Films with a Beat Boxset

Description

A selection of films that preserve a fifties and sixties Britain we remember with affection. 8 film collection on three DVDs.

Live It Up 1963 – Directed by Lance Comfort. Stars: David Hemmings and Jennifer Moss; features Gene Vincent, Steve Marriott, The Outlaws, Patsy Ann Noble, Heinz Burt and Kenny Ball & His Jazzmen. Dave and his mates are GPO despatch riders who dream of becoming as big as The Beatles with their own group The Smart Alecs.

Every Day’s a Holiday 1965 – Directed by James Hill. Stars: John Leyton, Mike Sarne, Ron Moody, Grazina Frame and Freddie and the Dreamers. The plot involves a group of teenagers who take up jobs working in a seaside resort for the summer and find friendship, love and music together in a pop musical.

The Primitives 1962 – Director:  Alfred Travers. Stars: Jan Holden, Rio Fanning and Bill Edwards. A group of night club musicians, featuring an exotic dancer, commit jewel robberies wherever they perform.

Be My Guest 1965 – Director: Lance Comfort. Stars: David Hemmings and Steve Marriott. Features: Jerry Lee Lewis, The Nashville Teens and The Niteshades. A family from London move to Brighton to run a hotel. In order for them to publicise the hotel they set up a musical talent show, the “Amateur Upstairs”, and every local band believes it could be their one chance at the big time.

Dateline Diamonds 1966 – Director: Jeremy Summers. Stars:  William Lucas, Kenneth Cope and the Small Faces. Features The Chantelles and Kiki Dee. Lester Benson manages one of the biggest rock bands in 1960s Britain, the Small Faces, but he is hiding a secret.

The Golden Disc 1958 – Director: Don Sharp. Stars: Lee Patterson, Mary Steele & Terry Dene. Also features: Phil Seamen Jazz Group; Sonny Stewart & his Skiffle Kings and more. A young pop composer and singer bankrolled by Aunt Sarah open a coffee bar. They are joined by budding singer Terry Dene as himself. Dene sings at the café and unable to get a record deal they start their own record label.

Band of Thieves 1962 – Director: Peter Bezencenet. Stars: Acker Bilk, Geoffrey Sumner and Jennifer Jayne. Jazz musician Acker Bilk plays himself in this cinematic jam session of music, melodrama and comedy. The story follows a jazz band made up of ex-convicts.

Tell Me Another: Exclusive Interviews with Acker Bilk filmed in 1976 – Extracts of a selection of topics covered by Acker Bilk and personal anecdotes as told to Dick Hills on the show Tell Me Another.