Carry On Screaming! (1966)

This is How Movies Should Be Made

just watch it!

A Disappointing Continuation

The movie's not perfect, but it sticks the landing of its message. It was engaging - thrilling at times - and I personally thought it was a great time.

Definitely one of the best, although not in the class of Kyber. Harry H. Corbett fits well into the run of things and the cast altogether were very good. Kenneth Williams seems to be enjoying himself and Miss Fielding is a delight. The back drop to the film is well done as well.Bung, bung, bung.......what a fitting name!

Another amusing and saucy entrant in the cheap-as-chips UK film comedy "Carry On" series, which definitely hits its peak in the mid-late 60's, not unrelated, I'd imagine, to that swinging decade's slightly, shall we say, more lax morals as it progressed. Thus we get a bit more innuendo than before, indeed, in the presence of the smoky-voiced, low-bodiced Fenella Felding, a bit more sex, period. The "Carry On" writing and production team were always looking for the current trend to spoof and with Hammer still going strong in the 60's, plus the TV success of shows like "The Addams Family" and "The Munsters", they were always going to take a bite (sorry!) at the horror genre. This time, the guest lead (after Bob Monkhouse, Bernard Cribbins and before Roy Castle) is Harry H Corbett who duly gets a nod or two to his more famous TV persona, young man Steptoe and he does a good job as the dimwitted Sherlock Holmes type cop on the trail of Kenneth Williams high-camp vampire, Fielding and their two Frankenstein creations with a penchant for literally picking up young girls for (waxwork) modelling work. Peter Butterworth is even funnier as Corbett's sidekick, Slowbotham while Jim Dale gives his usual young Norman Wisdom routine in support.There are more old laughs than new ones but laughs there are (my favourite line being Corbett's command to search Williams' old mansion which just happens to be on a street called Avory Avenue - "We must explore Avery Avenue") with Williams' last line "Frying Tonight" justly considered one of the funniest in British comedy history. Shot in colour with sets that look a touch more expensive than usual and with worthy support also from Joan Sims, Charles Hawtrey and Jon Pertwee, this is a good entry in the series. Terrible theme song though and the waxwork models look like they're from Louis Tussaud's of Blackpool rather than Madame Tussaud's of London.

To correct an earlier comment on this site, the glorious Fenella Fielding is NO relation to Marty Feldman, and has stated many times how she is tired of this untruth being repeated. Her real name is Fenella Feldman but she is not related to Marty in any way. Back to Carry on Screaming, the very best of the Carry On films - if you have never seen it, buy the DVD today. The performances are top notch, especially those of Kenneth Williams and Fenella Fielding as the villainous brother/sister act, and Harry H. Corbett as the befuddled police sergeant. It is curious that Peter Butterworth, who plays a major role, and Bernard Bresslaw, as the Lurch-type butler, receive minor billing and are not mentioned on the poster for the film. Anyway - enjoy!

One of the better films of the Carry On series, the film spoofs the typical horror films of the 1960s quite well, and there is a great feel of the Gothic to it, thanks to apt costumes and sets. It is still overly silly as is usual for an entry in the series, and there are silly sound effects and some lame jokes that bring it down. However, there are quite a few good gags to make up for those that do not work, and the team receives great assistance from Fenella Fielding this time, who is perfectly cast as a vampire like seductress. The film also has some good makeup work, and the title song, sung by Jim Dale, fits in well.