Blu-ray review: Good Luck, Miss Wyckoff (1978) Donald Pleasence, Anne Heywood

Note: this is a difficult film to discuss without including some spoilers, so proceed with caution.
Set in 1956 in the ironically named Freedom, Kansas, where race relations and Communism are very much on the agenda, even at the school Miss Evie Wyckoff (Anne Heywood, L'assassino... è al telefono, 1972) works. She has campaigned for the rights of the black students, and stands up for a teacher threatened with the sack for teaching Karl Marx in his modern history class. She is also deeply depressed, not sleeping and breaking down in tears all the time. Her doctor (Robert Vaughn) informs her, that she is suffering early menopause. Being only 35, this comes as a shock, even more so in that she has never been with a man. He recommends her to see a psychiatrist, Dr. Steiner (the ever wonderful Donald Pleasence) in Wichita, which she does, but also that she should take a lover; "nature wants us to use our bodies, if we don't, they dry out"

Her long journey to see him involves a bus ride, and the driver Ed (Earl Holliman) takes a shine to her, and the pair eventually have a coffee together. Despite being married with a child, he wants to have an affair with her. She is reticent, but tells the psychiatrist all about it. Her sessions are going well, and her life seems to be getting back on track. She treats herself to some fancy lingerie, and decides to take Ed up on his offer, only to find he has quit, left his wife and left the town. Rather than being set back by this, she takes it well, much to Dr. Steiner's joy "maybe you're liking yourself a little more".

After successfully changing the minds of the school board on the issue of the teaching of Marx, she is feeling content and relaxed for once. It is at this point one of the black students, Rafe (John Lafayette, The Terror Within, 1989)  - on a scholarship at the junior college but made to work as at the school as a janitor) begins to act inappropriately while cleaning her room. This makes her uncomfortable, but she doesn't make a big deal out of it, until the next time, when he goes too far and rapes her. It's a brutal, shocking scene coming as it does after the majority of the film has been moderately sedate. While she tries to avoid him for the next day or so, he eventually finds her alone again, and once again forces himself on her. However, despite his forcefulness she succumbs and enjoys their second encounter. Her body giving in to what she had 'been missing' for so long. This is fine for a while, but then he begins to be abusive as well as demanding. Degrading her, and finally maiming her. Eventually, the rest of the school finds out and her world falls apart greater than it ever had before.

Based on the novel by William Inge (Bus Stop, Splendor in the Grass) and ably directed by  Marvin J. Chomsky (Evil Knievel, 1971) this is a storming, emotional tale of small town bigotry and emotional abuse. The main cast, Heywood especially, are superb and the rest of the cast includes Carolyn Jones (Mortica Addams herself), Dorothy Malone (Peyton Place) and Jocelyn Brando (Marlon's sister, and Bubba's mother in Dark Night of the Scarecrow, 1981), who are all exemplary. Pleasence is perfect as the psychiatrist, whose methods border on the seductive, seemingly to relish the virginal teacher's sexual awakening. Yet, like the rest of those around her is no-where to be seen when she needs him the most. The handling of the subject matter, despite it being marketed as an exploitation film in some markets, is actually very sensitive, despite the use of some words which are unacceptable now (well, unless you're a rapper or Quentin Tarantino, of course). The rape scene is powerful and upsetting, especially since we've just spent the best part of an hour getting to know the lovely Miss Wyckoff, but it's the abuse she allows herself to endure which is more shocking and distressing. Rafe is clearly an angry young man, using the vulnerable teacher to get back at a society which has downgraded his kind for far too long. However, the shame the teacher feels when she is abused by this young man is enough to make her keep quiet about the incident. She was raped, after all. A crime which should go punished. Yet rather than have the world know, she puts up with it, eventually becoming compliant, even - dare we say - enjoy the physical contact she has denied herself for so long. It is only when the truth comes out that her world really falls apart. And the double standards of the system really come into play. The boy would be missed from his high school football team if he was expelled, so it is the innocent Miss Wyckoff who must shoulder the blame and shame of it all.

 

 Vinegar Syndrome have once again come up trumps with this release. The main Blu-ray disc looks great, with just a hint of crackle and hiss, but does show up the suspect re-dubbing in some scenes (no fault of the disc, obviously). The accompanying DVD also includes the heavily-cut, but more exploitative version, The Sin, which runs just under 80mins compared to the main feature's 116min. Cut are a large chunk of the first rape, the following scenes of degradation and an important scene in which Miss Wyckoff is maimed and then found out by some passing kids who hear her screams. There are also trailers and TV spots and a short interview with Shirley Knight, about the author Inge. Topping the set off is a separate soundtrack CD of the evocative Ernest Gold (Cross of Iron, 1977) score . A top-notch package for a difficult film, but that's what Vinegar Syndrome seem to do best. Their previous Blu-ray releases; a superb set of rare HG Lewis sexploitation flicks, Massage Parlor Murders! and The Telephone Book are all worth checking out. I aim to purchase their release of Russ Meyer's Fanny Hill asap and have their Night Train To Terror disc in my "to view" pile

 

A troubling, disturbing film but very thought provoking which handles the material so well it'll stay with you for some time.Highly recommended.
8 out of 10

Retro review: Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (1978)

Almost universally derided since it's 1978 release, Robert Stigwood's screen version of the famous Beatles album has become a minor cult film in it's own right. With the recent death of yet another Bee Gee, leaving only bearded falsetto wonder Barry to carry the can, I thought it was time to re-visit the film, which I had not seen since it's UK TV premiere sometime in the early to mid 80s. At that time, my only interest in the film was Alice Cooper and Aerosmith (this was before they had got back together and cleaned up their act, and virtually no one in the UK gave a monkeys about them) When I remembered one of my favourite comedians is in it - Frankie Howerd and genre legend Donald Pleasence, my keenness to re-watch was increased.

  
The film's story (such as it is) centres around the lovely town of Heartland, USA, where the eponymous band leader and his group have been playing their way through most of America's history, helping stop wars, overcoming the depression, etc. When the good Sgt. dies, the instruments are left to the town - while they exist there, the town will always have peace and tranquility. The music must continue, though, and the Henderson brothers (The Bee Gees) team up with Pepper's grandson, Billy Shears (Peter Frampton) to keep the spirit alive. Aided by Billy's more reckless brother, Dougie (Paul Nicholas) they head out for fame and fortune, signing a contract with sleazy mogul B.D. Brockhurst (Pleasence).

Things go bad in Heartland when the instruments are stolen by Mean Mr Mustard (Howerd) under the orders of FVB - The Future Villain Band (Aerosmith). They get one instrument, Father Sun (Cooper) gets one, and the other goes to Maxwell (Steve Martin). Heartland in ruins, it's leader (and the narrator) Mr Kite (George Burns) appeals for the band to track them down and return them to their rightful place.

I suppose the big thing people have against the film is the re-arrangement of the Beatles songs. Now, I'm certainly not as precious about them, because some of the treatments here are quite good (special note going to Aerosmith's groove through 'Come Together', and Alice's sinister, Zappa-esque 'Because'). Beatle producer George Martin worked on the soundtrack, and since he was always considered the 'fifth Beatle' that's good enough endorsement for me. Stigwood had produced a stageshow of the songs (and those from Abbey Road which are included here too), and while he had the rights to use them decided to make the film. He had been involved with the Ken Russell film version of The Who's Tommy, along with the other hits Saturday Night Fever and Grease you can imagine why he thought the Beatles music would be a shoe-in at the box office. Sadly, it was not to be. The film flopped big time, and like I mentioned, it is - if ever mentioned at all -  usually badly thought of.

Now, re-watching it, I'm surprised to say, I  actually quite enjoyed it. Sure, some of the songs don't lend themselves to the interpretation they are given. Burn's rendition of 'Fixin' A Hole' is a train wreck, and a lot of the lyrics are interpreted literally. Steve Martin's 'Maxwell's Silver Hammer' is as annoying as he is (never really liked him. There I said it), but Howerd's turn as Mustard is brilliant. All his standard traits are present and he even gets a oooooo in during 'When I'm 64'. His servant, Brute is played by 7ft Carel Struycken in his first role, later to be in Twin Peaks and the remake of The Addams Family, who suffers from acromegaly, the same disease the great Rondo Hatton suffered from.
Director Michael Schultz had previous had a hit with the disco tinged Car Wash and later made a few films with Richard Pryor, Greased Lightning and Carbon Copy, before heading to TV and directing shows as varied as Bruce Campbell vehicle The Adventures of Brisco County Jr, Charmed and Ally McBeal and recently did some episodes of Chuck.

The film is colourful, the songs are great (although they may be enjoyed more if, like me, you're not the biggest or purest Beatles fan), and there's a great spot the star section at the end for the reprise. (If you're under 40 I imagine you'd struggle for a lot of them though). Just like Tommy, I think this has probably improved with age. You can enjoy the camp without having to worry about taking it too seriously.
Go on, give it a go. You never know, you might like it.
6 out of 10

Producer Robert Stigwood (left, centre row) in the finale