''The Other Side of the Underneath'' is a 1972 British film written and directed by Jane Arden and starring Sheila Allen, Liz Danciger,

Penny Slinger Penny Slinger, sometimes Penelope Slinger, is a British-born American artist and author based in California. As an artist, she has worked in different mediums, including photography, film and sculpture. Her work has been described as being in the g ...

Ann Lynn Elizabeth Ann Lynn (7 November 1933 – 30 August 2020) was a British actress, especially prominent during the British New Wave of the 1960s, appearing in many films that represented what is known as kitchen sink realism. Lynn's career spanne ...

, and Suzanka Fraey. Other members of the Holocaust Theatre Company appear in the film. It is the only British feature film in the 1970s to be solely directed by a woman. Jane Arden herself also appears in the film. The title of the film is taken from a line in Arden's play ''Vagina Rex and the Gas Oven'', which was a huge success at the London Arts Lab in 1969. It is an adaptation of Arden's 1971 play ''A New Communion for Freaks, Prophets and Witches''.

Legacy

The film had almost mythical status amongst fans of radical,

experimental cinema Experimental film or avant-garde cinema is a mode of filmmaking that rigorously re-evaluates cinematic conventions and explores non-narrative forms or alternatives to traditional narratives or methods of working. Many experimental films, parti ...

, partly because of its visionary and disturbing depictions of the mental state of its schizophrenic protagonist, and also its unavailability. Until the July 2009 showings at the

National Film Theatre BFI Southbank (from 1951 to 2007, known as the National Film Theatre) is the leading repertory cinema in the UK, specialising in seasons of classic, independent and non-English language films. It is operated by the British Film Institute. Hist ...

(BFI South Bank) and The

Cube Microplex The Cube Microplex is cinema and event venue in Bristol, England. It operates as a non-profit cooperative and is entirely staffed by volunteers. Since opening in 1998 it has hosted international and local artistic and cultural events including f ...

Bristol Bristol () is a city, ceremonial county and unitary authority in England. Situated on the River Avon, it is bordered by the ceremonial counties of Gloucestershire to the north and Somerset to the south. Bristol is the most populous city in ...

, it had not been publicly shown anywhere since a July 1983

tribute to Arden, who had committed suicide at the end of the previous year. The

British Film Institute The British Film Institute (BFI) is a film and television charitable organisation which promotes and preserves film-making and television in the United Kingdom. The BFI uses funds provided by the National Lottery to encourage film production, ...

restored and remastered the film for DVD and Blu-ray release on 13 July 2009. The Other Side of the Underneath was re-released simultaneously with Arden's other two feature films Separation (1967) and

Anti-Clock ''Anti-Clock'' is a 1979 science fiction film written and directed by Jane Arden (director), Jane Arden and co-directed by Jack Bond (director), Jack Bond. In the film, dreams are imaged in computerized video. The film, which stars Arden's so ...

(1979); all three films were collaborations with the producer/director Jack Bond. The film's credits boast a rich array of talent. In addition to Arden and many actors from her renowned Holocaust Theatre Company, the film was produced and co-photographed by Jack Bond, co-photographed by Aubrey Dewar and edited by David Mingay (who later went on to direct films such as

Rude Boy Rude boy, rudeboy, rudie, rudi, and rudy are slang terms that originated in 1960s Jamaican street culture, and that are still used today. In the late 1970s, there was a revival in England of the terms ''rude boy'' and ''rude girl'', among other ...

, 1980), and Robert Hargreaves. Alcohol and LSD use was rampant from the crew during production, particularly with Arden.

Production

The locations for the films were primarily in and around the Welsh mining communities of

Abertillery Abertillery (; cy, Abertyleri) is a town and a community of the Ebbw Fach valley in the historic county of Monmouthshire, Wales. Following local government reorganisation it became part of the Blaenau Gwent County Borough administrative area. ...

and

Cwmtillery Cwmtillery () (population 2011. 4800) is a ward of Abertillery. Located within the historic boundaries of Monmouthshire, it is part of the administrative area of the county borough of Blaenau Gwent, Wales. Etymology The name of the ward me ...

Monmouthshire Monmouthshire ( cy, Sir Fynwy) is a county in the south-east of Wales. The name derives from the historic county of the same name; the modern county covers the eastern three-fifths of the historic county. The largest town is Abergavenny, with ...

. One early episode was filmed at the

Newport Transporter Bridge The Newport Transporter Bridge ( cy, Pont Gludo Casnewydd) is a transporter bridge that crosses the River Usk in Newport, South East Wales. The bridge is the lowest crossing on the River Usk. It is a Grade I listed structure. It is one of f ...

. The extraordinary soundtrack to the film was primarily the work of the cellist Sally Minford who appears, actually playing the

cello The cello ( ; plural ''celli'' or ''cellos'') or violoncello ( ; ) is a Bow (music), bowed (sometimes pizzicato, plucked and occasionally col legno, hit) string instrument of the violin family. Its four strings are usually intonation (music), t ...

, in many interior and exterior scenes, and the sound editor Robert Hargreaves.

Cast

* Sheila Allen as Meg the Peg * Susanka Fraey * Liz Danciger * Ann Lynn * Penny Slinger * Jane Arden as Therapist * Sally Minford as Cellist * Jenny Moss * Liz Kustow * Rosie Marcham * Elaine Donovan * Bill Deasey

References

BFI The British Film Institute (BFI) is a film and television charitable organisation which promotes and preserves film-making and television in the United Kingdom. The BFI uses funds provided by the National Lottery to encourage film production, ...

DVD Booklet for The Other Side of the Underneath Various Authors

2009

External links

* 1972 films British drama films Films directed by Jane Arden 1970s English-language films 1970s British films {{1970s-UK-film-stub