The Herb garden (1968)

Steve

The Touchables (1968)

It's not all nostalgia over here at Strange England because I'm not entirely sure that in and of its self, nostalgia is enough of an excuse for anything.  Sometimes, some of our destinations will be places I've been to and seen before and sometimes they'll be new - That's new as in old but new to me!

A good example of this would be The Touchables, the 1968 film that I only discovered existed for the first time today and then watched this very evening.  I have to say that I loved it and thought it was wonderful, being sexy, stylish, funny, eccentric and idiosyncratically English all at the same time.

They don't make them like this any more and probably never will again because those times are past and unrepeatable but thank Arcadia that such treats are now captured in digital amber.

The Touchables was everything the initial review had lead me to believe, including its tangential links to similar Strange England offerings such as Zardoz and The Final Program, other films which also have there own equally singular yet confident visions.  Its not going to be to everyone's tastes but if you enjoy either of the films above or the BFI Flipside releases then you should probably go check it out.  I found it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1gtdqNTOHG4 but it lurks in other corners of the internet as well.

For some more facts and background info go here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Touchables_(film)

For the wonderful blog that tipped me off in the first place, and who's style I'm paying homage to right now, go here: http://ayearinthecountry.co.uk/week-4452-touchables-pop-art-pastoral-playland/

And finally for a gallery of lobby cards go here: http://strangeengland.blogspot.co.uk/2016/11/the-touchables-lobby-cards-1968.html ....or just scroll down to the post below, which ever is quicker


Steve

In Xanadu did Kubla Khan. A stately pleasure-dome decree

The Touchables (1968) - Lobby Cards

Steve

Thunderbirds 1 to 6 (1968)

Its how we learned to count!

 

 

Steve

Candy and Andy Book (1968)

Candy and Andy are Strange England at it's very strangest.  I'm going to be showing you a number of images of Candy and of Andy and their "guardians" and every single one of then has an "uncanny" wrongness that's as hypnotic as a slow-motion car crash.

I'm not sure where or when but somehow they were hiding in my head, lurking in the; too early to remember them as anything more than a strong feeling of familiarity.  I saw the cover image above and I suddenly remembered then again.  Perhaps my elder sister had the comics?  Perhaps I saw the book in a bookshop or perhaps they just climbed in there on their own; Cuckoo-kind, Stepford Pinocchios with dreams of becoming something even more than real children!

Enjoy the nightmares.


Steve