Up Pompeii (1971)
Country: GB
Technical: col 90m
Director: Bob Kellett
Cast: Frankie Howerd, Patrick Cargill, Michael Hordern, Julie Ege
Synopsis:
In Roman Pompeii, the master of urban slave Lurcio appears implicated in a plot to assassinate the emperor Nero.
Review:
Lame attempt to capitalize on the BBC TV series of the same name, whose success relied both on the half-hour format and the semi-improvised, panto ambience that in turn drew knowingly from its high and low forbears in Roman theatre. Spruced up for the big screen, the appalling puns and double entendres fall resoundingly flat and without the live audience Howerd's confidential schtick seems arch and irrelevant. All we are left with is a veritable sea of topless slavegirls and the star presence of Julie Ege as Voluptua, something to which the Beeb could not hope to aspire in the late 60s. The title song has its moments: 'Osculatio, flagellatio, it may sound tame with a Roman name but oooh!'
Country: GB
Technical: col 90m
Director: Bob Kellett
Cast: Frankie Howerd, Patrick Cargill, Michael Hordern, Julie Ege
Synopsis:
In Roman Pompeii, the master of urban slave Lurcio appears implicated in a plot to assassinate the emperor Nero.
Review:
Lame attempt to capitalize on the BBC TV series of the same name, whose success relied both on the half-hour format and the semi-improvised, panto ambience that in turn drew knowingly from its high and low forbears in Roman theatre. Spruced up for the big screen, the appalling puns and double entendres fall resoundingly flat and without the live audience Howerd's confidential schtick seems arch and irrelevant. All we are left with is a veritable sea of topless slavegirls and the star presence of Julie Ege as Voluptua, something to which the Beeb could not hope to aspire in the late 60s. The title song has its moments: 'Osculatio, flagellatio, it may sound tame with a Roman name but oooh!'
Country: GB
Technical: col 90m
Director: Bob Kellett
Cast: Frankie Howerd, Patrick Cargill, Michael Hordern, Julie Ege
Synopsis:
In Roman Pompeii, the master of urban slave Lurcio appears implicated in a plot to assassinate the emperor Nero.
Review:
Lame attempt to capitalize on the BBC TV series of the same name, whose success relied both on the half-hour format and the semi-improvised, panto ambience that in turn drew knowingly from its high and low forbears in Roman theatre. Spruced up for the big screen, the appalling puns and double entendres fall resoundingly flat and without the live audience Howerd's confidential schtick seems arch and irrelevant. All we are left with is a veritable sea of topless slavegirls and the star presence of Julie Ege as Voluptua, something to which the Beeb could not hope to aspire in the late 60s. The title song has its moments: 'Osculatio, flagellatio, it may sound tame with a Roman name but oooh!'