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16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The X Factor, 6 Sep 2008
Looking at it from today's perspective, it seems incredible to think that Stanley Long's films from the 1960s and the 1970s could have elicited such trouble with the censors. But they did, and, arguably still do; his 1971 documentary-style look at pornography, 'Naughty!' (Saucy Seventies - Naughty [1971]), is still not available uncut in the UK. A film about prostitution in London, `West End Jungle' (1960) was banned outright. Not that it contained any nudity, but, as the president of the British Board of Film Censors put it, "This film is a disgrace. I have never seen anything so anti-London in all my life." A cursory look at the BBFC's website shows a litany of cuts against Long's and other filmmakers' movies during the swinging sixties and saucy seventies. While hardcore had hit the United States and parts of Europe, here in dear old Blighty, the censors were sharpening their knives in readiness for the thoroughly innocuous 'Eskimo Nell' (Saucy Seventies - Eskimo Nell [1975]).
It would not be right, in my opinion, to call Stanley Long a maverick. Yes, some of his films gave the censors a touch of the collywobbles, but he did not set out to trouble them deliberately. Aside from his filmmaking expertise, Long had the happy knack of gauging the Zeitgeist with well-timed releases of `The Wife Swappers' (Saucy Seventies - Wife Swappers) and `Groupie Girl' (Saucy Seventies - Groupie Girl [1970]) just as these films' subject matter had begun to seep into the nation's consciousness. This, along with an entrepreneurial flair which led to other film-related activities, notably distribution and the leasing of editing facilities, kept the wolves from the door after Long had ceased making movies. Keeping the cash rolling in was uppermost in his mind when others in the exploitation film game were considering flouting the law by including harder material in their movies. In the 1970s, it was not unheard of for British sex films to have two versions: the tame version for the home market and another, stronger version, for the European market. Long's one-time collaborator, Derek Ford, went down this route, notably with his movie, `Sex Express' which was re-cut and re-titled as `Diversions' with more graphic content. Long would not allow this with his own projects. The shooting of hardcore was still illegal and the prospect of spending time in jail did not appeal.
`X-Rated' is a fascinating book which should appeal to anyone interested in the British exploitation film genre. It's written by Simon Sheridan (author of the excellent Keeping the British End Up: Four Decades of Saucy Cinema) in an easy-going conversational style. This is much in evidence when the subject of morality campaigner, Mary Whitehouse is raised. Long's contempt for her and her cronies is colourfully phrased.
The book focuses almost entirely on Long's professional life. Little is mentioned regarding his two failed marriages. Similarly, his childhood experiences as an evacuee are not dwelt upon. But this is not a major criticism: the book's subtitle is `Adventures of an Exploitation Filmmaker' and it's this aspect of his life that is of most interest to fans. There's a wealth of anecdotes including the Elaine Page saga (`Adventures of a Plumber's Mate' (The Adventures Of A... Collection [1976])); the British comedy legend hired to appear in the same film who arrived on set blind-drunk and stayed that way until Long fired him. And, during the filming of `Naughty!' at London Zoo's monkeys' enclosure, Long was hoping to capture some scenes of primate self-love. The monkeys would not perform until . . .
Well, it had me doubled up with laughter when I read that little story. `X-Rated' is an engrossing read and highly recommended particularly for fans of the British sexploitation films of the 1960s and 1970s for which Stanley Long is probably best known. His early career in photography and documentary filmmaking is also covered as is his time on Roman Polanski's Repulsion [1965] on which Long worked as co-cinematographer.
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