DVD/Blu-ray review: The Pleasure Girls (1965)

A 60s teen flick featuring the man who became Lovejoy, a man who became Alan Bradley in Coronation Street and most bizarrely of all, Klaus Kinski? It has to be The Pleasure Girls, newly reissued on DVD/Blu-ray by the Flipside arm of the BFI.

In a London that's yet to fully 'swing' Gerry O'Hara's flick is in one way similar to other movies of the day, whilst at the same time being very different, not least because everything happens over the course of a weekend as relationships crumble when the darker sides of the male characters come to the fore.

DVD Review: Goodbye Gemini (1970)

If you mention Goodbye Gemini, chances are the person you are talking to has never heard of it. Or if they have, they've only heard the (rather cool) soundtrack, recently reissued by Harkit. Perhaps that's because the movie itself hasn't been available to buy in the UK - until now.

Yes, out as a special edition DVD in the UK via Odeon, this rather unusual swinging London-style chiller is ripe for reappraisal, even if the end product doesn't quite live up to the early part of the movie.

BFI and Flipside to release The Pleasure Girls (1965) on dual-format disc

A film that has passed me by this far, The Pleasure Girls will be released by the BFI and Flipside in the coming weeks on a dual-format disc (DVD and Blu-ray on the same disc).

When Sally (Francesca Annis) moves to London to pursue a modelling career, she moves in with Angela (Anneke Wills) and Dee (Suzanna Leigh) and discovers the world of the carefree bachelor girl in Swinging London. Over one weekend – filled with parties, blossoming friendships, and romantic encounters with Keith (Ian McShane) and Nikko (Klaus Kinski), the girls learn about life's pleasures and pains.

DVD Review: Die Screaming Marianne (1970)

On paper, it's the film that has it all - a decent plot, a hip cast, Peter Walker directing, Susan George as a go go dancer and a swinging London setting (at least for part of the film). But sadly, Die Screaming Marianne doesn't quite reach the heights you hope for. Although it's certainly an interesting way of spending 99 minutes.

Filmed in 1970, just as swinging London was fading away, it still features names associated with that era - Barry 'Mulberry Bush' Evans, model Judy Huxtable and of course, the previously-mentioned Susan George. George is the Marianne in the title. Or Marianne 'The Hips' McDonald to give her the full name. Those hips being the tools for making a living as a dancer as she constantly moves around Europe, staying one step of the people who have it in for her...her family.

Cult Clip: Goodbye Gemini (1970) trailer

Well, we mentioned it was coming out on DVD in the UK for the first time, so here's the trailer to give you an idea of what Goodbye Gemini is actually about. Kind of.

Anyway, enjoy...