On The Buses

[Inspector Abberline]

Holiday on the Buses (1973)


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With the package holiday boom of the 1970's in full swing,it seemed that the going abroad was no longer the prerogative of the rich anymore,and that anyone can enjoy the joys of the Costa Brava. Of course in this new era of liberation for the working class was reflected in the films of the day.So Carry on Abroad (1972) went to Mediterranean island Elsbels,Are You Being Served? (1977 ) went to the sunny resort of Costa Plonka, (check out those hilarious comedy names for the foreign resorts).Mean while the cast of On the Buses for there third big screen outing go to the sunny climbs of Prestatyn, North Wales to enjoy the charms of a Butlins style holiday camp. So what happens when Town & District bus company two best or worst ( Stan Butler (Reg Varney) and Jack (Bob Grant) ), depending on your view-point,employees get sacked for being lecherous incompetent dim wits,well it seems they get employed by a holiday camp to take their campers on holiday tours.But of course all this holiday mischief just gives the boys more reasons to chase skirt,blow up toilet bowls,trying to have sex on a choppy ferry and just generally annoying Blakey (Stephen Lewis),who by coincidence got sacked and ended up at the same holiday camp as head security guard. The sauce level is raised slightly with a bit of nudity (female of course,not sure the world was ready for Reg and Bob to do full frontal nudity at that time.) and of course the highlight is the scene where Anna Karen as Olive,loses her bikini bottoms in the indoor swimming pool,and we get the full shot of her naked bottom. Alas reports has it that it was a stand in bottom and not Anna Karen's rear,also this seems to be one of the few times of any censorship problems,the bum shot is usually snipped if the film is shown during the daytime.So how does the Buses trilogy compare to other such great movie trilogies? Is it better than The Godfather films,definitely,better than Star Wars yes certainly,more funnier than Lord of the Rings maybe not.But does any of those films have geriatric love-making or Arthur Mullard no.

[Inspector Abberline]

Mutiny on the Buses (1972)


Stan's love life is the central focal point for this film as he tries to leave the nest and buy a house and gt married with one of the clippees,Susy (Janet Mahoney). Unfortunately for Stan his brother in law Arthur (Michael Robbins) has been made redundant,which leaves Stan the only bread winner in the family and unable to buy a flat.Stan's problems are even more compounded when the bus depot gets a new manager. Mutiny has a fairly thin plot,based mostly on the fact that Stan needs to raise some money to move out and get married,but every time he thinks he can get away something all ways goes horribly wrong and scuppers his plans on moving out. So we get a string of vignettes loosely based the fact that Stan is incompetent and Jack (Bob Grant) his conductor is even more useless,while also trying to outwit there nemesis Blakey (Stephen Lewis). Mean while back at the Butler house hold Olive (Anna Karen) has her hands full bring up little Arthur,who is constantly sitting on his potty,or in some cases his dads newly got busman's cap.Out of the three films this is the one that feels like it is just an extended episode of the television series,with one or two scenes taken directly from the television show.The main one being Olive getting jealous when Arthur starts chatting up a female conductor,and Olive getting more jealous by the minute.But the film starts to shift gear considerably in the right direction when the manager brings in a new route around the local safari,and Stan manages to blackmail the manager into giving him the job of driving to the Safari and earning more money and getting to wear a rather snazzy Roger Moore like safari uniform as the new driver for this job. It does not take much to make me smile,but nothing is guaranteed to get a grin on my face than seeing a chimpanzee trying to drive a bus,or wiggle his bottom in Stan's face.Of course it is all very childish stuff and its hard to believe that this was considered anything but low brow (nothing wrong with that) and makes your average Carry on film look like it was scripted by Noel Coward and Oscar Wilde.Still it has all the required ingredients,women in skimpy pants,monkeys and crushing a mini van.,

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by Inspector Abberline

Holiday On The Buses.1973.Bryan Izzard.Hammer Films.


The third and last in the trilogy this sees the cast go all HiDeHI as they go to Pontins holiday park at Prestatyn Sands near Rhyl Wales.So as you could imagine were not talking baking hot sun and golden beaches,so instead of Girls Go Wild style shenanigans we get to see Anna Karen in a rather ill fitting bikini and then her bum (although a stunt bum was used for the close up,and this is one of the few times I can re-call a censor cut when aired on TV one afternoon).Its basically Stan and Jack chasing birds but instead of clippies its holiday makers instead.Plot wise its just one mishap followed by another strung together with the odd close up shot of any passing cleavage.All the cast are present and correct although at the time Reg Varney and Michael Robbins had both left the TV series.Also unusually we got some 1970s star names turning up in the cast the wonderful Wilfred Brambell plays a lecherous OAP lusting after Doris Hare,we got the busty Kate Williams from Love Thy Neighbour as Blakeys love interest,yes you heard right,well up until Jack (Bob Grant) shags her and is caught in the act.Arthur Mullard and Queenie Watts play a pair of loud cockneys and Henry McGee straight man on The Benny Hill show as the camp manager.Listen this film is not going to convert you if your not a fan,neither will it please anybody remotely PC but you don't watch On The Buses for its politics.What I truly love about watching the films and Tv series is seeing another Britain,its basically my childhood in all its gaudy light browns and biege clothes and nicotine stained glory.Its been nearly 40 odd years since the shows were made and they still get watched,that alone speaks volumes.

Originally Posted by Inspector Abberline

Holiday on the Buses (1973)


Attachment 184775

With the package holiday boom of the 1970's in full swing,it seemed that the going abroad was no longer the prerogative of the rich anymore,and that anyone can enjoy the joys of the Costa Brava. Of course in this new era of liberation for the working class was reflected in the films of the day.So Carry on Abroad (1972) went to Mediterranean island Elsbels,Are You Being Served? (1977 ) went to the sunny resort of Costa Plonka, (check out those hilarious comedy names for the foreign resorts).Mean while the cast of On the Buses for there third big screen outing go to the sunny climbs of Prestatyn, North Wales to enjoy the charms of a Butlins style holiday camp. So what happens when Town & District bus company two best or worst ( Stan Butler (Reg Varney) and Jack (Bob Grant) ), depending on your view-point,employees get sacked for being lecherous incompetent dim wits,well it seems they get employed by a holiday camp to take their campers on holiday tours.But of course all this holiday mischief just gives the boys more reasons to chase skirt,blow up toilet bowls,trying to have sex on a choppy ferry and just generally annoying Blakey (Stephen Lewis),who by coincidence got sacked and ended up at the same holiday camp as head security guard. The sauce level is raised slightly with a bit of nudity (female of course,not sure the world was ready for Reg and Bob to do full frontal nudity at that time.) and of course the highlight is the scene where Anna Karen as Olive,loses her bikini bottoms in the indoor swimming pool,and we get the full shot of her naked bottom. Alas reports has it that it was a stand in bottom and not Anna Karen's rear,also this seems to be one of the few times of any censorship problems,the bum shot is usually snipped if the film is shown during the daytime.So how does the Buses trilogy compare to other such great movie trilogies? Is it better than The Godfather films,definitely,better than Star Wars yes certainly,more funnier than Lord of the Rings maybe not.But does any of those films have geriatric love-making or Arthur Mullard no.

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

I watched Adventures of a Plumbers Mate the other night. It's the second time Stephen Lewis co-starred. Both times he looked and sounded just like Blakey.

I hope this isn't a stupid question but did the Buses totally type cast him for the rest of his career?

[Inspector Abberline]

Originally Posted by Demdike@Cult Labs

I watched Adventures of a Plumbers Mate the other night. It's the second time Stephen Lewis co-starred. Both times he both looked and sounded just like Blakey.

I hope this isn't a stupid question but did the Buses totally type cast him for the rest of his career?

simply answered yes,he pulled the same faces in Last of the Summer Wine.

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by Inspector Abberline

simply answered yes,he pulled the same faces in Last of the Summer Wine.

Thanks.

If you don't have them i recommend the three Adventures films to you, Inspector. They are probably right up your street.

[Inspector Abberline]

Originally Posted by Demdike@Cult Labs

Thanks.

If you don't have them i recommend the three Adventures films to you, Inspector. They are probably right up your street.

The last time I watched them was when my dad rented them on betamax,I managed to watch them when parents went out. I did watch the Confessions movies recently and found them a bit dire,but im fickle.

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by Inspector Abberline

The last time I watched them was when my dad rented them on betamax,I managed to watch them when parents went out. I did watch the Confessions movies recently and found them a bit dire,but im fickle.

They do lack Jack and Stan i admit.

[Susan Foreman]

Caroline Munro in 'On the Buses'. Allegedly she was picked to appear in 'Dracula AD '72' on the strength of this poster!

[Susan Foreman]

Meanwhile, in an alternate reality...