Customer Reviews

The Cliff Richard Collection (The Young Ones / Summer Holiday / Wonderful Life)

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I should start by saying that I gave this set 5 stars because Anchor Bay has done a wonderful job of presenting these 40-year old films in their original wide-screen, colourful glory--and also because I never-ever-thought that I would see them released in North America. I have been a fan of Cliff's since the 50s, but--let's face it--his success in the U.S. has only been sporadic. So having his three best musicals on DVD is a real treat for people like me !

"The Young Ones" ( aka "Wonderful to be Young" in the U.S. )was not Cliff's first film, but it was his first as a star. Overall, I would give it 4 1/2 stars, because it is still a lot of fun, and when it was released, was probably the best musical made in the UK to that point.
The plot is old and familiar--to save their clubhouse from a greedy developer, Cliff and his friends decide to "put on a show"--it helps that the group includes pro dancers like Carole Gray and Teddy Green, amusing comedians like Melvyn Hayes and Richard O'Sullivan, musicians like the Shadows and , of course, Cliff to handle the singing. The "greedy developer"--who also happens to be Cliff's "father" in the plot--is played by Robert Morley, who steals every scene he is in. I took away half a star only because there is a certain lack of chemistry between Cliff and Carole Gray, his leading lady, and also because when the Shadows ( in their original line-up ) have their big number at the end of the film--"The Savage"--it is truncated--a real shame, since they were the biggest, most exciting group in British music before the Beatles.
Thanks to the magic of DVD, you can also play "The Young Ones" while listening to the comments of its director, Sidney J. Furie. I found his comments fascinating--he not only talks about the film, but his own early days in the movie business and what it was like filming in the UK in the early 60s.

"Summer Holiday" was the second film in this Cliff Richard musical trilogy and, for me at least, it is the best--magical fun from start to finish. When Cliff appears after the opening credits, black and white turns to colour, and this fun movie gets rolling--actually "rolling" on the wheels of a bright red, double-decker London bus ( "London Transport said OK" ) that Cliff and his pals take to France, across Europe and ultimately Greece.

There are many reasons why this movie works so well. There is a great cast of young, supporting players who match Cliff's enthusiasm, and Lauri Peters is a lovely leading lady. The dance numbers are expertly done--Cliff may not be Gene Kelly
( who is ? ) but he acquits himself very well, and watch out for one of his mates played by Teddy Green, a real pro. Comic sequences are very amusing. On-location European scenery is a big plus--Cliff singing "The Next Time" with the Acropolis behind him leaves a lasting impression. The soundtrack is quite simply Cliff's best. "Summer Holiday", "Bachelor Boy", "Dancing Shoes", great production numbers and three excellent instrumentals by the legendary Shadows add up to super entertainment.

Sir Cliff was about 22 when this was filmed--he looks great, sounds great and has charm and charisma to spare. If there is one film that will explain why he has had such a long career, and remains so popular all over the globe, it is "Summer Holiday".

The "Summer Holiday" DVD is particularly gorgeous--lovely colour, excellent detail. You can also watch the film while listening to the comments of director, Peter Yates. Mr. Yates has terrific "recall" and his comments are a fascinating bonus for fans.

The last of the "trilogy" is "Wonderful Life"--aka in the U.S. as "Swingers' Paradise". I would give this movie 3 1/2 stars, mainly based on Cliff's charisma, the charm of leading lady, Susan Hampshire, a clever sequence in the middle of the film depicting the history of movies, and the beautiful Canary Islands scenery.

This film is a "must" only for Cliff diehards, because it certainly has some problems. The most glaring problem is the plot. While light-hearted musicals are not expected to be "Citizen Kane", the plot for "Wonderful Life" is anything but "wonderful". The dialogue is very lame--where "The Young Ones" and "Summer Holiday" had many amusing sequences, the comedy here--even with Melvyn Hayes and Richard O'Sullivan again on board--seems forced and flat.
The Shadows are given much bigger roles in this film--even dialogue--but there is no attempt to give them any sort of personality. Walter Slezak, as the megalomaniac movie director, has none of the humour or charm that Robert Morley displayed as the lovable "villain" in "The Young Ones". Derek Bond, a popular British actor in the 40s and 50s, is wasted in an embarrassing role as a cowardly movie star.
The soundtrack has a couple of good numbers, but doesn't remotely compare to that of "Summer Holiday".

With all these problems, the film had the misfortune to be released around the same time as "A Hard Day's Night"--suddenly "old fashioned musicals" seemed to be just that--"old fashioned".

One more point--where Sidney J. Furie's comments on "The Young Ones" were very interesting, his first statement about "Wonderful Life" is that he has no recollection of the film whatsoever ! This does not stop him from chatting about other films he made, including "Lady Sings the Blues" where he gushes about the thrill of working with Diana Ross ! Sorry Sidney--if you don't have any real memories of "Wonderful Life", why bother ?

Overall this boxed-set is a fitting testament to a star who continues today--he's now a 62-year old "Young One"--to please his fans all over the world. Again, a big "thank you" to Anchor Bay. For Cliff's many fans, this collection is absolutely indispensible !

This amazing box-set comprises of the three musicals Cliff Richard made in the 1960's. "The Young Ones", "Summer Holiday" and the vastly-overlooked "Wonderful Life" which is only available exclusively in this box set.

THE YOUNG ONES was the top British box-office attraction of 1961, and still my favorite of all the Cliff Richard films. In the film, Cliff plays Nicky Black, the handsome son of a wealthy businessman (Robert Morley) whose talents lie in performing and not business like his stuffy father. When the local youth-club is to be torn down, Nicky, his girlfriend Toni (Carole Gray) and their friends decide to stage a benefit show, with Nicky as the "Mystery Singer".

Top stuff. Carole Gray is showcased in several splashy numbers including her song "No One But Nicky". Gray was one of the top West End stars of the day and had made acclaimed performances in "West Side Story" as well as "The Boy Friend".

SUMMER HOLIDAY was the follow-up to mega-hit THE YOUNG ONES, and features fine performances from Melvyn Hayes and Una Stubbs, with Broadway's Lauri Peters, fresh from her run as Liesl in "Sound of Music", as Richard's love interest Barbara Winters.
In the film Richard and his car-mechanic mates decide to drive a cumbersome double-decker bus from London to Athens for a vacation. Along the way they indulge in some rather amusing escapades.

WONDERFUL LIFE was lushly filmed on location in the Canary Islands, with Melvyn Hayes and Una Stubbs again co-starring. This time, a young Susan Hampshire ("Monarch of the Glen") is wooed by Richard. This film features many overly-designed dance numbers, and Richard is at his vocal best.

The transfers for all three films are remarkably-clean and free of dirt and scratches. The colors are fully-saturated and the 2-channel stereo sound serves its purpose. All three films are in their correct aspect ratio (2:35:1)

On the whole, to have all three films available in this box-set is superb. THE YOUNG ONES and SUMMER HOLIDAY are also available individually.

I've not seen these on DVD yet, as they haven't been released, but I have seen the movies before. I'm giving it a 5 Star rating mainly because I can soon buy and enjoy these long sought after films!

For those of you who enjoy Cliff Richard music and his old movies, this will be a great acquisition for you! Many of his early 60s hits appear in the movies along with some other great songs. Not all the songs are great, but there is enough enjoyable music to please most everyone. I'd equate these movies with the Elvis movies and other teen idol movies from that time. They're not academy award material, but they sure are fun to watch and reminesce to -and better than most of the films from that genre. Hopefully the picture and sound quality will be good. The release of these films on DVD will be a great prize for Cliff's many fans here in the USA and for [a great price] for the three, this is a real bargain! For anyone who's a Cliff fan or who enjoys early 60s music from that era, buy this set!!! ...and for anyone who doesn't know of Sir Cliff Richard, you've been missing out on one of England's great treasures!

The three films in this DVD package can be viewed as a trilogy - all were
British financed and produced by Associated British Picture Corporation, in
Colour and Widescreen, between 1961- 64, a time when Cliff Richard was
Britain's best-selling pop singer. Sir Cliff has been a British institution
for over 40 years, and these films did much to widen his appeal to all age
groups.
Although they were hardly noticed when given a limited release in the USA
under other titles, 'The Young Ones' (TYO) and 'Summer Holiday' (SH) were
major UK box office hits of their day. 'Wonderful Life' (WL) was not so
successful - The Beatles 'A Hard Days Night ' made it suddenly appear rather
quaint and old- fashioned, but Cliff had a 3 picture deal with ABPC, so
they had to go ahead with it
The films share many common personnel : all have screenplays and several
songs by the talented West End revue writers Peter Myers and Ronnie Cass;
they feature Musical Director Stanley Black ; Choreographers Herbert Ross
(TYO, SH, soon to be a major Hollywood film director) and Gillian Lynne (WL,
later to stage 'Cats' worldwide) ; Directors Sidney Furie (TYO, WL) and
Peter 'Bullitt' Yates (SH), the instrumental group 'The Shadows' (who have a
bigger acting role in WL), and the young regulars Una Stubbs, Melvyn Hayes,
Richard O'Sullivan and Teddy Green (TYO). Some of the dancers are featured
in all three films.
All the plots involve involve idealistic youth (Cliff and Gang) versus
cynical/corrupt middle age: Propert tycoon Robert Morley (TYO), American
father of heiress Lauri Peters (Lionel Murton) (SH), and fading film
director Walter Slezak (WL), whose real-life film credits go back to silent
era. Yes, the plots are feeble and the scripts simple-minded, but these are
no more than an excuse to feature about 40 musical numbers, many in easy
listening 1960s style amongst the 'beat' numbers, which are all very catchy.
Two of the films feature extended production mumbers about putting on a
stage show (TYO), and the history of the movies (WL) which are very well
staged.
Most folks dismiss 'WL' as the weakest of the three, but it does star the
most attractive of Cliff's leading ladies, the lovely, radiant Susan
Hampshire (fresh from starring in West End Julian Slade musical ('Follow
That Girl) and Disney films, and soon to be Fleur in BBC' s 'Forsyte
Saga' ), and 1940s star Derek Bond (Nicholas Nickleby) in a comedy cameo
role as faded film star.
These films are safe family entertainment, ideal for pre-teens, and for
those 'oldies' who enjoyed them the first time round.
And if you think these films are no better than the 1960s Elvis Presley and
the 'Beach Party' films, then you are in for a pleasant surprise- the songs
and dances are of much higher quality. The DVD transfers are bright and
sharp, and the sound crisp and clear. So this is a clarion call to America -
Discover now what you have been missing all these years !

Cliff Richard went virtually unnoticed in the US in his 1960s heyday, but the films he made were more energetic and sincere than all but a few made by Elvis. "Summer Holiday" is a bit thin on plot but a colorful, tuneful treat. "The Young Ones" presents a gritty-but-clean look at the UK club scene circa 1960. It's a hoot. "Wonderful Life" is the lesser of the three films, but still enjoyable -- and unavailable outside of this boxed set. Finally, this set comes in at the price of two of the DVDs bought separately. Nice!

As handsome as his marionette Cliff Richard Jr. in the 60's british movie Thunderbirds Are Go, Sir Cliff Richard shows as the brightest star in the universe through three delightful movies. I was just glad to have found the collection after listening to Richard's songs on karaoke. My favorite is Summer Holiday, but I recommend watching it last out of the three movies. They are all brimming with laughs, love, and heart melting vocals. You're in for a real treat!

Since Britain's VCRs ran on a different format than America's, we on this side of the pond missed the British teen musicals when they came out on video, even though they preceeded the stateside Beach Party Bingos. The Young Ones is nothing short of great, and this set has the added bonus of introducing two more musicals. Cliff's got an easy, unaffected style like Ricky Nelson, while the Shadows seem to preshadow the Monkees.

The Young Ones invents music video, with antics predating the Beatles' Help. It takes place in the Carnaby Street environs currently popularized in Austin Powers. It influenced American beach movies and inspired the East Berlin teen musical, "The Loveable Mouse." Summer Holiday makes reference to the Mods and Rockers and the conflict that would explode the next year, so graphically portrayed in the Who's Quadrophenia. These films help fill in for us stateside bits of British culture with which we are only slightly familiar. That said, The Young Ones is enormously entertaining, with the sort of innocent 'sixties appeal of the original Bye Bye Birdie--another teen musical about a maverick musician.

I'm glad Cliff's albums are being rereleased on CD, because apart from the few that came out on Elton John's Rocket label, his records were generally not available here. I don't know how many films he did, but I hope they all find their way on to DVD as well. I find Cliff's musicals more enjoyable to watch than either Elvis Presley's films or the teen beach movies. It seems surprising that they were never widely shown in the US, but I am delighted to have found the DVD set of The Cliff Richard Collection.

lively- original - vibrating - good voice - catchy and beautifully sung songs + film locations ..what a singer- did not know - janeeta,shyama and savdas and cuddle -please ply more songs on radio/show movies on tv - much better/safer and good humour - best i have seen

Why has it taken DECADES for these films to be released to American audiences? Whatever the reasons, this 3 disk set is here now and a must for people who love musical comedies. These British films, particularly "The Young Ones" and "Summer Holiday", are classic gems of that early 60s era. Fun and frothy fare with wonderful sondtracks. Filmed in Cinemascope, the picture and sound quality is incredible. It is so vivid and pure you'll be glad it is in letter-box format! Don't miss out on these classics of the British pop/rock genre.

All the disks also include the original movie trailer and interesting commentary by the directors. This commentary is quite revealing of the era, the making of each individual film and something of that part of film making history. The commentaries are about as long as the movies themselves. Inside each DVD holder is a large card listing segments of the film and the songs on one side and a picture of the film poster on the opposite side. A brief bio of Cliff Richard is part of each DVD as well.

I bought this collection because I'm a big Cliff Richard fan, and these musicals are a lot of fun. I was expecting an OK picture transfer onto DVD, because these are pretty old and I figured no one would really care.

What a pleasant surprise!

I had just bought a new HD-DVD player, and even though these aren't in HD, the picture quality is just stunning. All three are fine transfers, with good sound too.

Like the other comments say, "Summer Holiday" is the best of the lot, but all three are good nostalgic fun.

If you like 1960's era musicals, you can't go wrong with this set.