So what say we bid adieu to 2012, and set the stage for 2013 with a film that fits this dank dungeun to a tee! It's not exactly a great movie, but it's plenty weird, and it's got an amazingly cool theme song, so what more do you want for nothing? From the year of 1966, here's
"Carry On Screaming!"
That theme for "Carry On Screaming" was written by Myles Rudge and Ted Dicks, and was performed by Ray Pilgrim, and if you don't know who Ray Pilgrim is, you're missing out on some rich musical history! According to
Ray's website, he was one of the most prolific big band singers of the late 50's and early 60's in the UK, and around 1958, he was the lead singer in a band called, "The Earthquakers!" He was also in a few other groups like the Typhoons, The Starlings, The Jaybirds and Beatmen, and guys today like Richard Cheese would be nowhere without him! Ray only became a singer to make enough money to be able to go to school and get a degree in economics! After he accomplished that goal, he gave up show business and became a money-making suit in the upper management of a large company! He came out of retirement once to sing the theme to "Carry On Screaming!" Go to Ray's site to read the whole story, and see some neat pictures too!
"Carry On Screaming " is just one in a series of 31 "Carry On" parody flicks made between the years 1959 and 1992 by Producer Peter Rogers and Director Gerald Thomas! The first one was titled "Carry On Sergeant" and the last one was called "Carry On Columbus" with titles like "Carry On Up The Jungle," Carry On Teacher," Carry On Cowboy," and Carry On Spying," and a couple of "Carry On Christmas" TV specials in between! Each and every Carry On film was made to satirize something, and "Carry On Screaming" was intended to be a satire of Hammer films!
Harry H. Corbett in his only Carry On film, as Detective Sergeant Sidney Bung, and his wife Joan (22 other Carry On Flicks and TV shows such as "Carry On Doctor") Sims as Emily Bung, have less than a stellar marriage! In fact, he'll do almost anything just to get away from her and her chronic annoying bitching!
Doris, The woman screaming in the top picture was kidnapped as her boyfriend and her were spooning in the woods, and some kind of broken off finger was left behind as a clue for Detective Bung and his cohort, Peter (at least 17 other Carry On features like "Carry On Camping") Butterworth, as Detective Constable Slobotham, to try and decipher!
The two detectives and Doris's boyfriend Jim (10 other Carry On films like "Carry On Cabby") Dale as Albert Potter, follow the clues to this rest home!
The eyes behind that hollow painting that are watching the boys, belong to the lovely Fenella Fielding as Valeria Watt! Fenella was only in one other Carry on movie, "Carry On Regardless," but of course you'll also remember Fenella for her memorable role as Morgana Femm in "The Old Dark House" with Tom Poston!!
Valeria's charms curl the toes of even the strongest of men, including the 6'7" man servant Sockett, as played by Bernard Bresslaw, who was in 17 other Carry On flicks including "Carry On In The Legion!"
Valeria's brother Dr. Orlando Watt has to be brought back to life to deal with the situation! Dr. Watt was played by Kenneth Williams who was in at least 23 other Carry On features including "Carry On Jack," "Carry On Loving," and "Carry On Behind!!!"
Tom Clegg as the monster Oddbod was in another five Carry On shows like "Carry On Cleo!" He is also smitten by Valeria's beauty! I still haven't figured out why he doesn't have a neck!
Charles Hawtrey as the character Dan Dann lives in a basement like dwelling and knows all his neighbors by their undergarments! Charles was also in 24 other Carry On motion pictures including "Carry On Constable," and "Carry On Nurse!"
By examining the severed finger, it is determined by a Dr. Fettle that the creature is of the mythical species Homo Gargantuas!
Using electric current, Dr. Fettle accidently reconstitutes a naked and mangy looking Oddbod Junior! Billy Cornelius in the role of Junior was in nine other Carry On movies like "Carry On Dick," and "Carry On Henry The VIII!"
The plot thickens like figgy pudding when the detectives determine that Doris has been turned into a mannequin, after being identified by a mark on her derriere! Angela Douglas as Doris was in three other Carry On flicks, one of them being "Carry On...Up The Khyber!"
Valeria is so smoking hot that when she asks Detective Bung if he minds if she smokes, she literally does!!
Valeria cons Detective Bung into drinking some potion that turns him into a Hyde-like creature temporarily!
When he returns home to Mrs. Bung, she doesn't even really notice that he's now a monster, and just gives him a ration of shit for not combing his hair and taking care of his teeth properly!
In order to lure Oddbod out into the open, they dress up Detective Slobotham as a woman, and take him out into the woods, but Detective Bung's wife, who is now very suspicious of his activities, follows them and gets kidnapped and turned into a mannequin herself!
It's a big mess at the end when Slobotham also gets kidnapped and almost gets waxed too! Doris gets rescued and brought back to life before the whole operation falls apart, and Dr. Watt and Valeria's evil operation is finally discombuberated!
Valeria is rehabilitated and given a second chance in Detective Bung's home!
As luck would have it, Mrs. Bung accidentally never gets revived and remains a mannequin much to Detective Bung's chagrin! Right!! It's not horrible, it's not hilarious, it's not really good, but it's not too bad, and you can get "Carry On Screaming" from Sinister Cinema for a reasonable price! 2013 is going to be fraught with weirdness down here in the Dungeon, so stick around, I assure you, it's only going to get worse!! Carry On...2013!!
