What is remarkable about this film is the way in which the characters appear exactly how they were imagined when listening to the original episode's on John Peel's radio show. The casting of Trevor Howard (who IS Sir Henry) was inspired genius, although I suspect Stanshall had him in mind from the moment he wrote the very first lines. It is certainly a very English film, with all kinds of references that very few Americans could possibly understand, although even many of its younger English viewers will probably struggle with the understanding of some of the cultural references, which will be helped by at least a passing acquaintance with some of the post-war comics such as Lion, Eagle and Hotspur, etc.
One viewer criticised the occasional use of words like jungle bunnies and sambo, but context is everything and you would have to be making a determined effort to be offended by them in some very funny scenes.
The film is a rival to Withnail and I for its number of quotable lines: "Bring me Calvin's horse radish, with vicious mustards to pierce the tongue like Cardigan's Lancers" "Do you know what a palmist once said to me?" She said "Will you let go" "If I had all the money I'd spent on drink, I'd spend it on drink"
Personally I didn't have a problem with the sound, in fact most of the actors speak with far greater clarity than in many more modern films. Only Old Scrotum (the wrinkled retainer) might cause a few occasional problems. As for the plot - it seems blindingly obvious to anyone who has ever watched any film written by N.F. Simpson or one featuring The Goons - or is under the influence of hallucinogenics.
The film obviously ran into trouble with its budget, although I doubt if Hollywood millions would have improved it in any way. In fact they would almost certainly have ruined it. It was actually shot in colour, but after begging and stealing any film stock they could get hold of it was impossible to match it together at the editing stage. The rather clever solution was to convert it all to sepia (disappointingly, the DVD is in black and white) which some believe adds a lot to its character. In the scene of The Blazing, the extras are supplemented by staff members of the film's backers, Charisma Records, who were press-ganged to make up the numbers. I was amused by the way the DVD is advertised as being in colour, purely on the grounds of having red lettering in the titles.
Eventually this film will be recognised both as the masterpiece that it truly is, and is a fine tribute to both Vivian Stanshall and Trevor Howard, playing his character to perfection in what must surely be one of the finest roles of his career.
One viewer criticised the occasional use of words like jungle bunnies and sambo, but context is everything and you would have to be making a determined effort to be offended by them in some very funny scenes.
The film is a rival to Withnail and I for its number of quotable lines: "Bring me Calvin's horse radish, with vicious mustards to pierce the tongue like Cardigan's Lancers" "Do you know what a palmist once said to me?" She said "Will you let go" "If I had all the money I'd spent on drink, I'd spend it on drink"
Personally I didn't have a problem with the sound, in fact most of the actors speak with far greater clarity than in many more modern films. Only Old Scrotum (the wrinkled retainer) might cause a few occasional problems. As for the plot - it seems blindingly obvious to anyone who has ever watched any film written by N.F. Simpson or one featuring The Goons - or is under the influence of hallucinogenics.
The film obviously ran into trouble with its budget, although I doubt if Hollywood millions would have improved it in any way. In fact they would almost certainly have ruined it. It was actually shot in colour, but after begging and stealing any film stock they could get hold of it was impossible to match it together at the editing stage. The rather clever solution was to convert it all to sepia (disappointingly, the DVD is in black and white) which some believe adds a lot to its character. In the scene of The Blazing, the extras are supplemented by staff members of the film's backers, Charisma Records, who were press-ganged to make up the numbers. I was amused by the way the DVD is advertised as being in colour, purely on the grounds of having red lettering in the titles.
Eventually this film will be recognised both as the masterpiece that it truly is, and is a fine tribute to both Vivian Stanshall and Trevor Howard, playing his character to perfection in what must surely be one of the finest roles of his career.