This August, Indicator is bronging us a cavalcade of classic British comedy, with the definitive collection of film adaptations of popular sex comedy novels by Timothy Lea and starring Robin Askwith, The Complete Confessions, 1974-1977, and the riotous, vomit-soaked big-screen outing for British comedy legends Rik Mayall and Adrian Edmondson, Guest House Paradiso.
THE COMPLETE CONFESSIONS, 1974-1977
Limited Edition Blu-ray | 19 August 2024 | £49.99
CONFESSIONS OF A WINDOW CLEANER (Val Guest, 1974)
CONFESSIONS OF A POP PERFORMER (Norman Cohen, 1975)
CONFESSIONS OF A DRIVING INSTRUCTOR (Norman Cohen, 1976)
CONFESSIONS FROM A HOLIDAY CAMP (Norman Cohen, 1977)
Robin Askwith (Britannia Hospital) stars in The Complete Confessions, 1974–1977, the definitive collection of the celebrated British sex-comedy series. Based on the pseudonymous Timothy Lea novels by screenwriter Christopher Wood (The Spy Who Loved Me), each instalment follows the fortunes of the feckless and accident-prone – yet seemingly irresistible – Timmy (Askwith) as he gets embroiled in the money-making schemes of his brother-in-law Sidney Noggett (Anthony Booth, Corruption).
The fun starts in Confessions of a Window Cleaner, as Timmy must satisfy the demands of a clientele of lonely housewives whilst attempting to woo police officer Liz (Linda Hayden, The Blood on Satan’s Claw). In Confessions of a Pop Performer, Timmy endures the ups and downs (and ins and outs) of the music business when he joins a band managed by Sid. With Confessions of a Driving Instructor, Timmy finds his female students fumbling for his gearstick. Finally, in Confessions from a Holiday Camp, entertainment officer Timmy struggles to organise a beauty contest under the watchful eye of the camp’s tyrannical new manager.
Directed by Val Guest (The Full Treatment) and Norman Cohen (Stand Up, Virgin Soldiers), this classic quartet features a supporting cast of British comedy greats, including Bill Maynard (Oh No It’s Selwyn Froggitt), Doris Hare (On the Buses), Windsor Davies (Endless Night), John Le Mesurier (The Wrong Box), and Liz Fraser (Adventures of a Taxi Driver). As beloved by audiences as they were reviled by critics, the Confessions series sparked a string of imitators, and stand as a time capsule of the fashions and attitudes of 1970s Britain. Along with an array of new commentaries and interviews, this Blu-ray premiere collection also includes producer Greg Smith’s follow-up feature film, Rosie Dixon – Night Nurse, which was adapted from Christopher Wood’s Confessions of a Night Nurse.
INDICATOR LIMITED EDITION 4 x BLU-RAY BOX SET FEATURES:
- High Definition presentations of Confessions of a Window Cleaner, Confessions of a Pop Performer, Confessions of a Driving Instructor, and Confessions from a Holiday Camp
- Standard Definition presentation of Rosie Dixon – Night Nurse
- Original mono audio
- All-new audio commentaries on all four Confessions film by the much-loved star of the series, Robin Askwith (2024)
- Confessions of a Film Composer (2024): interview with prolific film and TV composer Ed Welch, the man responsible for scoring three Confessions movies, and Rosie Dixon – Night Nurse
- Hey, Judy! (2024): cult film actress Judy Matheson recalls working alongside veteran director Val Guest, and co-star Robin Askwith, during the production of Confessions of a Window Cleaner
- Interview with David Hamilton (2024): the veteran broadcaster recalls his cameo appearance in Confessions of a Pop Performer
- Interview with Esta Charkham (2024): the prolific casting director discusses Rosie Dixon – Night Nurse and the unique job of casting a British sex comedy
- The BEHP Interview with Val Guest (1988): archival audio recording of the Confessions of a Window Cleanerdirector in conversation with Roy Fowler
- The BEHP Interview with Geoffrey Foot (1988): archival audio recording of the editor of three Confessions films, and Rosie Dixon – Night Nurse, in conversation with Sidney Cole and Alan Lawson
- Super 8 version of Confessions of a Driving Instructor: two-part cutdown home-cinema presentation
- Original theatrical trailers
- Image galleries: promotional and publicity materials
- New and improved English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
- Limited edition exclusive 120-page book with a new essay by Simon Sheridan, archival interviews and articles, and film credits
- World premieres on Blu-ray
- Limited edition box set of 5,000 individually numbered units for the UK
All extras subject to change
GUEST HOUSE PARADISO (1999)
Limited Edition Blu-ray | 19 August 2024 | £16.99
After a decade of honing their signature characters, Richie and Eddie, across TV and stage-show appearances, British comedy legends Rik Mayall and Adrian Edmondson (The Comic Strip Presents..., The Young Ones) finally gave the pair the big-screen outing which they truly deserved in the riotous, vomit-soaked entertainment that is Guest House Paradiso.
When Mr Nice (Simon Pegg, Shaun of the Dead) and his family check in to ‘the cheapest hotel in Britain’ – run with maximum inefficiency and malfeasance by Richie and Eddie – it sets off an outrageous chain of events involving rubber underwear, a beautiful Italian film star (Hélène Mahieu), her abusive fiancé (Vincent Cassel, Irreversible), and a consignment of radioactive fish.
Featuring a spectacular supporting cast, which also includes Fenella Fielding (Carry On Screaming!, Hammer’s The Old Dark House) and Bill Nighy (Love Actually), this slapstick tour-de-force is a latter-day classic of disreputable British comedy, which has to be seen to be believed.
NDICATOR LIMITED EDITION BLU-RAY FEATURES:
- 4K restoration from the original interpositive
- Original 5.1 surround sound and stereo audio tracks
- The Making of ‘Guest House Paradiso’(1999): archival documentary featuring interviews with actor, co-writer and director Adrian Edmondson, actor and co-writer Rik Mayall, producer Phil McIntyre, and actors Fenella Fielding, Hélène Mahieu and Simon Pegg
- Paradiso Pegg (2023): interview with celebrated actor, writer and comedian Simon Pegg in which he looks back at his time making the film
- Interview with Colin Towns (2024): the prolific film and television composer discusses his score
- Interview with Sean Barton (2024): the veteran editor recalls his work on the film
- Interview with Tom Brown (2024): the production designer explores the guest house’s unique challenges
- From the Cutting Room Floor (1999): outtakes from the film’s production
- Original theatrical trailers
- Image gallery: promotional and publicity material
- New and improved English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
- Limited edition exclusive booklet with a new essay by Jon Robertson, archival articles on the making of the film, and full film credits
- UK premiere on Blu-ray
- Limited edition of 3,000 copies for the UK
All extras subject to change |