Gonks Go Beat (1965)

Country of Origin: UK
Year of Production: 1965
Running Times:
Format: black and white 35mm
Ratio: 1.37:1
Sound: mono

CREDITS

PRODUCTION
Production Company: Titan Film Productions
Producers: Peter Newbrook, Robert Hartford-Davis
Production Manager: Charles Blair

SCRIPT
Script: Jimmy Watson
Story: Robert Hartford-Davis, Peter Newbrook

DIRECTION
Director: Robert Hartford-Davis
Assistant Director: David Tringham

PHOTOGRAPHY
Director of Photography: Peter Newbrook
Camera Operator: Dennis Lewiston
2nd Unit Operator: Ronald Fox-Rogers

EDITING AND POST-PRODUCTION
Editor: Teddy Darvas
Assistant Editors: David Woodward, Gay Coates

MUSIC
Music Recording Supervisor By: Michael Leander
Music Performed By: Titan Recording Orchestra
Arranger / Conductor: Robert Richards

SOUND
Sound Recordist: John Streeter
Re-Recordist: John Aldred

MAKE UP AND COSTUMES
Make Up: Bunty Phillips, Ernest Gasser
Hair: Barbara Barnard
Costumes For Barbara Brown and the Beat Girls: Highlight Sports of London
Kenneth Connor's Wardrobe: Mens Leisurewear by John Stephen of London

DESIGN AND SET CONSTRUCTION
Art Director: William Constable
Titles Designer: Robert Benson, Roy Pace

MISCELLANEOUS
Continuity: Angela Martelli
Production Accountant: Maureen Newman
Production Controller: Ron Carr
Choreographer: Dance Groups (London) Ltd

CAST
Kenneth Connor (Wilco Roger)
Frank Thornton (Mr A&R)
Barbara Brown
Iain Gregory (Steve)
Terry Scott (PM)
Pamela Donald (tutor)
The Graham Bond Organisation (Ginger Baker, Graham Bond, Jack Bruce, Dick Heckstall-Smith)
Reginald Beckwith (Professor)
Pamela Brown (Helen)
Alan David
Jerry Desmonde (Great Galaxian)
Lulu (herself)
Derek Thompson (Ballad Isle singer - uncredited)

PLOT SUMMARY

There's trouble brewing between the rock and roll loving residents of Beatland and their ballad singing neighbours on Balladisle. Concerned that their rivalry will result in war, al alien race send an emissary, Wilco Roger, to sort things out. While a race of glove puppets on the planet Gonk dance wildly and Wilco teams up with Mr. A&R, salvation may be at hand when two young people, one from Beatland and one from Balladisle, fall in love...

CAPSULE REVIEW

An unbelievably strange film which, despite being awful by any critical standards you wish to apply, has an inexplicable charm. The plot plunders Romeo and Juliet and stirs in aliens, mid-60s Britpop and some clumsy world peace allegories for good measure. The music is mostly dreadful, the acting worse and Hartford-Davis looks to have phoned in his direction, but Gonks Go Beat is hard to dislike. Its naiveté, charm and sheer silliness will help completists sit through it at least once, though that will probably be more than enough for most. Of interest to rock fans for its early appearances of Cream members Jack Bruce and Ginger Baker, the latter taking part in the film's best sequence, a fantastic multiple player drum solo. (Full Review)

UK
Video Distributor: Warner Home Video (PES 38203)

UK
Rating: U

TIMELINE

1999
July
3: USA - shown by the American Cinematheque at the Egyptian Theater, 6712 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood, California as part of the Mods and Rockers! Film Festival

REFERENCES

MAGAZINES

Daily Cinema no.9093 (21 July 1965) p.6 (UK)
review

Kine Weekly no.3016 (22 July 1965) p.11 (UK)
review

Monthly Film Bulletin vol.32 no.380 (September 1965) p.136 (UK)
credits, synopsis, review

OTHER SOURCES

British National Film Catalogue vol.3 (1965) (UK)
credits, review

screen
credits

KEYWORDS

aliens, music, teenagers, islands, musicians, prisons, war

Last Updated: 1 January, 2009