8mm Forum: Kama Sutra Rides again. Bob Godfrey Cartoon Derann

This is topic Kama Sutra Rides again. Bob Godfrey Cartoon Derann in forum 8mm Print Reviews at 8mm Forum.

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Posted by Tom Photiou (Member # 130) on August 12, 2018, 09:20 AM:

Well, this is quite a funny short and an Academy Award winner for best short,(Animation), from Bob Godfrey? This was the first British Cartoon short to be nominated for an Academy Award back in 1973. It tells the story of Stanley and Ethel.
At the start of this cartoon they are sat on a sofa, both in the nude, Ethel does her knitting while Stanley explains how many people live "ordinary, dull, boring, grey, monotonous dreary, uninteresting lives". He goes onto say that variety is the spice of life, such as his exotic variety of pets and that Ethel has her driving lessons and he also dabbles in oils, Stanley also explains how they like to visit there cottage in the Gobi Dessert for the first two weeks of July.
Then Stanley tells the audience that where they enjoy the most variety is in there Love making, his eyes roll around and round. He shows us a few comical pages of the "usual" positions, The couple then go onto show us demonstrations of there favourites in a very comical set of demo's , first is La Brouette, (loosely translated as the Wheel Barrow), then theirs "La bicyclette", this is followed by "Tarzan", & then "La escaletores", to be performed going up a descending escalator, next is "Standing up in hammock " which they find entirely unsatisfactory, next is "les patineuses", not to be practised on ice until you are fully confident, For homes with "La ramp, or Banisters" Stanley says a little appetiser is always welcome. Next is one for those who like the dramatics, he calls this one "La guillotine", Next is one for fresh air fans called, La Para", also Les nautique,nautique ski, The next one Stanley introduces us to is for the use of modern technology, "la machine, a tapier which he describes as rather droll. Visually, this is one of the funnier moments of this short. This is followed by Ethel's favourite, the stapler. This is all followed by the big one, and is done as Stanley quotes "without the aid of neither safety net nor contraception". This one ends up with Ethel in Hospital, as Stanley stands at the bottom of her bed he looks at the traction cables and gives a little tug, looks at the camera and says,, mmm, now that gives me an idea", to which he is chased out of the hospital with The End flowing in.
The quality of this print is outstanding, this one is on LPP poly with pin sharp image and excellent sound. It opens with the BFCC AA classification. There isn't a mark on this print.

[ August 13, 2018, 01:03 PM: Message edited by: Tom Photiou ]

Posted by Brian Fretwell (Member # 4302) on August 12, 2018, 02:31 PM:

Good review and pictures there, Tom. Though I believe it was originally released by Dune Films of Orpington. I don't have this one but I do have a good print of the Bob Godfrey cartoon "Henry 9 to 5" from them which is on Agfa stock in its original box.

[ August 13, 2018, 02:42 AM: Message edited by: Brian Fretwell ]

Posted by Mark Mander (Member # 340) on August 13, 2018, 03:28 AM:

Great review Tom,these are very amusing cartoons and quite innocent fun too,I have a few on 8 and 16mm,colours look great and as you say print quality is very good,Mark

Posted by Tom Photiou (Member # 130) on August 13, 2018, 06:23 AM:

Thanks Brian / Mark,

Brian, yes another forum member on the other channel did mention about Dune. I think i was lucky here to get a Derann reprint on LPP as i still have it in the original box.
Incidentally, this one has now been listed on flea bay as we continue to downsize our collection in order to compensate what we spent on 16mm films and accessories over the last 12/16 months.

Posted by David Hardy (Member # 4628) on August 13, 2018, 08:30 AM:

Great screenshots and review Tom. I still have a copy of this.

I first saw it in the ABC Cinema. It was on the same bill as A CLOCKWORK ORANGE when it was first released away back in the day.

My mother and father were with me at the time and i will always remember them both laughing their heads off at this Bob Godfrey adult cartoon. I don't think there was anything else quite like it at that time. [Smile]

Posted by Osi Osgood (Member # 424) on August 13, 2018, 12:32 PM:

Derann put out a number of these funny "adult" cartoons!

Great review, Tom ... as always! [Smile]

Posted by Tom Photiou (Member # 130) on August 13, 2018, 01:01 PM:

Thanks Osi,
David, thank you, your spot on with this, i found this interesting little fact which explains exactly what you said,

Kama Sutra Rides Again (1971) was selected by Stanley Kubrick for screening with the UK release of his film A Clockwork Orange. Godfrey noted "Everyone working in films knew Kubrick only ever phoned you to give you a bollocking, so when I realised he was calling to do me a favour I nearly dropped the phone. [Wink]

Posted by Osi Osgood (Member # 424) on August 14, 2018, 11:13 AM:

By the way, I always love seeing those ratings cards!

Posted by David Hardy (Member # 4628) on August 16, 2018, 03:25 AM:

Tom thanks for that bit of information. I never knew about that and i was working as an apprentice projectionist at The Capitol Cinema at that time. [Smile]

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