GIRLY 1969 aka MUMSY, NANNY, SONNY & GIRLY
Ursula Howells (Mumsy), Pat Heywood (Nanny), Howard Trevor (Sonny), Vanessa Howard (Girly), Michael Bryant (New Friend), Imogen Hassall (Girlfriend), Michael Ripper (Zoo Attendant)
Directed by Freddie Francis
The Short Version: This bizarre and grotesque horror film laced with a playfully sinister air is one of the most unusual British horror features. Acting as a darkly humorous fable complete with nasty nursery rhymes and predominantly implied violence, Freddie Francis turns out one of the more curious and largely ignored European oddities.
A family of aristocratic homicidal maniacs lure unsuspecting victims back to their home for child like games that prove fatal should they break the rules. One particular individual manages to survive long enough to turn the tables on this sick family causing them to turn on each other.
The family that slays together, stays together in this unusual and obscure British black comedy horror film. Freddie Francis (DRACULA HAS RISEN FROM THE GRAVE) directs this modest, yet deliciously nasty little film about a solitary family of crazies who enjoy bringing people to their home (predominantly vagrants) and pushing them into participating in "tea and games" before killing them when they fail to obey the rules.
Fans of films about psycho families will likely draw comparisons with Jack Hill's SPIDER BABY (1964). In that film, this bizarre and quite mad group of children lorded over by the family chauffeur lure victims to their secluded mansion and kill them in violent games in addition to keeping some of their cannibalistic relatives in the basement. For Francis' movie, the crazies live in a decrepit old worlde mansion away from society save for when they get bored with each other and desire the company of "outsiders". On this one special occasion, the outsider turns the tables on his delightful tormentors giving new meaning to the words "Family Matters".
While possessing an incredibly dark comical charm, the movie never crosses over into gore territory despite its sordidly gruesome aura. The violence and also the sexual nature of the film is handled mostly offscreen. This whimsical black comedy horror movie comes off like a live action version of a children's book written by De Sade. None of the characters have real names. They're all given random nicknames such as "Soldier", "Friend in Number 5" and "New Friend". The latter is responsible for introducing his own style of "games" that destroys this tight knit clan of playful murderers.
The stunning Imogen Hassall is in this briefly
The movie failed to find an audience at the time and may find itself with the same problem today on the digital format. Definitely a cult film, the most devout British horror fans are the ones who will get the most out of this picture. Quirky and often resembling a terribly grim Grimm's Fairy Tale, it's not a movie for everybody. No doubt this will find the most favor with those with a taste for the bizarre and movies whose power lies in what is alluded to and not always shown.
This review is representative of the Scorpion Releasing DVD
4 comments:
Did you watch this relatively recently? B/c I had it from netflix a month or so ago! You might have got it right after me! :)
This is definitely a strange one--I admit I kept wondering why the captives didn't just walk out. I mean, the kid was good with his bow and arrow, but he wasn't that good. :) I guess if they felt the cops would come after them it's one thing, but still, better on the lam than playing tea parties every day and listening to that weird patois. :P
I did love it when the mask would slip a little between the maid and the mom--funny stuff. Not quite sure what to make of the movie as a whole, but I'm glad I watched it! :)
No, I don't do the Netflix thing. I just buy everything that interests me. I'd read about it in some books over the years and was curious to see it. I bought it a couple months back, Vicar and watched it a few weeks ago. I've got a couple hundred movies yet to be opened so I've been trying to make time to watch some of them lately.
I think the "New Friend" simply wanted to stick around to have some fun of his own. I guess the others being societal outcasts might have something to do with why they stuck around aside from the one kept locked up in the room.
What is this all about please explain. And who you are as well. This is supposed to be my family��.
I am begging you TS to come talk to me face to face. Wtf is happening. I need you to come now!
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