The Bodies Beneath (Strange Attractor Press)

It's often said that the best criticism leads you to seek out something you wouldn't have bothered with otherwise. I loved "The Bodies Beneath" so, when I saw that the Freddie and the Dreamers vehicle "The Cuckoo Patrol", mentioned in passing in the book, was showing on Talking Pictures TV, I had to investigate."The Cuckoo Patrol" is terrible. No, actually, let me rephrase that. "The Cuckoo Patrol" is TERRIBLE. It may be the worst film I've ever tried to watch (albeit less boring than "Out of Africa"), though I had to give up, tired and hurt, after about twenty minutes. But I'm glad I investigated, because it made me wonder why what seems to be a film version of a kids' comic from the 1930s somehow got made and released as a popsploitation movie in the mid-sixties (though the mid-sixties on show here are very far indeed from swinging, much as the mid-sixties were for about 99% of the population). What on earth were they thinking? And what does that say about us as a culture?And that's the joy of "The Bodies Beneath". It uses the forgotten and neglected corners of British film and TV - the cinematic equivalent of finding a sticky old thrupenny bit down the back of an ancient sofa - to raise big and interesting questions about our society. But it wears its considerable learning very lightly, so when you put the book down you realise you've learned an awful lot, and the grey matter has been given quite a workout, without you really noticing because you've been so engaged and entertained by the writing. Pratt and Fowler are doggedly non-academic in their approach and terminology, but they know their stuff, as demonstrated in a spread of chapters on films and TV shows ranging from the 1890s to the late 1980s.The authors founded the Flip Side as a series of NFT events in 2006, showing these forgotten gems (or "gems", according to the cut of your cloth) with contributions from guest speakers associated with the films (I attended one devoted to Joe Meek, with Clem Cattini as a guest, and it was a brilliantly diverting evening). This expanded into a BFI-released series of DVDs and the musings raised by all this activity now form the basis of this engaging, entertaining and informative book."Eclectic" isn't the word. I can't think of another film book which deals with both "The War Game" (probably the most famous item covered here) and "Old Mother Riley Meets The Vampire", which gives equal weight to, one hand, an obscure underground art movie featuring Cosey Fanny Tutti and, on the other, Sooty and Sweep. I'm willing to bet you've never before read a comparison of the sexual personae of George Formby and Patrick MacGoohan's "Danger Man". The book is organised by genres and themes, and everything from the loftiest work of avant-garde art to the most execrable bit of pop culture ephemera is treated with respect and erudition. Remarkable insights occur with great regularity.Broadly speaking, Fowler handles the more "serious" items and Pratt the less respectable stuff. Consequently, and presumably because I'm desperately shallow, I found Pratt's contributions funnier and more entertaining, but both are elegant and readily accessible writers and the differences between the two are marginal.Books about the forgotten and/or disreputable areas of Britfilm have become something of a cottage industry since David McGillivray's pioneering "Doing Rude Things" back in 1992. But "The Bodies Beneath" has to be the best to date. It's almost worth the admission price just for the cover, but once you've bought your Kia-Ora, taken your slightly sticky seat and heard the projector start whirring, you're in for one of the best cinematic experiences of your life.But do approach "The Cuckoo Patrol" with considerable caution.

First, my thanks to Alan Bryce and "The Dark Side" magazine, and his review which drew my attention and also made me want to buy the book ("Dark Side" and it's companion Mag "Infinity" are well worth seeking out, as they cover vintage/giallo/TV/Mags etc. and cover them well - No I am not related or a friend, I just love the mags) Enough!!! I found it very hard thinking about how many stars to give this book. Thoroughly researched, and written in an easy to read style, with touches of humour, by two people who really know (and love) their Onions. Contents are clearly labelled by chapter, and there is a splendid index (thankyou). It has to be said that this horse did not get some of the films covered - EG P.79 "Phoelix", P.94 "Oss Oss Wee Oss" and some more, but they were then compensated by the chapters on "Fun at St Fanny's" , Doctor Who" Colin Baker, All of "Kid's Stuff", and the parts I did enjoy and find interesting far outweighed those I didn't, and don't forget, my personal opinion of certain chapters, should in no way put off prospective buyers. This is a book that deserves to be read, and then you can decide for yourself. (P.S I am sure you will, but do read the other reviews here - Very helpful, and the price is lower now.) ----- 29 July 2019 - I see the price on Amazon is now £72!!! and no...In my opinion that is way too much, and why it has gone sky high is beyond me. Not recomended at this price..

BFI Flipside was a fascinating, provocative, revelatory and much-loved strand which dared to go beyond the classic and cult canons to find meaning and value in overlooked British films and television. It was a meeting of minds which sooner or later got everyone involved into trouble with the film establishment guardians of good taste. But it's one thing to programme a film, quite another to publish a 398-page book about such diverse and hard to define subject matter, and this is a stunning achievement which will change the way people think about the history of British film and television. Thematically organised and lovingly written, The Bodies Beneath is a wide-ranging and encyclopaedic delve into, well, everything from nudism, disco, war, witchcraft and a Cricket Match on a Fishing Smack During a Heavy Sea (1899). This beautiful, well-illustrated edition from Strange Attractor Press makes you want to seek out the works within, many of which can be found on DVD and Blu-Ray thanks to BFI Video and other brave labels. And yes, that is Gus Honeybun on the front cover.

I can usually see the best in anything but it’s hard in this case. I have spent too much of the last 50 years devouring a very wide range of film and TV. I have often purposefully strayed to experience the less trodden path but there is too little of interest here for even me. When I did turn a page to finally find a topic of interest I found the commentary to be a quick rehash of the well known. You don't need this book, far better to use their index and do a google search for the items you want to know more about, you will learn more that you will from this book. Better still forget this book and write your own list of people/TV/films you are interested in and do your own research. Spike Milligan already used the more accurate title that better describes this book ‘A Book of Bits or a Bit of a Book’. Reading this new book reminded me of all the undergraduate courseworks I assessed over the years, an assemblage of rarely connected pieces which stop when the writer got bored and sadly long after this reader got bored. When writing a book raw enthusiasm gets you only so far, maybe 90% of the way there but finishing the book properly, that final 10%, is what requires the hard work. This book needed that extra dedication.