Review of Twinky

Introduction

Some early-seventies movies are so out of kilter with modern day life and values that they either deeply shock or have you laughing aloud. In fact, `Life on Mars` is based largely on this juxtaposition of values and culture.

If you happen to have seen the first `On the Buses` movie in the last few years, with its theme song advising `you`d better leave your bird at `ome`, then you might be `almost` ready for the theme song to `Twinky`, penned and crooned by none other than Jim Dale, which accompanies the opening montage to this groovy movie. `Twinky - a devil in a school-skirt` accompanies lingering close-ups of school girl`s thighs (principally real-life 18 year old Susan George`s) as she and her friends ride their bikes across the streets of London. It`s a musical accompaniment that would have your serving time in today`s world, though it perfectly sets the tone for this relatively innocent re-tread of the Lolita theme.

Sybil Londonderry (Susan George) is better known to her family and friends as `Twinky`, a slightly crazy hyperactive sixteen-year-old whose naiveté is matched by her sensual charm. Something of a rebel, she wears he skirts too high, and reads erotica at the breakfast table to wind-up her upper class parents. Little do they know that the erotica is the work of 39-year-old Scott (played by an ultra-hip Bronson) with whom she is having an illicit affair.

To escape from disapproving parents, and mounting troubles with the law, they elope to Scotland to wed. Twinky soon gets her wish when Scott agrees to take her to his home in New York where things get even wilder. Twinky manages to get involved in a protest march, get her husband arrested, and use their flat for wild sixties partying. It`s not long till Scott has trouble writing…

In truth, though its topic seems terribly risqué, the movie has very little that could be seen as overtly offensive. Susan George and Charles Bronson both do splendidly in their roles, and the movie plods along at a gentle enough pace, playing out more like a romantic soap opera than a serious drama.

It`s worth noting that Bronson (who makes Iggy Pop look like a lardy-bum in the shirtless scenes) was 47 at the time of filming, some 30 years older than Susan George.

The movie contains some fine cameos from a surprisingly well-respected group of actors including Jack Hawkins, Trevor Howard, Lionel Jeffries, Honor Blackman and Robert Morley - a veritable `who`s who` of British cinema of the day.

Video

This is not the world`s greatest print or transfer with a general softness throughout and with much evidence of wear and tear in the form of specs and scratches.

Audio

Slightly tinny mono, though just what I would have expected from a low-budget period piece like this.

Features

There`s a stills gallery and then a mid-70`s interview with Susan George that has no mention of `Twinky` in it. It`s a strange interview with a rather nasty Russell Harty, pushing some distasteful questions (see him mouth the word `rape` silently several times) in that irritating middle-class camp that he made all his own. Susan George handles it all with some decorum.

Conclusion

`Twinky` will be a welcome curio for those who treasure cinematic and cultural oddities. From the decidedly dodgy Jim Dale penned theme song, through the indefensibly lingering shots of schoolgirls in short skirts, to 47 year old Bronson snogging teenager Susan George in front of some outraged nuns, to a fine array of cameo appearances from Trevor Howard, Robert Morley, Jack Hawkins, and Lionel Jeffries, this re-take on `Lolita` is quite something.

It`s all wrapped up in that distinctive sixties pop art style editing with fast cuts, slo-mos, low-angle shots and cocktail lounge music dolloped carelessly throughout.

Whilst its subject matter would be addressed more seriously now, and this kind of gratuitous exploitation rightfully frowned upon today, it remains a fascinating period piece with some fine performances.

It`s a nasty transfer though from a well-worn print, though I suspect that it`s unlikely we`ll ever see a better one.