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Beat Girl
[Blu-ray]
Blu-ray ALL - United Kingdom - British Film Institute Review written by and copyright: James-Masaki Ryan (24th April 2016). |
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The Film
 “Beat Girl” (1960) Mr. Linden (played by David Farrar) has just returned home to England after a lengthy three month trip. In addition, he has also remarried and brought his new 24-year old French wife Nichole (played by Noëlle Adam) home for the first time - something that doesn’t sit well with Linden’s 16-year old daughter Jennifer (played by Gillian Hills). The new step-mother tries to make things comfortable and cool with the new relationship of a new daughter, but Jennifer makes things difficult as she doesn’t feel like connecting to the woman who stole her father away and is pushing away the memories of her mother. Jennifer is already rebellious, as part of the beatnik crowd of friends. One day she and her friends spot Nichole conversing with a woman on the street - Greta Delphi Lawrence, a woman who is a stripper at a nearby club. Jennifer sees that there must be something that Nichole is keeping secret and tries to expose the truth about her past - one that sends Jennifer down a dark and dangerous path, and one that would jeopardize the family altogether… Hollywood films of the 1950s were making a splash with youth oriented pictures. “Rebel Without a Cause” starring James Dean changed the business greatly, and later low budget teen oriented movies from major studios as well as the indies like Roger Corman produced films would swamp the marketplace. The influence came overseas to the UK as well, and “Beat Girl” takes the teen drama and dials it up with its risqué scenes. The appeal to teens were thrown altogether - cool new music with hip dialogue, angst against parents and society, disregard for law and morals, and of course lots of skin in strip club scenes. The amount of skin shown in the strip club scenes were actually quite surprising in the finished film, though nipples are covered in pasties and g-strings are worn to comply with censors. But just barely. Like “Rebel Without a Cause”, the film is a time capsule that has dated heavily, but is a great look at a time and place not frequently seen in cinema of the mainstream. Although slightly differing is that the story is not entirely in the perspective of the young Jennifer, as there are quite a few scenes with the father and step-mother so there is a matter of either giving the youth a perspective of the parents that should be considered, or that it was a way to have the parents flock to the cinemas as well… or probably not. One of the biggest highlights of “Beat Girl” is the soundtrack by John Barry, a few years prior to his breakthrough work on the James Bond films. This was the first UK film to get an LP soundtrack album and it was a huge hit. For more modern audiences it is still recognizable as being one of many songs sampled by Fatboy Slim on his first major hit “The Rockafeller Skank” from 1998. Another major point that will take viewers by surprise is the sleazy yet menacing strip club owner Kenny King played by the long thought-to-be-immortal actor Christopher Lee. Things don’t get scarier than that in casting. This film was the introduction of Gillian Hills to an English audience, who had one screen credit prior in the French film directed by Roger Vadim “Les liaisons dangereuses” one year prior, so her screen credit is “introducing Gillian Hills”. In a common trend to cast actors much older than their scripted parts, Hills actually was 16 years old at the time of release. She does an admirable job but nothing near the power of James Dean which is an unfair comparison. Her friends in the film were an impressive roster of names of up and comers - singer Adam Faith, actor Oliver Reed, and actress Shirley Anne Field had small roles mostly dancing or singing along, especially with Faith performing with his guitar in scenes. David Farrar) playing the strict father didn’t actually seem strict or caring enough but maybe that was the point. In “Rebel Without a Cause” the father lost some of his masculine power, as witnessed with the apron, but in “Beat Girl”, he’s a city planner more interested in his model city rather than his own daughter. The building of the model city and distancing himself from everything in a godlike stance is interesting, but the film doesn’t seem to emphasize it enough. “Beat Girl” has its moments but it is closer to a footnote of the time rather than a mirror of the time. Interestingly, the film was a big hit in the UK but consequently banned in France, Italy, and other countries do to the content. Seems it was too much for those places at the time. The 50s lingo used such as “Daddy-o!” and “Square” is a bit on the corny side in hindsight, but that’s just how things were. Dig it! Note that this Blu-ray presents three versions of the film: The original theatrical version, an alternative version, and an extended version. The original theatrical version is what was shown in UK cinemas, with the naughty striptease acts and a stabbing scene that will be a spoiler to discuss more. The alternative version has the above scenes in a tamer form as well as some additional scenes near the start of the film. The extended version is the theatrical version with the additional scenes integrated. Note this is a region ALL Blu-ray which can be played back on any Blu-ray player worldwide
Video
BFI presents the film in all three versions in 1080p in the theatrical 1.66:1 aspect ratio in the AVC MPEG-4 codec. For the original theatrical version, the 35mm camera negative has been scanned at 2K and the results are quite spectacular. The black and white photography looks pristine with very little damage seen throughout. For the alternative scenes in the alternate version, the quality drops just a bit though it is not distracting with 35mm elements replacing the certain scenes. As for the additional footage in the extended and alternate versions, this sticks out like a sore thumb. Coming from a Digibeta tape master, the reintegrated scenes are dull, blurry, and terrible in quality, but it was the best that could be offered. The original theatrical version runs 87:42. The alternative version runs 92:09. The extended version runs 92:38.
Audio
English LPCM 2.0 mono Dig that rockin’ music in its monaural glory. The soundtrack has also been cleaned and remastered in lossless mono, and the dialogue and John Barry’s music sound very good here, with no problems of audio cracks or pops. There are optional English HoH subtitles for all three versions of the film in a white font.
Extras
This is a 2-disc dual format Blu-ray + DVD release, and there are some differences between the Blu-ray and DVD content, most notably the Blu-ray offers three version of the film while the DVD only offers the original and extended versions only. The full details are listed below: DISC ONE (Blu-ray) An Interview with Gillian Hills (25:26) This newly conducted interview has Hills recalling the cast and director, the trouble with the nudity in the film as she was underage, and a little about her later career in music, film, and television. Note that the Blu-ray displays the audio as “French” but it is in fact in English. in 1080p, in 1.78:1, in English LPCM 2.0 "Cross-Roads" 1955 short film by John Fitchen (19:17) Starring Christopher Lee in a supernatural short film that pre-dates his piercing eyes as “Dracula”. It is quite a fun little short film but director John Fitchen never really had a directing career, with IMDB only noting one other directing credit for television. It may be no surprise as to sorely say the direction and editing of the short was not that great. Note that the Blu-ray displays the audio as “French” but it is in fact in English. in 1080p, in 1.33:1, in English LPCM 2.0 "Beauty in Brief" c.1955 short (3:50) Ooh la la! A naughty film with an uncredited lady undressing and dressing for the camera. How titillating though it must be noted that she must be somebody’s great grandmother now… in 1080p, in 1.33:1, Music LPCM 2.0 "Goodnight with Sabrina" c.1958 short (3:49) Another naughty film, though this one is credited to Sabrina the blonde bombshell undressing and taking a bubble bath. in 1080p, in 1.33:1, Muisc LPCM 2.0 DISC TWO (DVD Copy) Alternative Sequences (3 mins) The sequences that were exclusive to the alternative version of the film are presented here separately. An Interview with Gillian Hills (25 mins) "Cross-Roads" 1955 short film by John Fitchen (19 mins) "Beauty in Brief" c.1955 short (4 mins) "Goodnight with Sabrina" c.1958 short (4 mins) The above extras are identical to those on the Blu-ray but in standard definition PAL. Booklet There is a lengthy booklet included. First is ”Gillian Hills remembers Beat Girl”, a self written essay with major spoilers within, though most of it is repeated in the 25 minute video interview. The essay ”Beat Girl: Dig That, Daddy-o!” written by BFI curator Vic Pratt is next, being an overview of the film. Next is the essay “John Barry and Beat Girl”, focusing on the music aspect and is written by Trunk Records founder Johnny Trunk. A biography of director Edmond T. Greville is also available, written by BFI curator Jo Botting. Finally, there are the film’s cast and crew credits, special features credits, and notes on the transfers. One thing conspicuously missing is English subtitles for the bonus features. Previous BFI Blu-rays and DVDs offered English subtitles on the extras, but for some reason, the three recent BFI Flipside releases “Beat Girl”, “Expresso Bongo”, and “Symptoms” are missing them. Why BFI stopped the practice is a mystery as it was always a given that there would be captioned extras.
Packaging
This is spine #30 of the BFI Flipside series, showcasing various offbeat, forgotten, and overlooked British films.
Overall
“Beat Girl” is an interesting film showcasing the rebellious UK youth culture of the late 1950’s, with music and sexuality, a precursor to what was to come in the 1960’s, making it dated almost immediately. BFI’s Blu-ray presenting three versions of the film with very good extras makes this yet another winner in the Flipside series.
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