Review of Carry On Don´t Lose Your Head (Special Edition)

Introduction

This movie was initially released, and is identified in the titles as simply "Don`t Lose Your Head", as it was the first of the series to be released by the Rank Organisation after Peter Rogers` parting from former distributors Anglo Amalgamated. Taking the era of the French Revolution as the background and Baroness Orczy`s hero the Scarlet Pimpernel as their inspiration, the team launches into a swashbuckling romp of French Aristocrats evading Madame LaGuillotine with the aid of "The Black Fingernail".

The result is one of the best of the historical Carry On films. Being on the cusp between distributors and before the series got back into its stride with "Doctor", it isn`t regarded as highly as, say, "Up The Khyber" or "Cleo" but it has a cheery style of its own and some wonderful moments.

"Come and join me by the arbour"
"The `arbour? I didn`t know we were so close to the sea!"

Best of all, in a black vein is Sid`s subterfuge rescuing aristo`s from the guillotine pretending to be an insurance salesman. He jams the mechanism and succeeds in tricking the executioner Malabonce (Leon Greene) into testing it. "Is there a doctor in the house?" enquires Kenneth Williams desperately.

Video

The main feature is presented in anamorphic 1.77:1, an improvement over the 4:3 version previously available. This, however, is one of those titles which has helped to contribute to the confusion over the original aspect ratios of the Carry On films. The current received wisdom about the movies is that they were shot in 1.66:1 open matte format, which means that the 4:3 prints we are familiar with from tv and video had a strip of the image missing from either side of the picture so that the frame filled a tv screen from top to bottom. *However*, it is standard theatre protocol to frame 1.66:1 film on a wide screen with the picture centred so that a thin strip is missing from the top and bottom and the picture fills the screen from side to side in a final aspect ratio around the 1.85:1 size. It is common practice in converting movie film to widescreen DVD to make the transfer so that the image matches that which would be projected on to a theatre screen. Unfortunately, in some cases (Carry On Camping is an example), the widescreen DVD master appears to have been prepared from a 4:3 tv print, with the result that a two-way crop has happened and the image is one that has had picture information trimmed from all four sides. Don`t Lose Your Head suffers from the same problem, but as the image area lost does not detract from the film, it is ultimately a question only to vex the most nit-picking movie fans.

For a movie from a series that has not been cared for by its copyright holders for many years, this movie is satisfyingly free of wear and tear detritus. The picture is clear, sharp and colourful and a delight to watch, especially on a widescreen set.

Audio

Nothing special here. The soundtrack is in Dolby Digital 2.0, reproducing the original mono mix.

Features

This is where these new versions of the Carry On movies score over the old prints. There are animated menus with music, a short clip preamble and - joy of joys - full hard of hearing subtitles. There are ten chapter stops available from the menu. There is also a theatrical trailer (non-anamorphic). Carlton have really pushed the boat out with screen specific audio commentaries on all the titles. This movie has Jim Dale interviewed by Robert Ross (author of the excellent "Carry On Companion" and a host of other books on the golden age of British Comedy). There is a text-only trivia section and an animated behind-the-scenes stills gallery which has a few surprises in store. Top of the range in the extras is an episode of the 1974-5 ATV comedy series "Carry On Laughing", which is not the clip series everybody remembers, but a series of short half-hour (24 minute) mini-Carry-Ons. The episode on this disc is "The Prisoner Of Spenda", a spoof of the novel of a similar name. Sid James is the Prince and his double, Barbara Windsor the double`s wife. David Lodge (from Spike Milligan`s Q series and Return Of The Pink Panther) is the villain and Kenneth Connor, Jack Douglas, Joan Sims and Peter Butterworth offer support. Needless to say confusion ensues. Compared with the movies, the tv shows are pretty rough landing somewhere between pantomime and Ted Rogers` 3-2-1, it`s a bit of fun and a nice addition to a pleasant disc.

Conclusion

Trivia buffs may be interested to know the swashbuckling swordfight finale of the movie was choreographed by swordmaster Bob Anderson, who more recently trained Viggo Mortensen and the rest of the gang in swordplay for the Lord Of The Rings trilogy. Oh, and keep your eyes peeled for Blake`s Seven villainess Servalan - Jacqueline Pearce played "3rd Lady".

Smashing.