Charley Says... The Best Public Information Films In The World [1970] [DVD]

A priceless record of British society in the 1960s and 70s, Charley Says is two-and-a-half hours of public information films produced by London's Central Office of Information between 1959 and 1983. Topics, though numerous, are dominated by an obsession with safely crossing the road. Mid-1970s celebs such as Shaw Taylor and Jimmy Saville try to coerce us into wearing then-optional seat belts or propound the still-incomprehensible "Splink" theory of road awareness. Dave Prowse looks uneasy as the Green Cross Code superhero months before he found immortality as Darth Vader and Edward Judd briefly achieves cult status with "ThinkBike". Animation is also well represented, with the engaging psycho-babble of Charley the cat and the witty repartee of Jo and Petunia to guide us through the dangers of everyday living, while Tufty and Mrs Fluffytale look concerned as Willie the Weasel gets hit by every car in town. "Lonely Water", however, is a real spine-chiller, and the TV licence-detector man assumes a menace worthy of Quatermass. By the early 1980s, recourse to passing fads such as Space Invaders and break-dancing confirm that the era of paternalistic TV was almost over.

On the DVD: The 4:3 picture definition is generally excellent, with even the black and white films taken from masters, and the mono sound is more than adequate, though no subtitles are provided. The 157 shorts are individually accessible via four selection lists, but the random play facility throws up the same options a little too often. --Richard Whitehouse

4:3 Full Frame
English
Region 0
Mono English
Mono
Random Play
Scene Selection
None

Charley says
Public Information Films were as much a part of 70's culture as tank-tops, platform soles and the Bay City Rollers. Now you can relive the age of bad taste and dodgy hairdos with this collection of the most memorable animated Public Information Films produced by the Central Office of Information. All the classic characters are here: Charley the safety-conscious ginger moggy, Jo and Petunia the environmentally unfriendly picnicers and, of course, Tufty with the answer to the question "Why did the squirrel cross the road?"

Charley live
You've seen the animation now prepare for the real thing! These classic minidramas - and comedies - feature an all-star cast, the like of which you won't find anywhere else. Imagine a movie that features Alvin Stardust, Jimmy Hill, Joe Bugner, the entire Walmington-on-Sea platoon, Kevin Keegan, Basil Brush, Jimmy Saville and Rolf Harris to name but a few; then place them in a 1970's suburb of London in mortal; danger from careless drivers, foot and mouth disease and exploding chip pans, and you've got a surreal scenario worthy of David Lynch. You know it makes sense!