Confessions Of A Pop Performer
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''Confessions of a Pop Performer'' (also known as ''Timothy Lea's'' ''Confessions of a Pop Performer'') is a 1975 British sex-farce film directed by
Norman Cohen Norman Cohen (11 June 1936 in Dublin – 26 October 1983 in Van Nuys, California) was an Irish film director and producer, best known for directing two feature films based on television comedy programmes, ''Till Death Us Do Part (film), Till ...
and starring
Robin Askwith Robin Mark Askwith (born 12 October 1950) is an English actor and singer who has appeared in a number of film, television and stage productions. Making his film debut as Keating in the film '' if....'' (1968), a role he would reprise in '' Brit ...
and
Anthony Booth Anthony George Booth (9 October 1931 – 25 September 2017) was an English actor, often known for his role as Mike Rawlins in the BBC series '' Till Death Us Do Part''. He was the father-in-law of former prime minister Tony Blair Sir ...
. It is the second instalment in the ''Confessions'' series and continues the erotic adventures of Timothy Lea, based on the Christopher Wood novel ''Confessions from the Pop Scene''.


Plot

Sidney overhears a band in his local pub and aspires to be their manager, not so ably assisted by his brother-in-law, Timmy, both still window cleaning for a living. They rename the band Kipper and after a misfortune, Timmy joins the line-up and many sexual encounters follow as a result. Unfortunately, Timmy's natural talent is more mayhem than rock star and disaster ensues of mostly the semi-clothed kind.


Cast


Soundtrack

''Confessions of a Pop Performer'' was the only film in the series to spawn a soundtrack album (
Polydor Polydor Limited, also known as Polydor Records, is a British record label that operates as part of Universal Music Group. It has a close relationship with Universal's Interscope Geffen A&M Records label, which distributes Polydor's releases in ...
2383350), with musical numbers produced by
Ed Welch Edward William Welch (born 22 October 1947) is an English songwriter, composer, conductor and arranger. Early life and education Ed Welch had a classical music upbringing. He attended Christ Church Cathedral School from 1957–1961, where ...
, and credited to the film's fictional groups Kipper and The Climax Sisters, the latter played by Diane Langton and Linda Regan in the film, although Sue Martine provides Regan's singing voice. All lead vocals for Kipper were sung by Maynard Williams. The album also includes music from ''
Confessions of a Window Cleaner ''Confessions of a Window Cleaner'' is a 1974 British sex comedy film, directed by Val Guest.Leach, p.132 Like the other films in the ''Confessions'' series; ''Confessions of a Pop Performer'', '' Confessions of a Driving Instructor'' and '' C ...
'' (1974) and in-character ‘Timmy Chat’ from Robin Askwith 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)


Critical Reaction

''
Monthly Film Bulletin The ''Monthly Film Bulletin'' was a periodical of the British Film Institute published monthly from February 1934 until April 1991, when it merged with '' Sight & Sound''. It reviewed all films on release in the United Kingdom, including those wi ...
'' said "Creaky gags, overly familiar slapstick routines, sniggering innuendo, grimly leaden mugging and a nervously regular injection of titillating sequences on the lines of the average German sex comedy: the follow-up to the huge box-office success of ''
Confessions of a Window Cleaner ''Confessions of a Window Cleaner'' is a 1974 British sex comedy film, directed by Val Guest.Leach, p.132 Like the other films in the ''Confessions'' series; ''Confessions of a Pop Performer'', '' Confessions of a Driving Instructor'' and '' C ...
'' is everything one has come to dread in British comedy. With hindsight, there seems to be a certain inevitability about this crossing of the ''
Carry On Carry On may refer to: Film * ''Carry On'' (film), a 1927 British silent film * ''Carry On'' (franchise), a British comedy media franchise *''Carry-On'', a 2024 American action thriller film Music Albums * ''Carry On'' (Chris Cornell album) * '' ...
'' series (now well into middle age) with the ethos of the working class anti-heroes that emerged in the early Sixties: Sidney James has found his younger alter ego in the charmless Robin Askwith, a kind of callow ''reductio ad absurdum'' of the early
Albert Finney Albert Finney (9 May 1936 – 7 February 2019) was an English actor. He attended the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and worked in the theatre before attaining fame for movie acting during the early 1960s, debuting with '' The Entertainer'' ( ...
/
Tom Courtenay Sir Thomas Daniel Courtenay (; born 25 February 1937) is an English actor. After studying at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, he achieved prominence in the 1960s as part of actors of the British New Wave. Courtenay has received numerous acco ...
characters. In this light, the trundling out of the gorilla suit from ''
Morgan Morgan may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Morgan – A Suitable Case for Treatment'', also called ''Morgan!'', a 1966 comedy film * ''Morgan'' (2012 film), an American drama * ''Morgan'' (2016 film), an American science fiction thriller * ...
'' seems to be a particularly cynical nail driven into the coffin." ''The
Radio Times ''Radio Times'' is a British weekly listings magazine devoted to television and radio programme schedules, with other features such as interviews, film reviews and lifestyle items. Founded in September 1923 by John Reith, then general manage ...
Guide to Films'' gave the film 1/5 stars, writing: "Robin Askwith abandons his window-cleaning round to help organise a tour for a band of no-hopers and finds himself knee-deep in groupies (the finale at the Palladium has to be seen to be believed). Askwith struggles with a dismal script and comes off much better than
Tony Blair Sir Anthony Charles Lynton Blair (born 6 May 1953) is a British politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1997 to 2007 and Leader of the Labour Party (UK), Leader of the Labour Party from 1994 to 2007. He was Leader ...
's father-in-law, Anthony Booth." ''Confessions of a Pop Performer'' was voted joint ‘Worst British Film of 1975’ by ''
Sight & Sound ''Sight and Sound'' (formerly written ''Sight & Sound'') is a monthly film magazine published by the British Film Institute (BFI). Since 1952, it has conducted the well-known decennial ''Sight and Sound'' Poll of the Greatest Films of All Time. ...
'' magazine, tying with ''
The Rocky Horror Picture Show ''The Rocky Horror Picture Show'' is a 1975 independent musical comedy horror film produced by Lou Adler and Michael White, directed by Jim Sharman, and distributed by 20th Century Fox. The screenplay was written by Sharman and Richard O ...
''.


References


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Confessions Of A Pop Performer Confessions film series 1975 films 1970s sex comedy films Films shot at EMI-Elstree Studios 1970s English-language films Films about music and musicians Films based on British novels Films directed by Norman Cohen British sex comedy films Films with screenplays by Christopher Wood (writer) 1975 comedy films 1970s British films English-language sex comedy films