Coming to DVD and Blu-ray: Permissive (1970)
On paper it sounds like a real gem, but so far Permissive (1970) has passed me by. Just as well it's being issued on DVD and Blu-ray by the BFI and Flipside on 25th January 2010.
When Suzy arrives in London to visit an old school friend, she is unwittingly plunged into the ruthless world of the 'groupie'. Fuelled by sex, drugs and jealousy, her new lifestyle fosters in her a cold, cynical instinct for survival. But tragedy is never far away.
Mixing gritty location work, brooding flash-forward devices, and a soundtrack by cult acid folk and prog rock legends Comus, Forever More – who also star – and Titus Groan, Permissive is a dark British counter-cultural artefact complete with grim authenticity. Extras? Of course there are:
Stanley Long's ultra-rare Bread, a film that explores the same cultural milieu as Permissive (and features its own bona fide cult British rock band, Juicy Lucy), although it takes a somewhat more light-hearted approach to its subject.
Original Permissive trailer.
Bread – mute deleted scenes.
’Ave You Got a Male Assistant Please Miss? (1973, 4 mins) an unreservedly ’70s take on the safe sex message.
Extensive illustrated booklet with contributions by I Q Hunter and rock singer Lee Dorrian, and Comus band-members’ recollections of working with Lindsay Shonteff.
Look out for a review ahead of that January release date.
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