Eskimo Nell (film): Difference between revisions
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{{Infobox film | {{Infobox film | ||
| name = Eskimo Nell | | name = Eskimo Nell | ||
| Line 7: | Line 4: | ||
| image = Eskimo Nell FilmPoster.jpeg | | image = Eskimo Nell FilmPoster.jpeg | ||
| caption = | | caption = | ||
| director = [[ | | director = [[Martin Campbell|Martin Campbell]] | ||
| producer = [[ | | producer = [[Stanley Long|Stanley Long]] | ||
| writer = | | writer = | ||
| narrator = | | narrator = | ||
| starring = {{ubl|[[Roy Kinnear]]|[[ | | starring = {{ubl|[[Roy Kinnear]]|[[Anna Quayle|Anna Quayle]]|[[Katy Manning|Katy Manning]]|[[Christopher Timothy|Christopher Timothy]]|[[Michael Armstrong (cinematographer)|Michael Armstrong]]|[[Terence Edmond|Terence Edmond]]|[[Rosalind Knight|Rosalind Knight]]|[[Diane Langton|Diane Langton]]|[[Richard Caldicot|Richard Caldicot]]|[[Christopher Biggins|Christopher Biggins]]}} | ||
| music = [[ | | music = [[Simon Park|Simon Park]] | ||
| cinematography = [[ | | cinematography = [[Peter Hannan (cinematographer)|Peter Hannan]] | ||
| editing = | | editing = | ||
| distributor = | | distributor = | ||
| Line 23: | Line 20: | ||
}} | }} | ||
'''''Eskimo Nell''''', also known as ''The Ballad of Eskimo Nell'' and as ''The Sexy Saga of Naughty Nell and Big Dick'', is a 1975 [[ | '''''Eskimo Nell''''', also known as ''The Ballad of Eskimo Nell'' and as ''The Sexy Saga of Naughty Nell and Big Dick'', is a 1975 [[United Kingdom|British]] [[sex comedy|sex comedy]] film directed by [[Martin Campbell|Martin Campbell]] and produced by [[Stanley Long|Stanley Long]]. Though inspired by "[[The Ballad of Eskimo Nell]]", the movie owes little to the original bawdy song. | ||
==Plot== | ==Plot== | ||
Budding film director Dennis Morrison ([[ | Budding film director Dennis Morrison ([[Michael Armstrong (cinematographer)|Michael Armstrong]]), producer Clive Potter ([[Terence Edmond|Terence Edmond]]), and screenwriter Harris Tweedle ([[Christopher Timothy|Christopher Timothy]]) are hired by seedy [[erotic film|erotic film]] producer Benny U. Murdoch ([[Roy Kinnear]]) to make a dirty movie based on the poem "The Ballad of Eskimo Nell". However they run into difficulty when each of the production's backers want a completely different style of film made. Then Murdoch makes off with the money and the three have to produce four ''different'' versions of the movie to keep everybody happy - a [[gay|gay]] [[Western (genre)|Western]], a hardcore porno, a [[Kung Fu|Kung Fu]]-style musical, and a wholesome family production. | ||
==Cast== | ==Cast== | ||
{{div col|colwidth=22em}} | {{div col|colwidth=22em}} | ||
* [[Roy Kinnear]] as Benny U. Murdoch | * [[Roy Kinnear]] as Benny U. Murdoch | ||
* [[ | * [[Anna Quayle|Anna Quayle]] as Reverend Mother | ||
* [[ | * [[Katy Manning|Katy Manning]] as Hermione | ||
* [[ | * [[Christopher Timothy|Christopher Timothy]] as Harris Tweedle | ||
* [[ | * [[Michael Armstrong (cinematographer)|Michael Armstrong]] as Dennis Morrison | ||
* [[ | * [[Terence Edmond|Terence Edmond]] as Clive Potter | ||
* [[ | * [[Rosalind Knight|Rosalind Knight]] as Lady Longhorn | ||
* [[ | * [[Diane Langton|Diane Langton]] as Gladys Armitage | ||
* [[ | * [[Richard Caldicot|Richard Caldicot]] as Ambrose Cream | ||
* [[ | * [[Beth Porter|Beth Porter]] as Billie Harris | ||
* [[ | * [[Christopher Biggins|Christopher Biggins]] as Jeremy | ||
* [[ | * [[Gordon Tanner|Gordon Tanner]] as Big Dick | ||
* [[ | * [[Jonathan Adams (British actor)|Jonathan Adams]] as Lord Coltwind | ||
* [[ | * [[Lloyd Lamble|Lloyd Lamble]] as The Bishop | ||
* [[ | * [[Christopher Neil|Christopher Neil]] as Brendan | ||
* [[ | * [[Nicholas Young (actor)|Nicholas Young]] as Deadeye Dick | ||
* [[ | * [[Stephanie Cole|Stephanie Cole]] as Traffic Warden (uncredited) | ||
* [[ | * [[Mary Millington|Mary Millington]] as Stripping Traffic Warden (uncredited) | ||
{{div col end}} | {{div col end}} | ||
==Background== | ==Background== | ||
Many of the film's characters are based on real personalities of the time. Lady Longhorn and Lord Coltwind — the backers of the wholesome family version — are thinly veiled caricatures of [[ | Many of the film's characters are based on real personalities of the time. Lady Longhorn and Lord Coltwind — the backers of the wholesome family version — are thinly veiled caricatures of [[Mary Whitehouse|Mary Whitehouse]] and [[Lord Longford|Lord Longford]]. Benny U. Murdoch is loosely based on [[Tony Tenser|Tony Tenser]], head of Tigon films. A more obscure figure the film ridicules is Louis "Deke" M. Heyward, the [[London|London]] representative of AIP ([[American International Pictures]]), who had previously clashed with the film's writer Michael Armstrong in 1969 during the making of Armstrong's directing debut, ''The Haunted House of Horror''. In ''Eskimo Nell'' Heyward is parodied as "Big Dick", a crass, foul-mouthed American producer from "A.W.P Films", and the backer of the hardcore porno version. A similar character had previously appeared in Armstrong's script for ''[[The Sex Thief|The Sex Thief]]'' in 1973. | ||
A pre-fame [[ | A pre-fame [[Mary Millington|Mary Millington]], then just a jobbing actress and model using her married name Mary Maxted, has a small role in the film as a stripping traffic warden who auditions for a part in the film within a film. Although Millington appears only fleetingly (with her audition speeded up for comic effect), stills from her scene were used to publicize the film in magazines including ''Titbits''<ref>Titbits (No. 4613, 1–7 August 1974, "Eskimo Nell"</ref> and ''[[Cinema X|Cinema X]]''. | ||
The film is not to be confused with Richard Franklin's 1975 film ''[[ | The film is not to be confused with Richard Franklin's 1975 film ''[[The True Story of Eskimo Nell|The True Story of Eskimo Nell]]'' which was released in the UK as ''Dick Down Under''. Campbell's film was re-titled ''The Sexy Saga of Naughty Nell and Big Dick'' in [[Australia|Australia]]. | ||
==Home media== | ==Home media== | ||
''Eskimo Nell'' was released in a 'special edition' DVD and Blu-ray on {{date|16 February 2015}}, to celebrate its 40th anniversary (the film was originally released in London in January 1975). The new edition has been digitally re-mastered at [[ | ''Eskimo Nell'' was released in a 'special edition' DVD and Blu-ray on {{date|16 February 2015}}, to celebrate its 40th anniversary (the film was originally released in London in January 1975). The new edition has been digitally re-mastered at [[Pinewood Studios|Pinewood Studios]] and comes with several extra features including the original theatrical trailer (unseen since 1975), an audio commentary by the film's actor-writer [[Michael Armstrong (filmmaker)|Michael Armstrong]] and film historian Simon Sheridan, an 8-page booklet, plus an extensive stills gallery and a newly re-mastered version of Mary Millington's short 1974 film ''Wild Lovers''. | ||
==References== | ==References== | ||
Latest revision as of 23:15, 7 February 2023
| Eskimo Nell | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Directed by | Martin Campbell |
| Produced by | Stanley Long |
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Peter Hannan |
| Music by | Simon Park |
Release date | 17 January 1975 |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
Eskimo Nell, also known as The Ballad of Eskimo Nell and as The Sexy Saga of Naughty Nell and Big Dick, is a 1975 British sex comedy film directed by Martin Campbell and produced by Stanley Long. Though inspired by "The Ballad of Eskimo Nell", the movie owes little to the original bawdy song.
Plot
Budding film director Dennis Morrison (Michael Armstrong), producer Clive Potter (Terence Edmond), and screenwriter Harris Tweedle (Christopher Timothy) are hired by seedy erotic film producer Benny U. Murdoch (Roy Kinnear) to make a dirty movie based on the poem "The Ballad of Eskimo Nell". However they run into difficulty when each of the production's backers want a completely different style of film made. Then Murdoch makes off with the money and the three have to produce four different versions of the movie to keep everybody happy - a gay Western, a hardcore porno, a Kung Fu-style musical, and a wholesome family production.
Cast
- Roy Kinnear as Benny U. Murdoch
- Anna Quayle as Reverend Mother
- Katy Manning as Hermione
- Christopher Timothy as Harris Tweedle
- Michael Armstrong as Dennis Morrison
- Terence Edmond as Clive Potter
- Rosalind Knight as Lady Longhorn
- Diane Langton as Gladys Armitage
- Richard Caldicot as Ambrose Cream
- Beth Porter as Billie Harris
- Christopher Biggins as Jeremy
- Gordon Tanner as Big Dick
- Jonathan Adams as Lord Coltwind
- Lloyd Lamble as The Bishop
- Christopher Neil as Brendan
- Nicholas Young as Deadeye Dick
- Stephanie Cole as Traffic Warden (uncredited)
- Mary Millington as Stripping Traffic Warden (uncredited)
Background
Many of the film's characters are based on real personalities of the time. Lady Longhorn and Lord Coltwind — the backers of the wholesome family version — are thinly veiled caricatures of Mary Whitehouse and Lord Longford. Benny U. Murdoch is loosely based on Tony Tenser, head of Tigon films. A more obscure figure the film ridicules is Louis "Deke" M. Heyward, the London representative of AIP (American International Pictures), who had previously clashed with the film's writer Michael Armstrong in 1969 during the making of Armstrong's directing debut, The Haunted House of Horror. In Eskimo Nell Heyward is parodied as "Big Dick", a crass, foul-mouthed American producer from "A.W.P Films", and the backer of the hardcore porno version. A similar character had previously appeared in Armstrong's script for The Sex Thief in 1973.
A pre-fame Mary Millington, then just a jobbing actress and model using her married name Mary Maxted, has a small role in the film as a stripping traffic warden who auditions for a part in the film within a film. Although Millington appears only fleetingly (with her audition speeded up for comic effect), stills from her scene were used to publicize the film in magazines including Titbits[1] and Cinema X.
The film is not to be confused with Richard Franklin's 1975 film The True Story of Eskimo Nell which was released in the UK as Dick Down Under. Campbell's film was re-titled The Sexy Saga of Naughty Nell and Big Dick in Australia.
Home media
Eskimo Nell was released in a 'special edition' DVD and Blu-ray on 16 February 2015, to celebrate its 40th anniversary (the film was originally released in London in January 1975). The new edition has been digitally re-mastered at Pinewood Studios and comes with several extra features including the original theatrical trailer (unseen since 1975), an audio commentary by the film's actor-writer Michael Armstrong and film historian Simon Sheridan, an 8-page booklet, plus an extensive stills gallery and a newly re-mastered version of Mary Millington's short 1974 film Wild Lovers.
References
- ^ Titbits (No. 4613, 1–7 August 1974, "Eskimo Nell"
- X-Rated - Adventures of an Exploitation Filmmaker by Simon Sheridan (Reynolds & Hearn books) 2008
- Keeping the British End Up: Four Decades of Saucy Cinema by Simon Sheridan (Titan books) (fourth edition) 2011
External links
- Eskimo Nell at IMDb
