Confessions of a Pop Performer
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Confessions of a Pop Performer is a 1975 British sex-farce film.
Like the other films in the Confessions series; Confessions of a Window Cleaner, Confessions of a Driving Instructor and Confessions from a Holiday Camp this second instalment concerns the erotic adventures of Timothy Lea and is based on the novels of Christopher Wood, writing as Timothy Lea. Wood's original novel was called Confessions from the Pop Scene[1], but was later re-released with the films title[2]. A May 1975 preview of the film in Titbits magazine refers to the film as ‘Confessions of a Pop Star’, possibly its shooting title. Pop Performer was the only film in the series to spawn a soundtrack album, with musical numbers produced by Ed Welch, and credited to the film’s fictional groups Kipper, and The Climax Sisters (played by Diane Langton and Linda Regan in the film, although Sue Martine provides Regan’s singing voice). The album also includes music from Confessions of a Window Cleaner and in-character ‘Timmy Chat’ from Robin Askwith.
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[edit] Critical Reaction
Confessions of a Pop Performer was voted joint ‘worst british film of 1975’ by Sight and Sound magazine, tying with The Rocky Horror Picture Show. When the films were originally released they were regarded as very risqué and essentially soft core pornography, owing to the amount of nudity involved - generally female, with Robin Askwith being only the only male shown naked. However the sex scenes themselves are more suggestive than explicit, being essentally played for laughs. Nonetheless, it was not until 1997 that Channel 5 became the first British terrestrial channel to show the entire series of Confessions films. At this time the Daily Mail newspaper was very critical of the sexual content of Channel 5's late night schedule, referring to Channel 5 as Channel Filth and the Confessions series as "Films from the darkest days of British cinema".
[edit] Cast
- Robin Askwith .... Timothy Lea
- Anthony Booth .... Sidney Noggett
- Sheila White .... Rosie Noggett
- Doris Hare .... Mrs. Lea
- Bill Maynard .... Mr. Lea
- Peter Cleall .... Nutter Normington
- Bob Todd .... Mr Barnwell
- Jill Gascoine .... Mrs Barnwell
- Peter Jones .... Maxy Naus
- Carol Hawkins .... Jill Brown
- Diane Langton .... Ruby Climax
- Linda Regan .... Brenda Climax
- Rita Webb .... Fanny's Mother
- Helli Louise .... Eva
- Ian Lavender .... Rodney
- Bill Pertwee .... Husband with javelin
- Dave Prowse .... Man at Cinema
- Rula Lenska .... Receptionist
- Andee Cromarty .... Fanny
[edit] Soundtrack listing
(Original album)
Side 1
- Confessions of Timmy Tea (Three’s a Crowd)
- Timmy Chat (Robin Askwith)
- The Clapham (Kipper)
- Oh Sha La La (Kipper)
- Accidents will Happen (Kipper)
- Timmy Chat (Robin Askwith)
- I Need You (like a hole in the head!) (The Climax Sisters)
- Kipper (Kipper)
- Timmy Chat (Robin Askwith)
Side 2
- Hell of a Fuss (Teddy Palmer and the Rumble Band)
- Pop Performer Medley (Fire and Foam, See Though Jazz, The Crash, Timmy Goes Shopping, Theme for Truncheon and Helmet)
- Timmy Chat (Robin Askwith)
- This is your Life (Three’s a Crowd)
- Charlie Snowgarden (Sam Sklair)
- Timmy Chat (Robin Askwith)
- Confessions of Timmy Tea (reprise) (Three’s a Crowd)
[edit] Details
- Director: Norman Cohen
- Run time: 90 minutes
- Country of Origin: United Kingdom
- Language: English
- In colour
Hardware from Gerry Anderson's UFO Moonbase set was recycled as part of the interior of the record shop in Borehamwood High Street.
[edit] References
Keeping the British End Up: Four Decades of Saucy Cinema by Simon Sheridan (third edition) (2007) (Reynolds & Hearn Books)
