Carry On......

[Guest RushNY]

Hey guys,i've realized that this place has a pretty eclectic sorta person so i wondered if i was the only fan of the "Carry On" movies around here.

They are a series 21 i think of low budget British comedy movies made from the late 50's to the late 70's they spoofed different settings,Doctors,Nurses,Teachers,and different genres of movies they had mostly the same cast and were very successful in their day.

The style was very English "saucy"comedy quite rude for the era lots of clothes falling off and double entendres.

 

About 10 years ago i bought my first movie in a 2nd hand video store Carry on Cleo a send up of the Liz Taylor epic which i was thought was great and have managed to get the other movies together-they are pretty easy to get hold of.Wondered if any one else had sen them or was a fan.

[Guest Musclebearshare]

With that face, how could Grenville have been other than nuttso? :-)

 

You're right, she's great, but I have to say for me Alistair Sim in his dual role as the St. Trinian's headmistress and her neer-do-well brother really stole the movie. He's one of my favorite actors - he will always be the ultimate Ebeneezer Scrooge, no matter how many times they remake "A Christmas Carol."

 

Michael

[Guest Thunderbuns]

>Hey guys,i've realized that this place has a pretty eclectic

>sorta person so i wondered if i was the only fan of the

>"Carry On" movies around here.

 

I have seen them but to my way of thinking, their humour is very dated. What was funny 30/40 years ago, just doesn't do it for me.

 

But on the same theme - I find all the John Cleese, FAULTY TOWERS, TV episodes to be hilarious. There were only 13 episodes made, which I find astounding as it seems like there were dozens!

 

Thunderbuns

[Guest Musclebearshare]

Wow, talk about a blast from the past. I haven't seen nor given a second thought to the "Carry On..." movies for about 20 years. I don't remember how many I saw, but I remember enjoying them (well, as a teenager!) I do remember Kenneth Williams, though, who was in a bunch of them I believe, as a very talented and funny comedian - I'd like to seem some again if only for him. I'm afraid Thunderbuns is probably right - I bet they'd seem dated now, but I'll see if the local video store has any for rent.

 

I'm more a fan of the Ealing comedies like "The Man in the White Suit," "The Ladykillers," and "Kind Hearts and Coronets." Also, the English girls-are-hell (I identified!) slapstick "St. Trinian's" series of films. And anything Monty Python, including a lot of work various members did after they split, like "Faulty Towers," perhaps the most consistently hilarious TV show ever.

[Guest RushNY]

I was beginning to think i was in a minority of 1 ,of course they are dated but then all you have to do is switch on Nick at Nite or TV Land and you get dated US comedies.

 

Fawlty Towers i agree seems to have been on continual rerun for ever its amazing they made just 13 shows ,mind you it took John Cleese and Connie Booth 3 months to write each episode-no wonder they divorced ! between seasons 1 and 2.

 

MBS-I agree on Kenneth Williams he was "Mr Carry On" to me,a strange man in his personal life,he was gay and took his own life in 1988 if you manage to trackdown his diaries read them they are FANTASTIC the writings of an obviously very intelligent man who hated what he did for a living and thought it vulgar and cheap -very bitchy and camp in real life probably would have fitted in here perfectly :+

[+ Charlie]

I loved the "Carry on..." series, but I still think the funniest film of that era--not part of the series--was "Make Mine Mink". One of the characters is a big, butch dyke who in one scene tries to dress up as a femme fatale: it was hilariously over the top for the time period.

[Guest Musclebearshare]

No Nick at Nite here; no cable. I cancelled it several months ago because I never watched it, and because I wanted to be free of AOL Time Warner. Land of No TV. :-)

 

Many years ago (probably the last time I thought of the "Carry On..." movies), I happened to catch part of a one-man show he did called something like "An Evening with Kenneth Williams." It appeared to be perhaps the filmed version of a stage show, but I'm not sure if it had been a stage show. Anyway, bitchy is right! But also very funny and chock full of good stories. I'd love to see it again, but doubt it's very easy to find. I'll get myself to the Strand and see if I can find his diaries.

 

Michael

[Bilbo]

Since you like the Carry Ons, you might want to check out the MASH series. Not the TV series, the novels. MASH in Las Vegas, Mash Goes to Paris - something like that.

 

And if you ever see a copy of National Lampoon's "Bored of the Rings" in a flea market, grab it. I don't think it ever got reprinted, so I suppose its fairly rare, but was ever so glad to refind my copy shortly after the first movie came out.

[Guest RushNY]

Michael,

Just for information if you want it

The Kenneth Williams Diaries edited by Russell Davies

published by Harper Collins UKin 1993

ISBN number 0006380905

 

If you check the used book section of http://www.amazon.com just type in Kenneth Williams Diaries there are 3 copies for sale if you cant find it in a local store,i bought my copy years ago in Boston cost me $6 what a bargain.

[Guest Thunderbuns]

>Also, the English girls-are-hell (I identified!)

>slapstick "St. Trinian's" series of films.

 

I agree - The Belles of St. Trinians is one of the funniest slapstick movies I've ever seen. Joyce Grenville was a true national treasure.

 

I had a friend in London (recently deceased) who lived across the street from her in Chelsea. He didn't know her as a friend but as a neighbor. He claimed she was just as nuttso in person as on screen.

 

Thunderbuns