STANLEY LONG'S ADVENTURES: A Seventies Sex Comedy Threesome - LE

[andantelise]

ADVENTURES OF A TAXI DRIVER (Stanley Long, 1976)
ADVENTURES OF A PRIVATE EYE (Stanley Long, 1977)
ADVENTURES OF A PLUMBER’S MATE (Stanley Long, 1978)

Release date: 25 April 2022
Limited Edition Blu-ray Box Set (World Blu-ray premieres)

Once dubbed the ‘King of Sexploitation’ by the tabloid press, Stanley Long was the godfather of the British sex film. Starting out with 8mm striptease reels in the 1950s before moving into nudist documentaries, Long went on to produce and direct a string of extremely popular X-rated movies which told tales of wife swapping, groupies and other saucy goings on. He reached the pinnacle of commercial success with this trio of incredibly successful ‘on the job’ sex comedies.

Adventures of a Taxi Driver, starring sitcom actor Barry Evans, set the template with the antics of a cabbie who ‘gets more than his fare share’. Securing international distribution – as well as becoming the most successful comedy at the British box office in 1976 – it prompted two sequels, each featuring more of the same but with a different lead actor (future hit-record producer Christopher Neil).

Boasting supporting casts which burst with top-tier British acting talent – including Harry H Corbett (Steptoe and Son), Diana Dors (Berserk), Judy Geeson (Inseminoid), Suzy Kendall (To Sir, with Love), future musical theatre sensation Elaine Paige, and former Doctor Who Jon Pertwee – the Adventures series represents British popular filmmaking at its most unashamedly cheeky.


INDICATOR LIMITED EDITION BLU-RAY BOX SET SPECIAL FEATURES

High Definition presentations of Adventures of a Taxi Driver, Adventures of a Private Eye, and Adventures of a Plumber’s Mate
Original mono audio
Audio commentaries on all three films with director Stanley Long (2008)
The Best of the Adventures (1981): feature-length compilation of extracts from the Adventures series, made for the nascent videotape market and hosted by broadcaster Peter Noble
The BEHP Interview with Stanley Long (1999): archival audio recording, made as part of the British Entertainment History Project, featuring the producer and director in conversation with Denis Gifford and Emmanuel Yospa
Peter Sinclair’s Camera (2022): the veteran cinematographer discusses his work for exploitation filmmakers Stanley Long and Pete Walker, and his move to Los Angeles in the 1980s to direct music videos
Dear Prudence (2022): Prudence Drage, one of Long’s favourite performers, tells colourful stories from her extensive career as an actor and singer
Stanley by Simon (2022): Long’s biographer Simon Sheridan recalls his close friendship with Britain’s undisputed ‘King of Sexploitation’
Super 8 version of Adventures of a Private Eye: cut-down home cinema presentation
Original theatrical trailers
Image galleries: extensive promotional and publicity materials from Stanley Long’s archives
Can You Keep It Up with This, That and the Other for a Week? (2004): Jan Manthey’s affectionate short film homage to the British sex comedies of the seventies
The Adventures of a Plumber in Outer Space (2008): Manthey’s follow-up to Can You Keep It Up…, featuring a cameo appearance by Long
New and improved English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
Limited edition exclusive 80-page book with a new essay by Simon Sheridan, archival interviews with Stanley Long and actor-composer Christopher Neil, a letter from the producers complaining about the Adventures films’ treatment in the British press, newspaper articles on the controversy surrounding the casting of Elaine Paige in Adventures of a Plumber’s Mate while she was starring in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Evita, a look at the three films’ novelisations, an overview of contemporary critical responses, Jan Manthey on his short films, and film credits
World premiere on Blu-ray
Limited edition of 6,000 copies for the UK and US
All extras subject to change

#PHILTD260
BBFC cert: 18
REGION FREE
EAN: 5060697922042

[BikerMarty]

Nice.

Hope we also get a ‘Confessions’ boxset.

[McCrutchy]

I've not seen these. My understanding is that they are poor, but I won't be listening to common sense when it comes to films with lots of naked ladies. The extras sound very good, too.

[Hollywoodnova]

Had just sold my DVD set on the bay for £38 a few weeks ago, so looks like I timed that superbly!

[darnall42]

Not going to bother ,got the DVD set of the adventures movies for a quid a few years ago and they are pretty poor - fun to watch to spot the celebrity cameos but the movies are awful and are just poor attempts to cash in on the confessions movies (deffinetly like to see those on Blu Ray)

[chip75]

Originally Posted by McCrutchy

I've not seen these. My understanding is that they are poor, but I won't be listening to common sense when it comes to films with lots of naked ladies. The extras sound very good, too.

Haven't seen the third one (or second one) in a while, but it's pretty tame (although there is nudity). They're okay for star-spotting, but compared to the Confession pictures they're a bit sleazier, the lead is more of a aggressor than Timothy Lea, who basically falls into his escapades rather than chasing them. So some of the humour is lost.

[John Earls Umbrella]

Absolute trash. Save your money.

[Ste7en]

Originally Posted by chip75

Haven't seen the third one (or second one) in a while, but it's pretty tame (although there is nudity). They're okay for star-spotting, but compared to the Confession pictures they're a bit sleazier, the lead is more of a aggressor than Timothy Lea, who basically falls into his escapades rather than chasing them. So some of the humour is lost.

Agreed. I found them very sleazy and unpleasant to watch in some scenes. Having said that I'm still pondering them... for the extras

It is nice to see them get this level of treatment though.

The Confessions films are a bit more palatable IMO.

[Markgway]

I like how even the director's name sounds like a double entendre.

Who was the producer? That Welsh bloke Ivor Bigun?

[RossyG]

Originally Posted by Markgway

I like how even the director's name sounds like a double entendre.

Who was the producer? That Welsh bloke Ivor Bigun?

They should’ve cast this guy in them:

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1593205/?ref_=fn_al_nm_2

[Jill Valentine]

So are these just mindless movies and not really worth it? The price is pretty good for the three movies I thought but I don’t think I’ve seen them before

[John Earls Umbrella]

Originally Posted by Jill Valentine

So are these just mindless movies and not really worth it? The price is pretty good for the three movies I thought but I don’t think I’ve seen them before

Mindless is an understatement. They make Confessions films look like all time classics

[John Earls Umbrella]

Originally Posted by Markgway

I like how even the director's name sounds like a double entendre.

Who was the producer? That Welsh bloke Ivor Bigun?

Wayne Kerr was DoP.

[jackranderson]

Originally Posted by Jill Valentine

So are these just mindless movies and not really worth it? The price is pretty good for the three movies I thought but I don’t think I’ve seen them before

Definitely don't blind buy, these aren't even mindless in an entertaining way.

[Martyghost]

Originally Posted by jackranderson

Definitely don't blind buy, these aren't even mindless in an entertaining way.

It's been decades since I've seen these but my memory does coincide - they are awful. I do remember thinking Christopher Neil was actually an improvement on the bigger name of Barry Evans and therefore the latter two films had some better comic moments. The best thing about the first one is the poster art, which is not a representation of any scene. Made at a time when seemingly actors literally had no other jobs so just went through the motions on this rubbish to pay the bills. An embarrassment all round.

[Ste7en]

Despite not liking the films one bit the lure of the price and the wealth of extras I suspect will reel me in eventually. I know, the Playboy "I only buy it for the articles" argument

Shagrat Joe North's fourth wall patter is as creepy as hell. Oh, Barry, you were so wholesome in Mind Your Language. What happened?

But I know what I'm letting myself in for. Anyone else best to check them out on Prime first.

[Ben_C]

Man, just imagine the sh!tstorm of hate Arrow would have received if they were the ones releasing this set.

[John Earls Umbrella]

Originally Posted by Ben_C

Man, just imagine the sh!tstorm of hate Arrow would have received if they were the ones releasing this set.

True Ben but I’m not impressed with Indicator and haven’t been for a while. They’re scraping the bottom of the barrel I’m afraid. Flashy packaging and a shedload of extras doesn’t compensate for rotten films.

[Simon Lewis]

I've always wanted to see these films and never got round to it, so I will be getting this set. They cant be as bad as the fims in the Mary Millington collection !

[Ste7en]

Originally Posted by Simon Lewis

I've always wanted to see these films and never got round to it, so I will be getting this set. They cant be as bad as the fims in the Mary Millington collection !

Prepare to be surprised