Cheap Carry On Camping (Video) (Sid James, Kenneth Williams) (Gerald Thomas) Price

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Customer Reviews of Carry On Camping

"All my life, I've been like an unused clockwork toy."
In the British comedy, "Carry On Camping," Sid Boggle (Sid James) and Bernie Lugg (Bernard Bresslaw) take their girlfriends to see a film about nudist camping. The film is supposed to be an icebreaker, but the fact that Joan Fussey (Joan Sims) and Anthea (Dilys Lane) are outraged by the film doesn't deter Sid from plotting a cosy holiday for four at the Paradise Nudist Camp. Unfortunately, things don't go and smoothly as planned, and Sid, Bernie, Joan, and Anthea end up camping in a grotty field owned by crafty farmer, Mr Fiddler. Things look grim for Sid's devious plans, but then a busload of budding schoolgirls arrives from Chayste Place led by headmaster Doctor Soaper (Kenneth Williams), and Matron, Miss Haggerd (Hattie Jacques). The effervescent Barbara Windsor stars as one of the more mischief-seeking schoolgirls.

To add to the merriment, various other peculiar campers also merge onto Farmer Fiddler's field. Mr and Mrs Potter are perennial campers. Mr Potter longs to dump the tent and the tandem, but Mrs Potter skillfully ignores all of her husband's objections while she giggles in the most annoying fashion. Charlie Muggins (Charles Hawtrey)--is a tentless hiker who "isn't fussy" where he sleeps, and he enroaches on everyone's politeness. The film is worth renting just to see Hawtrey in shorts.

The "Carry-On" team produced a large number of films from the 50s through the 70s, and the team consisted of a core group of British comedians with new talent added for each film--I suppose the closest equivalent in America would be National Lampoon films. A great deal of the comedy is in the double entendre lines delivered almost non-stop. And while the films are loaded with adult subject matter, it's really all good clean fun in the end. If you've never watched a "carry-on" film before, I recommend starting with either "Carry-On Camping" or "Carry-On Nurse." These are both gems and some of the best in the series. Unfortunately, most of the films are of rather poor quality, but if you're like me, you're grateful for what you can get--displacedhuman

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Silly full-length Britcom; add 1 star if you know the series
The "Carry On" series was a staple of British cinema for decades, with the action centering on an ensemble of comedians (like America's Bowery Boys or Japan's Crazy Cats). In this one, sharp Sid James and dull Bernard Bresslaw try to entice their reserved girlfriends to a racy campsite; unhappily married Terry Scott expects a bleak vacation with his preoccupied wife; sissy Charles Hawtrey wants to experience the great outdoors; prissy officials of a girls' school escort their nubile students on a field trip. Naturally everyone converges at the same place, with predictably absurd complications in the tents, in the shower, and on the campgrounds. "Carry On Camping" seems to be typical of the series, with broad performances, double-entendre dialogue, and punchlines telegraphed far in advance for maximum effect. Except for a "newsreel" of a nudist colony at the very beginning, the action is fairly tame in the music-hall/burlesque tradition..British viewers raised on this stuff will like it best; American viewers will find it a cross between Benny Hill and the "Love, American Style" TV sitcom. The players tackle the corny script with gusto, even when some of the jokes are ancient (a farm girl taking her cow to the bull.is asked, "Couldn't your father do that?" and the girl replies, "No, it's got to be the bull"). Benny Hill actually used this same gag, with similar results, and fans of Hill's unsubtle comedy will find the same obvious but surefire humor here. Print quality and video transfer are very good.

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ONE OF THE BEST IN THE SERIES
Many critics argue that Carry On Camping (1968) was the peak of the series. The Carry On films had enjoyed immense success throughout the 1960's with titles such as the critically acclaimed, Up The Kyber (1968), Doctor (1967), Don't Lose Your Head (1966), Screaming (1966), Cowboy (1965) and Cleo (1964). Many critics savaged the series, but the films proved a popular success. Quite simply the films could be more accuratley described as cheap and cheerful. They might not have been Shakespeare but they did at times come up with films like Carry on Camping which were actually fine blends of comedy.

Sid (Sid James) and his reluctant mate, Bernie (Bernard Bresslaw) decide to take their irresponsve girl friends (Joan Sims and Dilys Laye) to a nudist camp site, only through a misunderstanding they end up at the wrong Paradise Holiday Camp, which was just a perfectly normal camping site. It is run by Mr. Fiddler (a fitting title and masterfully played by Peter Butterworth) who is amusing with his blatant attempts to get as much money as possible from the customers. Meanwhile Kenneth Williams and Hattie Jaques run a strictly run finishing school for young ladies with star pupil being the bubbly Barbra Windsor. She is in whats perharps the most famous Carry On scene, where her bikini top flys off during her morning exercises. There's also Terry Scot, begrudgingly tagging along with his ghastly wife, played marvelously by Betty Marsden who causes much amusement with her horse-like laugh. Amongst the fun and games is also Charles Hawtrey, who is, as ever, hilarious with his flamboyantly camp characterisation. ...

As for Carry On Camping, well this is perfect to introduce a new comer to the series. Although the nudge-nudge wink-wink humour is all laughably innocent now, it still makes amusing viewing, if only for the awfulness of the corny gags which are deliciously delivered by these talented, irreplacable actors. All the carry On greats are included - Sid James, Joan Sims, Kenneth Williams, Charles Hawtrey, Barbara Windsor, Hattie Jaques, Terry Scott and Bernard Bresslaw. Highly recommended - a classic!