Expresso Bongo

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rapta
Joined: Sun Jun 29, 2014 5:04 pm
Location: Hants, UK

Expresso Bongo

#1 Post by rapta » Thu Jan 28, 2016 11:52 am

April 18th
EXPRESSO BONGO (Dual Format Edition)
Film by Val Guest


Val Guest's 1959 London-shot Brit Beat classic is a sharp satire on the music industry. Expresso Bongo, centres around aspiring musician Bert Rudge (Cliff Richard). Rudge stands little chance in the music business but is propelled to major stardom after being discovered in an expresso coffee shop by sleazy Soho agent Johnny (Laurence Harvey).

In quick succession Rudge changes his name to Bongo Herbert, gets a record deal and strikes up a relationship with an ageing American singing sensation. As Johnny starts Herbert on the road to stardom, an unfair deal is cut which exploits the young singer and leads their relationship to turn sour.

Originally a 1958 West End musical, the satirical stage show was such a hit it was adapted for the big screen the following year, designed as a star vehicle for the young Cliff Richard and The Shadows.

Special features TBC

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antnield
Joined: Tue Jun 28, 2005 1:59 pm
Location: Cheltenham, England

Re: Expresso Bongo (Guest)

#2 Post by antnield » Fri Mar 25, 2016 11:51 am

Specs:

• Newly remastered in 2K and presented in both High Definition and Standard Definition
• Full-length theatrical version (111 mins): DVD and Blu-ray premiere of the original long cut from 1959
• 1962 re-issue version (106 mins, Blu-ray exclusive): shorter alternative cut which removed a number of songs
• Audio commentary for the 1962 re-issue version featuring Val Guest, Yolande Donlan and film historian Marcus Hearn
• Alternative sequences from the 1962 cut (2 mins, DVD only): the scenes which we added to replace cut songs
• Expresso Bongo Gallery: a selection of promotional material, Including stills, theatrical posters and lobby cards
• Original theatrical trailer (3 mins)
Youth Club (Norman Prouting, 1954, 17 mins): COI documentary about dealing with juvenile delinquency
The Square (Michael Winner, 1957, 16 mins): Michael Winner’s touching debut, long-thought lost
• Original US and UK press books (downloadable PDF, DVD only)
• Illustrated booklet with new writing by Andrew Roberts and Vic Pratt and Steve Chibnalland full film credits.

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MichaelB
Joined: Fri Aug 11, 2006 6:20 pm
Location: Worthing
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Re: Expresso Bongo (Guest)

#3 Post by MichaelB » Thu Mar 31, 2016 11:37 am

Official specs announcement:
BFI Flipside presents
Expresso Bongo
A film by Val Guest
Starring Laurence Harvey, Sylvia Syms, Yolande Donlan and Cliff Richard


BFI Flipside is back! On 25 April 2016 Val Guest’s 1959 musical film, Expresso Bongo will become the 31st release on the BFI’s collectable Flipside label.

Newly remastered, the film is presented in both High Definition and Standard Definition in a Dual Format Edition (DVD and Blu-ray discs). The original full length theatrical version is presented on home video for the first time, accompanied by the shorter 1962 re-issue version, which has an audio commentary, plus there are alternative sequences, Michael Winner’s debut film, The Square (1957) and lots more.

When Soho hustler Johnny Jackson (Laurence Harvey), a drummer-turned-music agent, discovers teen bongo player Bert Rudge (Cliff Richard), in an espresso bar, he renames him Bongo Herbert, and secures him a record deal and a TV appearance. Soon, Jonny is riding the coat-tails of Bert’s stardom. Val Guest’s sharp, witty satire of the music industry (which beautifully captures the pre-sanitised world of Soho’s delis, coffee bars and strip clubs) was adapted from the successful 1958 West End musical by Wolf Mankowitz.

Designed as a star vehicle for the young Cliff Richard and The Shadows, Expresso Bongo also features a revelatory turn by Sylvia Syms as Johnny’s stripper girlfriend.

Special features
• Newly remastered in 2K and presented in both High Definition and Standard Definition
• Full-length theatrical version (111 mins): DVD and Blu-ray premiere of the original long cut from 1959
• 1962 re-issue version (106 mins – Blu-ray exclusive): shorter alternative cut which removed a number of songs
• Audio commentary for the 1962 re-issue version featuring Val Guest, Yolande Donlan and film historian Marcus Hearn (Blu-ray only)
• Alternative sequences from the 1962 cut (2 mins, DVD only): the scenes which were added to replace cut songs
• Expresso Bongo Gallery: a selection of promotional material, including stills, theatrical posters, lobby cards, and original US and UK press books
• Original theatrical trailer (3 mins)
Youth Club (Norman Prouting, 1954, 17 mins): COI documentary about dealing with juvenile delinquency
The Square (Michael Winner, 1957, 16 mins): Michael Winner’s touching, long-thought lost short film about an elderly gent saying goodbye to his home in Kings Cross
• Original US and UK press books (downloadable PDF, DVD only)
• Illustrated booklet with new writing by Andrew Roberts, Vic Pratt and Steve Chibnall, and full film credits

Product details
RRP: £19.99/ Cat. no. BFIB1241 / BFI Flipside No. 031 / Cert 12
UK / 1959 / black and white / 111 mins / English with optional hard-of-hearing subtitles / original aspect ratio 2.35:1 // BD50: 1080p, 24fps, PCM 2.0 stereo (48kHz/24bit) / DVD9: PAL, 25fps, Dolby Digital 2.0 stereo (192kbps)

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manicsounds
Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 10:58 pm
Location: Tokyo, Japan

Re: Expresso Bongo (Guest)

#4 Post by manicsounds » Sat Apr 23, 2016 3:06 am


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colinr0380
Joined: Mon Nov 08, 2004 4:30 pm
Location: Chapel-en-le-Frith, Derbyshire, UK

Re: Expresso Bongo (Guest)

#5 Post by colinr0380 » Wed May 04, 2016 12:46 pm


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