The British Sitcom Spinoff Film

The British Sitcom Spinoff Film
Author: Stephen Glynn
Publisher: Springer Nature
Total Pages: 273
Release: 2023-12-07
Genre: Performing Arts
ISBN: 3031412222

This book constitutes the first full volume dedicated to an academic analysis of theatrically-released spinoff films derived from British radio and television sitcoms. Regularly maligned as the nadir of British film production and marginalised as a last resort for the financially-bereft industry during the 1970s, this study demonstrates that the sitcom spinoff film has instead been a persistent and important presence in British cinema from the 1940s to the present day, and includes (occasional) works with distinct artistic merit. Alongside an investigation of the economic imperative underpinning these productions, i.e. the exploitation of proven product with a ready-made audience, it is argued that, with a longevity stretching from Arthur Askey and his wartime Band Waggon (1940) to the crew of Kurupt FM and their recent People Just Do Nothing: Big in Japan (2021), the British sitcom spinoff can be interpreted as following a full generic ‘life cycle’. Starting with the ‘formative’ stage where works from Hi Gang! (1941) to I Only Arsked! (1958) establish the genre’s characteristics, the spinoff genre moves to its ‘classic’ stage where, secure for form and content, it enjoys considerable popular success with films like Till Death Us Do Part (1969), On the Buses (1971), The Likely Lads (1976) and Rising Damp (1980); the genre’s revival since the late-1990s reveals a more ‘parodic’ final stage, with films like The League of Gentlemen’s Apocalypse (2005) adopting a consciously self-reflective mode. It is also posited that the sitcom spinoff film is a viable source for social history, with the often-stereotypical re-presentations of characters and events an (often blatant) ideological metonym for the concerns of wider British society, notably in issues of class, race, gender and sexuality.

British Trash Cinema

British Trash Cinema
Author: Ian Hunter
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
Total Pages: 232
Release: 2017-11-07
Genre: Performing Arts
ISBN: 1349926108

BRITISH TRASH CINEMA is the first overview of the wilder shores of British exploitation and cult paracinema from the 1950s onwards. From obscure horror, science fiction and sexploitation, to art-house camp, Hammer's prehistoric fantasies and the worst British films ever made, author I.Q. Hunter draws on rare archival material and new primary research to take us through the weird and wonderful world of British trash cinema. Beginning by outlining the definitions of trash films and their place in British film history, Hunter explores topics including: Hammer's overlooked fantasy films, the emergence of the sexploitation film in the 1950s and 60s, the sex industry in the 1970s, Ken Russell's high camp Gothic and erotic adaptations since the 1980s, gross-out comedies, revenge films, and contemporary straight-to-DVD horror and erotica.

Film Studies For Dummies

Film Studies For Dummies
Author: James Cateridge
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
Total Pages: 422
Release: 2015-04-20
Genre: Performing Arts
ISBN: 1118886593

Film Studies From Hollywood to Bollywood, explore the fantastic world of film Whether you’re preparing to study film at university or you simply have a passion for cinema, you’re bound to enjoy this book. Here’s where you’ll learn how people communicate ideas in films, how the industry works and who’s on the team, the impact of film on popular culture, the different genres and styles, film theory, the joys of animation and so much more. Explore far-reaching effects – examine the narrative, artistic, cultural, economic and political implications of cinema Compare and contrast film and reality – explore conceptual frameworks for a film’s relationship to reality Find out just how they do it – discover how stories are developed in movies and how a storyline is related to broader issues in society Work out what it’s all about – get to grips with avant-garde cinema and find out what such films really offer Take the incredible world tour – sample the unique styles of cinema in Europe, Japan, India and other countries Go larger than life – learn about greats in the industry, venture into film analysis and look at the transitions into 21st century cinema Open the book and find: How people tell stories in film Ways film is used to explore current issues and attitudes Responsibilities of cinema tographers and producers The mysteries of mise-en-scene All about digital-age animation Auteurs from the 1930s to today What poststructuralism and postmodernism really mean Ten must-watch movies

British Comedy Cinema

British Comedy Cinema
Author: I.Q. Hunter
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 242
Release: 2012-05-04
Genre: Performing Arts
ISBN: 1136508376

British comedy cinema has been a mainstay of domestic production since the beginning of the last Century and arguably the most popular and important genre in British film history. This edited volume will offer the first comprehensive account of the rich and popular history of British comedy cinema from silent slapstick and satire to contemporary romantic comedy. Using a loosely chronological approach, essays cover successive decades of the 20th and 21st Century with a combination of case studies on key personalities, production cycles and studio output along with fresh approaches to issues of class and gender representation. It will present new research on familiar comedy cycles such as the Ealing Comedies and Carry On films as well as the largely undocumented silent period along with the rise of television spin offs from the 1970s and the development of animated comedy from 1915 to the present. Films covered include: St Trinians, A Fish Called Wanda, Brassed Off, Local Hero, The Full Monty, Four Lions and In the Loop. Contributors: Melanie Bell, Alan Burton, James Chapman, Richard Dacre, Ian Hunter, James Leggott, Sharon Lockyer, Andy Medhurst, Lawrence Napper, Tim O’Sullivan, Laraine Porter, Justin Smith, Sarah Street, Peter Waymark, Paul Wells

Seventies British Cinema

Seventies British Cinema
Author: Robert Shail
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
Total Pages: 401
Release: 2019-07-25
Genre: Performing Arts
ISBN: 1838718052

Seventies British Cinema provides a comprehensive re-evaluation of British film in the 1970s. The decade has long been written off in critical discussions as a 'doldrums' period in British cinema, perhaps because the industry, facing near economic collapse, turned to 'unacceptable' low culture genres such as sexploitation comedies or extreme horror. The contributors to this new collection argue that 1970s cinema is ripe for reappraisal: giving serious critical attention to populist genre films, they also consider the development of a British art cinema in the work of Derek Jarman and Peter Greenaway, and the beginnings of an independent sector fostered by the BFI Production Board and producers like Don Boyd. A host of highly individual directors managed to produce interesting and cinematically innovative work against the odds, from Nicolas Roeg to Ken Russell to Mike Hodges. As well as providing a historical and cinematic context for understanding Seventies cinema, the volume also features chapters addressing Hammer horror, the Carry On films, Bond films of the Roger Moore period, Jubilee and other films that responded to Punk rock; heritage cinema and case studies of key seventies films such as The Wicker Man and Straw Dogs. In all, the book provides the final missing piece in the rediscovery of British cinema's complex and protean history. Contributors: Ruth Barton, James Chapman, Ian Conrich, Wheeler Winston Dixon, Christophe Dupin, Steve Gerrard, Sheldon Hall I. Q. Hunter, James Leggott, Claire Monk, Paul Newland, Dan North, Robert Shail, Justin Smith and Sarah Street.

The Double Act

The Double Act
Author: Andrew Roberts
Publisher: The History Press
Total Pages: 317
Release: 2018-11-26
Genre: Performing Arts
ISBN: 0750990295

The double act has been at the heart of the British entertainment scene for over 150 years: from its start in the music halls, through radio shows such as Hancock's Half Hour playing in virtually every household and on cinema and television, from Carry On films to Withnail and I. Explore the influence of comedy duos on their audience and how their performances evolved over time, the importance of the subtle art of the straight man next to the comic and discover some acts who might have passed you by. This book is a tribute to the comedians who have entertained the public for so long, dedicating their lives to adding a bit of laughter to the mundane everyday. The Double Act will appeal to all lovers of British comedy as it takes them through the golden moments of its history.

Transformation and Tradition in 1960s British Cinema

Transformation and Tradition in 1960s British Cinema
Author: Richard Farmer
Publisher: Edinburgh University Press
Total Pages: 416
Release: 2019-05-03
Genre: Electronic books
ISBN: 1474423132

Making substantial use of new and underexplored archive resources that provide a wealth of information and insight on the period in question, this book offers a fresh perspective on the major resurgence of creativity and international appeal experienced by British cinema in the 1960s

Beyond a Joke

Beyond a Joke
Author: Neil Archer
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
Total Pages: 256
Release: 2016-10-27
Genre: Performing Arts
ISBN: 1786730901

At the opening ceremony for the London 2012 Olympics, a global audience of nearly one billion viewers were treated to the unprecedented sight of James Bond meeting Queen Elizabeth II. Shortly after, the 'Queen' hurled herself out of a helicopter, her Union Jack parachute guiding her down to the Olympic Stadium. What it is about moments such as these that define both a particular idea of Britishness and a particular type of British film comedy? How has British cinema exploited parody as a means of negotiating its sense of identity? How does this function within a globalized marketplace and in the face of dominant Hollywood cinema? Beyond a Joke explores the myriad ways British film culture has used forms of parody, from the 1960s to the present day. It provides a contextual and textual analysis of a range of works that, while popular, have only rarely been the subject of serious academic attention – from Morecambe and Wise to Shaun of the Dead to the London 2012 Olympics' opening ceremony. Combining the methodologies both of film history and film theory, Beyond a Joke locates parody within specific industrial and cultural moments, while also looking in detail at the aesthetics of parody as a mode. Ultimately, such works are shown to be a form of culturally specific film or televisual product for exporting to the global market, in which 'Britishness', shaped in self-mocking and ironic terms, becomes the selling point. Written in an accessible style and illustrated throughout with a diverse range of examples, Beyond a Joke is the first book to explore parody within a specifically British context and makes an invaluable contribution to the scholarship on both British and global film culture.

The Real Diana Dors

The Real Diana Dors
Author: Anna Cale
Publisher: White Owl
Total Pages: 260
Release: 2021-08-04
Genre: Biography & Autobiography
ISBN: 1526782162

The true story of the tumultuous and too-short life of the film star known as “the English Marilyn Monroe.” The story of Diana Dors is one of fame, glamour, and intrigue. From the moment she came into the world, her life was full of drama. She began her acting career in the shadow of the Second World War, entering the film world as a vulnerable young teenager and negotiating the difficult British studio system of the 1940s and ’50s. Yet she battled against the odds to become one of the most iconic British actors of the twentieth century. This book follows her remarkable story, from childhood in suburban Swindon to acting success as a teenager and finding fame as the “the English Marilyn Monroe.” Many remember her as an outspoken and sometimes controversial figure, grabbing headlines for her personal life as often as for her film roles. For Diana, image seemed to be everything, but there was more to her than the blonde-bombshell reputation suggested. A talented actor, she worked on numerous film and television projects, building a career that spanned decades. Set against the backdrop of the changing social landscape of twentieth century Britain, this book charts the ups and downs of her professional adventures and her tumultuous private life, to build a fascinating picture of a unique screen icon.

Please Sir! The Official History

Please Sir! The Official History
Author: David Barry
Publisher: Andrews UK Limited
Total Pages: 217
Release: 2020-11-24
Genre: Biography & Autobiography
ISBN: 1789824737

First broadcast in 1968, Please Sir! is generally considered to hold a firm place in the distinguished ranks of the greatest British sitcoms. David Barry - known to millions as mummy's boy Frankie Abbott - was a fan favourite, appearing in all three series as well as both the 1971 feature film and spin-off TV show The Fenn Street Gang. In this entertaining and expertly-written memoir, David tells the whole story, from his own audition all the way through to what the gang are doing today. Along the way he shares hilarious anecdotes and fond memories that for the first time give a behind-the-scenes look at what it was like to film the much-loved show that has remained a smash hit for more than fifty years. This journey through the golden age of British sitcom and beyond will bring back all kinds of memories for those lucky enough to have seen Please Sir! first-time around... and is an enjoyable waltz through TV history for those that didn't. If you've ever wondered what it was like to play a key part in one of the best-loved British sitcoms of all time, this is the perfect book for you!