Category: Films

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Zeta One

One of the worst films I think I have ever seen is a late 1960s British B movie called Zeta One. It ‘stars’ Charles Hawtrey, James Robertson Justice, Dawn Addams and very many other recognisable faces.

The plot is, um, a bit hard to follow. There is a secret agent who is playing strip poker with his workmate. He is telling her of a race of superwomen who may be aliens and who are kidnapping other women. Oh look, read about it yourself.

There’s plenty of female softcore nudity from people like Carol Hawkins (ex Please Sir!) and some a very great deal of nipple pastie work from Valere Leon (ex Carry Ons…) and others.

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Richard Williams

The death was announced last week of one of my cinema heroes, Richard Williams.

Williams was born in Canada but lived and worked nearly all his life in the UK. He used to have his headquarters in Soho Square in London. Am not sure if it is still there.

You will know Mr Williams’ work. He has produced some very famous animation over the years, including Who Framed Roger Rabbit? and credits for many feature films, including some Pink Panthers and The Charge of the Light Brigade.

I have seen Mr W several times at the NFT in conversation about his work. The last time wa maybe a year or so ago. He was there to show his big project, an animated full length film variously called The Thief, The Thief and the Cobbler, The Princess and the Cobbler…

This is/was a kind of Arabian Nights type story, and has one of the most longwinded and troubled production histories of any film. You can read all about it here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Thief_and_the_Cobbler

The chances of a final, definitive version appearing seem slight.