Carry On Fortean

Screaming. Always Screaming. Although Khyber is pretty damn funny too.

As an aside, I was in the lab yesterday morning when I heard one of the academics swearing and huffing as he tried to get folded autoclave bags out of a drawer. I went round and asked if he was okay, to which his reply was that the bags had it in for him, and OF COURSE I made the standard response of "Infamy! Infamy! They've all got it infamy." At which he laughed and said he didn't know whether it was politically correct to quote Carry On these days, so I said that I wouldn't tell if he didn't...
 
Cochise said:
Even within a 'time' i don't think the sense of humour is a constant. Back in the 70's some people liked slapstick, some thought it puerile. some people liked farces, some couldn't see the point.

I agree there is no point in reviving the Carry On franchise, but that's largely because the gap is too long - it would be like trying to make a new Marx Brothers movie. And there is nothing naughty about sex any more. (And not much fun or mystique about sex, either - seems to me it's become more like going to the gym).
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The gap was too long when Columbus came out and that was almost 30 years ago. Those films were a source of laughing "at" not "with" to me as a teen in the 90s and that is without "moral judgement", just taste.

Making a new Marx Brothers film would have been out of date long before Carry Ons ended and possibly before they had even began.

As I said, there's nothing wrong with something being from a particular time and there's nothing wring with leaving it there either. It doesn't mean you can't enjoy it now.
 
Ogdred Weary said:
The gap was too long when Columbus came out and that was almost 30 years ago. Those films were a source of laughing "at" not "with" to me as a teen in the 90s and that is without "moral judgement", just taste.

Making a new Marx Brothers film would have been out of date long before Carry Ons ended and possibly before they had even began.

As I said, there's nothing wrong with something being from a particular time and there's nothing wring with leaving it there either. It doesn't mean you can't enjoy it now.
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They did make a "new" Marx Brothers film in the 1990s, it was called Brain Donors and flopped harder than CO Columbus.

However, The Three Stooges remake the Farrellys made in the 2010s was surprisingly, absolutely hilarious, and recommended. It too was a complete flop.
 
GNC said:
They did make a "new" Marx Brothers film in the 1990s, it was called Brain Donors and flopped harder than CO Columbus.

However, The Three Stooges remake the Farrellys made in the 2010s was surprisingly, absolutely hilarious, and recommended. It too was a complete flop.
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I don't think I knew of Brain Donors but the point about it being out of date still stands, perhaps it is even reinforced.

I'm aware of the Farelly's remake, it did seem to be quite close to the original and also looked dreadful to me, just like the original. Fair play on them for doing something they loved but, whatever, it's another object lesson in not bringing these things back.
 
Okarin said:
Ah who doesn't love a good carry on? (not counting Columbus of course!) my favourite moment comes from Don't lose your head. Hawtrey asks Williams if he is the man looking for the black finger nail to which Williams replies yes and Hawtrey bashes him on the finger with a small hammer.... silly yes but always gets me!
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Fakir off!
 
Bigphoot2 said:
Starting on Christmas Day, ITV3 will be showing a collection of Carry On movies in the late afternoon and early evenings, including Camping, Up the Jungle, Matron, Again Doctor, Up the Khyber.
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They usually do.
 
Ogdred Weary said:
I don't think I knew of Brain Donors but the point about it being out of date still stands, perhaps it is even reinforced.

I'm aware of the Farelly's remake, it did seem to be quite close to the original and also looked dreadful to me, just like the original. Fair play on them for doing something they loved but, whatever, it's another object lesson in not bringing these things back.
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I won't mention the Laurel & Hardy remake, then.
 
Quite pleased to see Khyber appearing on ITV3. It isn't usually shown on that channel and it's by far and away my favourite.
 
Beresford said:
Quite pleased to see Khyber appearing on ITV3. It isn't usually shown on that channel and it's by far and away my favourite.
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I particularly like the elaborate joke with the Sid James punchline, "And up yours!" Very well used in clip form by Adam Curtis in his second to most recent documentary when detailing the issues the British colonies had with being colonial!
 
Floyd1 said:
I'm pretty certain that Itv3 have held marathon Carry-ons for the last few Christmas's now, and possibly at Easter as well.
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They have, but Khyber doesn't usually feature. There may be others on which aren't usually on ITV3, I haven't looked at the full list.
 
Beresford said:
They have, but Khyber doesn't usually feature. There may be others on which aren't usually on ITV3, I haven't looked at the full list.
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Really? That's odd. Anyway 'Khyber' would be my favourite I would say, followed by Cleo. I don't watch them anymore though, as I've seen them too many times now!
 
I, er, i have bought a box set of all 30 of the originals on DVD for some silly price to keep me going over Christmas. Since I already have a complete Laurel and Hardy box set and most of the Marx Brothers movies also on DVD I should be able to survive the utter banality of most television. .
 
I'm weird I love the really early black and white Carry Ons - Sergeant (with a young Compo of of Summer Wine), Spying and Teacher especially. I also love the original St Trinians series, and Margeret Rutherfords Marples. Just reminds me of spending Saturday afternoon at nans watching telly, avoiding Grandstand and World Of Sport.
 
TangletwigsDeux said:
I'm weird I love the really early black and white Carry Ons - Sergeant (with a young Compo of of Summer Wine), Spying and Teacher especially. I also love the original St Trinians series, and Margeret Rutherfords Marples. Just reminds me of spending Saturday afternoon at nans watching telly, avoiding Grandstand and World Of Sport.
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One of my favourite films is 'Blithe Spirit' with the excellent Margaret Rutherford.
 
Cochise said:
curiously the two non-Carry On's, Follow that Camel and Don't Lose Your Head, are probably the next two in line.
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According to the Wiki page Sid James was originally cast to play Sgt. Nocker, but due to his contractual commitment to ITV sitcom George and the Dragon, loads of money was thrown at Phil Silvers to step in and reprise his role as Bilko instead.
Had Sid played the role, I can imagine Carry on Follow that Camel feeling more like Khyber.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Follow_That_Camel#Dates_and_locations
 
TangletwigsDeux said:
I'm weird I love the really early black and white Carry Ons - Sergeant (with a young Compo of of Summer Wine), Spying and Teacher especially. I also love the original St Trinians series, and Margeret Rutherfords Marples. Just reminds me of spending Saturday afternoon at nans watching telly, avoiding Grandstand and World Of Sport.
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Carry On Cabby is my favourite of the black and white ones, sisters doing it for themselves and kicking the blokes' arses. Who says Carry Ons were sexist?
 
Just cheering up a cold, gloomy Wednesday afternoon by sniggering at "Carry On Regardless" on Film4. Blimey. 1961. It's as old as me! It's got it all. Fenella Fielding tumbling out of her negligee as she seduces Kenneth Connor to make her husband jealous (it works!), Joan Sims getting very swiftly squiffy at a wine tasting and smacking a frisky Nicholas Parsons round the chops, Esma Cannon at her jittery best, Stanley Unwin protesting "I did knockers!", Sid James being described as having "a face like a relief map of the Himalayas", Kenneth Williams seemingly revelling in acting alongside a bevy of chimps (I wonder what he wrote in his diary after that day at work?). So much going on. Very episodic, but boy does it take me back! They really don't make 'em like that any more!
 
Extracts of interest from Kenneth Williams Unseen: The Private Notes, Scripts and Photographs by Wes Butters & Russel Davies:

(I can't make the formatting work properly perfectly, so you'll have to endure the ransom note appearance)

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Williams is mentioned in Miriam Margolyes' autobiography too, nothing supernatural, though, just that she liked his company and how miserable he was.
 
Yithian said:
Extracts of interest from Kenneth Williams Unseen: The Private Notes, Scripts and Photographs...
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I know (or knew - haven't seen him for many years now) the Paul Richardson mentioned in that extract. In fact, I've mentioned him previously - although not by name - on the What Exactly Did Les Dawson See Re. Sid James' Ghost? thread (at post #65).

Very entertaining chap - have on occasion had a pint or two in his company in the Shakespeare's Head and Harlequin, up by Sadler's Wells. There also used to be a great greasy spoon round the corner, where Rosebery Avenue joined St John Street (which now seems to offer gluten free dining - sheesh, you can't even nurture a heart attack in peace these days).

Haven't been around there for ages - might do a pilgrimage to my past next time I'm down.
 
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Back in the 80s the company I worked for had both the Carry on director Gerald Thomas and producer Peter Rogers as customers. I worked in Peter Rogers house a few times and he and his wife Betty (who was also a producer) were very down to earth and friendly. They had lived in a really big house called Drummers Yard near Beaconsfield which I also worked in a few times -it had a mini theatre and quite a few acres and had been owned by Dirk Bogarde in the 60s. It was a strange design, quite dark and I always found it a bit creepy. It was quite secluded and surrounded by trees so that probably didn't help!
I can still picture Mrs Rogers bringing us trays of tea and biscuits with really delicate flowery china cups.
 
Beresford said:
Quite pleased to see Khyber appearing on ITV3. It isn't usually shown on that channel and it's by far and away my favourite.
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Haven't seen that one. I watched a lot of these in the 90s when the international version of BBC sent them. Found full movie on Youtube.


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