I have pains on my stomach from laughing at this so much last night.
It has me in stitches every time I watch it. I'm desperate to watch it without laughing, because I always miss half the narration because I'm laughing at the other half.
If you get a chance to see this (very) rare film, do so at your own peril.
I agree. This film is a lost gem that I stumbled on on Channel 4 late one Saturday night. The language and humour are amazing. Its a shame that there are no modern writers like Stanshall.Did he make any other movies ??
shareDoesn't appear to have written any, according to IMDB, but has been in a few.
I have to admit I don't know much about him, apart from what's on this site, but it's a shame he didn't and won't get a chance to exercise his freaky wit on any further films, being dead.
When was this last seen anywhere?I almost suffocated laughing at it in the cinema but I havent seen it since.
shareLast time I saw it was Channel4 (UK) about five years back. FYI - there's a BBC Four documentary about the great man currently on the repeat. Check out http://www.gingergeezer.net/ for more revelations.
shareMy friend managed to get the video years ago, but gave it away to someone else. Since then, I have only managed to find cheap knock-offs and paid £15 for one to give back to my friend.
Anyone know how we can petition the production company to re-release on DVD?
Try his biography, 'Ginger Geezer' by Lucian Randall and Chris Welch. It's a cracker, and the section on Sir Henry is probably the best part of the book. What a pity his mate Ian Dury couldn't get time off to appear.
shareNo, this was his only movie (though of course he was also a painter, a writer, and released about 9 albums, either solo with the Bonzo Dog Band) There is a book and an LP of the film. I haven't seen the book. The LP has an an almost completely different plotline to the film, is narrated and sung by Stanshall, and is actually even funnier than the movie.
shareBrilliant to hear that.
I now have a mission in life - to find and acquire the book, LP and another copy of the film for myself.
Vivian of course appeared with the other Bonzos in the Beatles film 'Magical Mystery Tour' and in various, increasingly odd, cameos thereafter (on the TV series 'Innes Book of Records' for example and Pulp's film 'Do You Remember The First Time?'. Was also a constant presence on UK radio throughout the 1970s and onwards, a pet project for the BBC (four programmes at least in his lifetime including the fabulous 'Crank' and one more recent), and did many memorable advert voiceovers. The world is a far less silly and far less fun place without him. And the Sir Henry film is an hilarious piece of work!
-d-
Aye,
I can remember Vivian's appearances on radio throughout the 70's on John Peel's BBC programme. Always something challenging and interesting.
Anyone who dooesn't have a copy of Sir Henry at Rawlinson End on CD should rush out and by a copy. The movie was developed from this idea so the two are not identical.
I remember Peel playing at it the time in large 15+ minute chunks (it was based on recordings Stanshall has done previously for Peel's show) and rushed-out and bought the album as a teenager. I am still a proud possessor of the original album.
Stanshall's work was always worth the effort of listening attentively. It took me weeks of listening to decipher the meaning of:
"Suddenly, a half-thawed chicken caught him in the back of the neck."
But when I did the revelation was the closest I'll come to an epiphany.
Peel and his producer Walters did a lot of worthwhile radio work, and thankfully because of the efforts of them and their ilk the BBC does have many more specialist broadcasters than it used to.