Last British B Movie?

[pandaperson]

What was the last British fiction B movie to be made specifically to run before an A film? 'The Wicker Man' played before 'Don't Look Now' but am sure it wasn't made specifically as a B movie. What film gets this honour?

[Mark O]

Difficult one there, though a B-movie that comes to mind is one discussed on the forum within the past year, I honestly can't recall the title or thread, which I recall seeing at a Cinema about 1977 or 78, I think there was a 'Saint' type Volvo in it and had something to with spying and espionage, one thing that I do strongly recall is the film crew being turned on and gunned down at the end inside an apartment block on the landing or stairs.

[julian_craster]

I think one would need to define what is a 'B' movie, in terms of budget, running time etc. before answering this, but the traditional B/W 'B' movie probably ended around 1966......



Can co-features be regarded as'B' movies ?

[batman]

According to the Chibnall/McFarlane book proper 'Bs' fizzled out around 1965. Perhaps one of the Edgar Wallace series or a Butcher's epic has that honour. The ones Mark O are thinking are probably Lindsey Shonteff's spy thrillers .... these were low budget, but were not intended as 'B' pictures. Hammer's output consisted of co-features into the 70s, but I wouldn't consider them 'B' pictures either.

[Mr Sloane]

name='batman' date='12 June 2010 - 12:16 PM' timestamp='1276341415' post='439082']

According to the Chibnall/McFarlane book proper 'Bs' fizzled out around 1965. Perhaps one of the Edgar Wallace series or a Butcher's epic has that honour. The ones Mark O are thinking are probably Lindsey Shonteff's spy thrillers .... these were low budget, but were not intended as 'B' pictures. Hammer's output consisted of co-features into the 70s, but I wouldn't consider them 'B' pictures either.

The last one I can remember seeing was an Edgar Wallace with Carry on Spying all I can remember is a white car going over a cliff.

[julian_craster]

Sounds like Smokescreen (1964)......



Two of the last traditional Bs were Dateline Diamonds and Who Killed the Cat ? (both released in 1966)

[Mr Sloane]

name='julian_craster' date='12 June 2010 - 03:06 PM' timestamp='1276351567' post='439159']

Sounds like Smokescreen (1964)......



Two of the last traditional Bs were Dateline Diamonds and Who Killed the Cat ? (both released in 1966)

That seems to be one John Carson and Brighton ring a bell.

[batman]

name='Mr Sloane' date='12 June 2010 - 12:40 PM' timestamp='1276342830' post='439096']

The last one I can remember seeing was an Edgar Wallace with Carry on Spying all I can remember is a white car going over a cliff.

It wasn't ITCs favourite white Jag was it?

[Folkal Point]

When I was a lot younger and incredibly stupid I went to see "Confessions Of A Window Cleaner" in 1974. The support feature was a film called "Assassin" with Ian Hendry and a whole host of British film/tv stalwarts. I don't know if it was made as a "B" movie, but it was one whole lot better than the main film.

[Mr Cosmo]

name='Folkal Point' date='13 June 2010 - 09:39 AM' timestamp='1276418392' post='439424']

When I was a lot younger and incredibly stupid I went to see "Confessions Of A Window Cleaner" in 1974. The support feature was a film called "Assassin" with Ian Hendry and a whole host of British film/tv stalwarts. I don't know if it was made as a "B" movie, but it was one whole lot better than the main film.

Thank you for getting the post back on track.

I recall seeing "Assassin" as the support to 'The Adventures Of Barry McKenzie' in 1972. I must admit I thought it was truly dreadful, and with Barry McKenzie to come as the main feature, it was not a particularly memorable evening out.

[Joe Fraguela]

name='Mr Sloane' date='12 June 2010 - 12:40 PM' timestamp='1276342830' post='439096']

The last one I can remember seeing was an Edgar Wallace with Carry on Spying all I can remember is a white car going over a cliff.

That Edgar Wallace Mystery Film was Never Mention Murder (1964) which starred Maxine Audley, Michael Coles, Dudley Foster & Pauline Yates.

[Rowdon]

name='Mark O' date='12 June 2010 - 12:05 PM' timestamp='1276340754' post='439070']

Difficult one there, though a B-movie that comes to mind is one discussed on the forum within the past year, I honestly can't recall the title or thread, which I recall seeing at a Cinema about 1977 or 78, I think there was a 'Saint' type Volvo in it and had something to with spying and espionage, one thing that I do strongly recall is the film crew being turned on and gunned down at the end inside an apartment block on the landing or stairs.

That film, whatever it was, was the subject of a Name the Film thread a while back. I don't think it was ever identified, although a few people had seen it/heard of it.

[Rick C]

Rowdon, I think it was about the time last year we were all going on a wild goose chase regarding what film "The Anna Contract" was a support to which also had a Volvo in it?



Am I right in thinking there were TWO types of Volvo during the length of The Saint TV series-one a traditional saloon version followed by the more sporty coupe?



In which case could our threadstarter help us out with a description? Having been in the transport business myself many years ago, I may have friends out there who can spot the model-and the film-on Classic Car or whatever.



Incidentally, wasn't it a Volvo traditional saloon which was the star OF the aforementioned 'Dateline Diamonds'?

[TurboZed]

went to see "something" at the cinema I would guess in the late 70s, god knows what, but they played the 1978 version of 39steps starring Robert Powell. I have no idea if it was specially made as a B movie though....

[pandaperson]

Hi everyone,

Thanks so much for all your thoughts so far. There doesn't seem to be one definitive last British B movie. Shame...a symptom of how historians have undervalued the British B movie thus far. I will definately try and see films like Never Mention Murder, Assasin, Dateline Diamonds and Who Killed the Cat. Now, here's a thought...what was the FIRST British B movie? What were cinema programmes like in the silent days? I am imagining that very early films circa 1895-1905 would have been short but would have also topped the bill? There must have great figures making British B films in the silent days. I am ashamed to say I do not know their names....

[julian_craster]

Has anbody seen Diana Dors in this ?





Bedtime With Rosie (1974):

http://www.imdb.com/...073638/combined



Could this be called a 'late 'B' movie' ?



The producer of this movie, Michael Fenton died recently . See the obituary here:

http://www.britmovie...ael-fenton-rip/

[Gerald Lovell]

Of course, the Monty Python answer to this is The Crimson Permanent Assurance.

[alan french]

Hi,

I agree there was a short film called THE ANNA CONTRACT. I know a little about it, and know at least one person who was in it, who is a friend of mine. It was shown as a B movie to THE STUD. Whether it was the last B movie in this country, I am not sure. But it must have certainly been one of the last.



Alan French.

[alan french]

Hi again,

I have just looked at the BFI website reference to THE ANNA CONTRACT. It is copyrighted 1977.

I believe that some members of The Finchley Cine Society and possibly some other people found they were in a position to form a film company. I do know that some were BBC employees and held appropriate union cards. The film was made, and became successful.

The person I know, used to be in The Finchley club as well as ours in Hemel Hempstead. I do not know if he still belongs to Finchley or not, but he still is a member of our club. He is only seen for a few seconds as a security guard. I will try and find out more about the film and see if it is known to be the last British B movie.



Alan French.

[Mark O]

name='alan french' date='16 June 2010 - 04:39 PM' timestamp='1276702740' post='440762']

Hi,

I agree there was a short film called THE ANNA CONTRACT. I know a little about it, and know at least one person who was in it, who is a friend of mine. It was shown as a B movie to THE STUD. Whether it was the last B movie in this country, I am not sure. But it must have certainly been one of the last.



Alan French.

The Stud must have been at the same time as I saw The Anna contract, more than probably was, naughty me not even 18 yet going to see the bitch swinging, literally.



Can't think of any british B-feature since then, though as has been said, maybe The Anna contract wasn't an official B-film?



Around that time there were some dreadful Italian?/German?, definitely European B-films shown as support for main features, all dubbed, all forgettable.