Cliff Richard films, for a long time, I have never seen Take Me High, I do like Summer Holiday (1963), a film which featured some nice songs.
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Post by daz on May 8, 2017 19:07:58 GMT
If Cliff had popped his clogs 40 years ago we would probably look back on him a tad more favourably, but unfortunately he didn't so has become a bit of a joke figure outwith his legions of fans, but he was an influential figure in the early UK rock and roll scene, something which seems unthinkable for the chap we all take the P out of now. Other than that I have only ever seen Summer Holiday and have no wish to watch any more of his movies or that of Elvis, so I plumped for Cliff.  |
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Post by Portland Road on May 9, 2017 7:58:01 GMT
I'll go for Cliff, purely based on 'Summer Holiday'. Which was right for its time  |
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Post by ace5150 on May 9, 2017 19:52:55 GMT
Elvis made tons of stinkers, BUT Jailhouse Rock, King Creole, Kid Galahad and Viva Las Vegas STILL stand the test of time.
Cliff makes me puke. His films are pants.
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Post by chopper on May 10, 2017 9:35:03 GMT
Im not an Elvis fan,nor a fan of Cliff either - but I'd rather watch "Summer Holiday" than any other - given the choice!
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Post by Arch Stanton on May 10, 2017 12:10:14 GMT
I hate singing in films. Purposefully, I therefore avoid most musicals. I have seen Summer Holiday and I have seen Jailhouse Rock. Wasn't Jailhouse Rock remade? I think the remake was called Con Air. I have seen other Elvis movies but cannot remember individual titles. I am not sure I've seen any other Cliff Richard films. I can't believe I'm actually weighing this up before I post my opinion...  Let's face it, there's no way am I gonna vote for Sir Kitty Wig over Elvis. Not in this lifetime.. |
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Post by jno on May 10, 2017 12:20:57 GMT
I hate singing in films. Purposefully, I therefore avoid most musicals. I have seen Summer Holiday and I have seen Jailhouse Rock. Wasn't Jailhouse Rock remade? I think the remake was called Con Air. I have seen other Elvis movies but cannot remember individual titles. I am not sure I've seen any other Cliff Richard films. I can't believe I'm actually weighing this up before I post my opinion... Let's face it, there's no way am I gonna vote for Sir Kitty Wig over Elvis. Not in this lifetime..  Meanwhile a few forum reviews:
'Serious Charge' (1959) was Kitty's first appearance on (b/w) film in 1959. Anthony Quayle plays a vicar and is the star and Kitty isn't in that many scenes. He plays a "juve". That is juvenile delinquent to all you squares.  One of Kitty's juve mates falsely accuses Quayle of molesting him hence the title of the film. Of course, this plot would become back to haunt Sir Clifford many decades later.  Kitty sings a couple of songs ('Livin' Doll' is one) and is in a few scenes. Kitty as a juve is pretty woeful casting.  Even Jess Conrad makes a more convincing yob in the movie! It is dated but Quayle is superb as the wrongly accused vicar. 7/10
Two a Penny (1967)Kitty's penultimate movie was filmed during the Summer of Love and it is quite a bizarre effort. After 'Expresso Bongo', Sir Kitty had made 4 pretty similar lightweight feel good musical films with the Shadows (The Young Ones, Summer Holiday, Wonderful Life and Finders Keepers). The first two are OK but the last two are well below average. In this film financed by Billy (I have Seen the Light) Graham, Clifford plays a student/singer who gets into stealing drugs! Yes, that is true folks! Playing a drug dealer is the late Geoffrey Bayldon as a thinly disguised homosexual. There is a clue when Kitty goes around to Bayldon's character's drum at 6.00 am and he is there in his dressing gown with his young male shop assistant. Kitty's girlfriend is played by a rather porky Ann (Father Dear Father) Holloway. Kitty's Mum is portrayed by Dora Bryan and the likes of Peter Barkworth and Charles Lloyd-Pack turn up as well. Clifford is the star and to be fair he does well in what was his most challenging screen role ever. The theme song is OK and the other Kitty numbers are reasonable. It is only when he sings a pathetic cover of 'Twist and Shout' that you start wishing that the Lord would strike him down dead. You can guess the plot? Kitty gets into trouble whilst stealing the gear, his girlfriend gets free tickets to see Billy Graham at Earl's Court and Kitty goes along even though he is a non believer. But being the tough guy he is he gets in without a ticket and not paying. Not difficult to predict the ending. I fast forwarded the footage of Billy Graham giving his speech.......... I suppose as he was bankrolling this movie he wanted to get himself on screen and to convert a few non believers. There is loads of London location footage but although most of the film is in reasonable nick there are a few sequences that have must at one time to have been edited out (probably for timing reasons). They have been reinstated but clearly come from a vastly inferior source to the rest of the film. 6/10
Expresso Bongo (1959)
Kitty's second film and he has a much bigger role in this b/w musical. This film is very well made with some scenes shot on location in Soho, London. The usually fantastic Laurence Harvey is the film's star but he is out of his depth playing a hustler whose accent seems to change throughout the film. Harvey's character discovers singer Bert Rudge (Kitty) in an expresso bar. He renames him Bongo Herbert! The film tries to satirise the music industry of the 1950s and it does a pretty good job. However, the movie is totally ruined when Harvey and co-star just burst into song without any real reason.  You know the type of movie!  I thought it was going to be a film with a few Kitty/Shadows numbers chucked it but it isn't! The Clifford/Shads tracks are OK but the rest!!!! This would have got 6/10 but the woeful singing by the leads (Harvey and Syms) gets it a: 4/10 |
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Post by Arch Stanton on May 11, 2017 20:09:00 GMT
Two a Penny (1967)Kitty's penultimate movie was filmed during the Summer of Love and it is quite a bizarre effort. After 'Expresso Bongo', Sir Kitty had made 4 pretty similar lightweight feel good musical films with the Shadows (The Young Ones, Summer Holiday, Wonderful Life and Finders Keepers). The first two are OK but the last two are well below average. In this film financed by Billy (I have Seen the Light) Graham, Clifford plays a student/singer who gets into stealing drugs! Yes, that is true folks! Playing a drug dealer is the late Geoffrey Bayldon as a thinly disguised homosexual. There is a clue when Kitty goes around to Bayldon's character's drum at 6.00 am and he is there in his dressing gown with his young male shop assistant. Kitty's girlfriend is played by a rather porky Ann (Father Dear Father) Holloway. Kitty's Mum is portrayed by Dora Bryan and the likes of Peter Barkworth and Charles Lloyd-Pack turn up as well. Clifford is the star and to be fair he does well in what was his most challenging screen role ever. The theme song is OK and the other Kitty numbers are reasonable. It is only when he sings a pathetic cover of 'Twist and Shout' that you start wishing that the Lord would strike him down dead. You can guess the plot? Kitty gets into trouble whilst stealing the gear, his girlfriend gets free tickets to see Billy Graham at Earl's Court and Kitty goes along even though he is a non believer. But being the tough guy he is he gets in without a ticket and not paying. Not difficult to predict the ending. I fast forwarded the footage of Billy Graham giving his speech.......... I suppose as he was bankrolling this movie he wanted to get himself on screen and to convert a few non believers. There is loads of London location footage but although most of the film is in reasonable nick there are a few sequences that have must at one time to have been edited out (probably for timing reasons). They have been reinstated but clearly come from a vastly inferior source to the rest of the film. 6/10 No chance am I falling for that one. You love it, you slag. |
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Post by Portland Road on May 13, 2017 6:55:11 GMT
An interesting film that has passed me by |
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Post by bensonrad on Jun 7, 2017 22:27:38 GMT
Never actually seen an Elvis film, so have to go for Cliff, I remember seeing a couple of his on TV in the 80s. Summer Holiday.
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Post by fordcapri on Jun 24, 2017 13:24:57 GMT
Quality v Quantity.
Have you ever seen 'Serious Charge'? Not a Cliff film per se, but it's very good. 'The Young Ones' is good, as is 'Summer Holiday' and the rarely seen 'Finders Keepers'. He also made some highly unusual films in the 1970s such as 'Two a Penny' and 'The Case', a BBC TV film also starring Tim Brooke-Taylor.
Dear old Arfur turns up in 'Take Me High', which is another bizarre film which is almost so bad it's good. And anything with The Shadows in has got to be good.
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Post by thewoodster on Jan 24, 2018 8:16:39 GMT
Thought the early cliffs where good,serious charge&expresso bongo.
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Post by plasticpenguin on Jan 24, 2018 10:04:34 GMT
This is a toughie: Cliff or the swinging hipster? Err...erm...(extra long pause)...errrr... ummmm... neither. Both made s###e films.
Summer Holiday was okay... when it starred Rik Mayall, Ade Edmondson, Nigel Planer etc etc
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Post by fordcapri on Jan 24, 2018 13:38:44 GMT
Noticing that both Serious Charge and Jess Conrad get mentions above; these are on our favourite channel - Talking Pictures - on Sunday afternoon...
Sun 28 Jan 18 12:00 Jess Conrad Discusses Serious Charge Jess Conrad OBE reflects on his career and his audition and time on the film Serious Charge
Sun 28 Jan 18 12:10 Serious Charge 1959. Drama. A new vicar (Anthony Quayle) falls foul of frustrated Hester (Sarah Churchill) as she backs up a false claim made by Larry (Andrew Ray) against the vicar. Cliff Richard sings Living Doll.
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Let's face it, there's no way am I gonna vote for Sir Kitty Wig over Elvis. Not in this lifetime..
One of Kitty's juve mates falsely accuses Quayle of molesting him hence the title of the film. Of course, this plot would become back to haunt Sir Clifford many decades later. 
Kitty sings a couple of songs ('Livin' Doll' is one) and is in a few scenes.
Even Jess Conrad makes a more convincing yob in the movie! 
You know the type of movie! 
I thought it was going to be a film with a few Kitty/Shadows numbers chucked it but it isn't! The Clifford/Shads tracks are OK but the rest!!!!
