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Carry On Screaming!

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Carry On Screaming!
Film poster by Tom Chantrell
Directed byGerald Thomas
Written byTalbot Rothwell
Produced byPeter Rogers
StarringHarry H. Corbett
Kenneth Williams
Jim Dale
Charles Hawtrey
Fenella Fielding
Joan Sims
Angela Douglas
CinematographyAlan Hume
Edited byRod Keys
Music byEric Rogers
Production
companies
Anglo-Amalgamated
Peter Rogers Productions
Distributed byWarner – Pathé Distribution (UK)
Release date
  • 16 August 1966 (1966-08-16)
Running time
97 minutes[1][2]
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish
Budget£197,500

Carry On Screaming is the twelfth in the series of Carry On films to be made and was released in 1966. It was the last of the series to be made by Anglo-Amalgamated before the series moved to The Rank Organisation. Of the regular cast, it features Kenneth Williams, Jim Dale, Charles Hawtrey and Joan Sims. It also features Harry H. Corbett in his only Carry on and Fenella Fielding making her second and final appearance. Angela Douglas makes the second of her four Carry on appearances. Carry On Screaming is a parody of the Hammer horror films, which were also popular at the time.

Plot

The film opens in Edwardian times in Hocombe Woods, where Doris Mann (Angela Douglas) and Albert Potter (Jim Dale) are courting. When Albert searches the woods for a Peeping Tom, Doris is abducted by a monster named Oddbod (Tom Clegg), which leaves a finger behind. Albert, finding the finger, rushes to the police station and reports the matter to Detective Constable Slobotham (Peter Butterworth), who in turn tells his superior, the henpecked Detective Sergeant Sidney Bung (Harry H. Corbett), who has been investigating similar disappearances in the same woods.

After searching the woods for further clues, the group stumble across the eerie Bide-A-Wee Rest Home, and are shown to the sitting-room by the butler, Sockett (Bernard Bresslaw). Sockett informs the mistress of the house, Valeria (Fenella Fielding), of their presence, and she awakens her electrically-charged brother, Dr. Orlando Watt (Kenneth Williams). Dr Watt speaks to the three men, who are frightened from the house when Dr. Watt vanishes and re-appears when his electrical charge runs down.

The next day, Bung, Slobotham and Potter interview lavatory attendant Dan Dann (Charles Hawtrey), who once worked at Bide-A-Wee as a gardener, but is silenced by Oddbod before he can reveal anything. Meanwhile, the police scientist (Jon Pertwee) accidentally creates a second creature - Oddbod Junior (Billy Cornelius) - when subjecting Oddbod's finger to an electrical charge. After killing the scientist, Oddbod Junior makes his way to the mansion, where Valeria and Watt are turning kidnapped people into mannequins to sell. Bung arrives at the house, investigating Dann's death, but becomes infatuated with Valeria instead.

The next day, Potter discovers Doris - in mannequin form - in a milliner's shop, but no proof can be found that it truly is Doris. Bung returns to the house and discovers evidence that links Valeria and Watt to the mannequin, but remains oblivious. Believing him to be on their scent, Valeria and Watt uses a potion to turn Bung into Mr. Hyde, and order him to steal the mannequin for them. After recovering the next day, Bung and Slobotham decide to set a trap in Hocombe Woods, with Slobotham disguised as a woman for bait. Bung's sharp-tongued wife, Emily (Joan Sims), follows, thinking Bung to be having an affair, and is captured by Oddbod Junior, whilst Slobotham is captured by Oddbod. Bung, now teamed up with Potter, make their way to the house whilst following their footprints.

After failing to dispose of Bung and Potter with a snake, the Oddbods are dispatched to deal with them. Bung and Potter are re-united with Slobotham, and manage to return Doris to human form, but discover that Emily has been turned into a mannequin. A battle follows, in which Albert (in Mr. Hyde form) defeats the Oddbods. Dr. Watt threatens them with petrifying liquid, but is threatened by the re-animated mummy of Rubatitti, which has come alive following a lightning strike. Rubatitti and Watt fall into a boiling vat in the cellar, killing them both. Albert and Doris marry some time later, only to discover that Bung, whose home lacks electricity, is unable to return his wife to human form, and is now living with Valeria.

Production

Production of the film ran from 10 January 1966 to 25 February 1966; it was shot at Pinewood Studios and on location in Berkshire and Buckinghamshire.

The theme song "Carry On Screaming" (film version only) was credited as "Anon" and was thought to have been sung by Jim Dale who appears in the film. The singer is actually Ray Pilgrim, a session singer who sang for the Embassy label. A vinyl 45 rpm version of the song was also released in 1966 (Columbia DB 7972) by vocalist Boz Burrell, before his notoriety as bassist for bands King Crimson and Bad Company.

Charles Hawtrey was added at the eleventh hour, after American distributors specifically requested him, as he was such a hit and crowd-pleaser with audiences there.[citation needed]

Cast

Filming and locations

  • Filming dates – 10 January-25 February 1966

Interiors:

Exteriors:

  • Windsor, Berkshire
  • Fulmer, Buckinghamshire

References

  1. ^ Rigelsford 1996, p. 61.
  2. ^ Ross 1998, p. 152.

Sources

  • Rigelsford, Adrian (1996). Carry On Laughing: A Celebration. London: Virgin Books. ISBN 1-85227-554-5. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
  • Ross, Robert (1998) [1996]. The Carry On Companion. London: Batsford. ISBN 0-7134-8439-X. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
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