Carry On Vlogging: Carry On Film Talk with Rabbit and Snail

When our friends at Carry On Blogging got in touch and asked if we would consider writing a guest blog for them, we jumped at the chance. We were about to launch our new weekly classic film review magazine on YouTube, FILM TALK and immediately decided to record a special Carry On edition, which also includes a WORLD EXCLUSIVE from Hammer Films' star, Judy Matheson:

With so many friends and colleagues with a huge passion for great films and filmmaking an obvious project for us was to establish FILM TALK, a weekly online classic film review magazine that is exploring and appreciating the 100 greatest films ever made, at least the greatest films in our opinion. The team is made up of film professionals, journalists, broadcasters and historians, all lifelong film fanatics, who, in each episode, bring their vast film knowledge to bear on our chosen movie of the week.

Our regular contributors include author, journalist and broadcaster Morris Bright MBE, The Hammer Runners, Phil Campbell and Brian Reynolds, who have worked in the industry since the late 1960s and film guru, historian and collector, Mark Priest, whose passion for the cinema knows no bounds.

FILM TALK launched on Monday 10th December 2018 and to coincide with that launch we asked all of our FILM TALK team to record a short clip about their favourite Carry On films, which we have compiled into a special edition, CARRY ON FILM TALK.

Up first is Morris Bright, author, journalist and broadcaster. What Morris doesn't know about films could fill a volume of the Encyclopaedia Britannica. What he DOES know about films could fill 100 volumes of the Encyclopaedia Britannica. We chatted about many of his favourites and the impression the franchise had on him and, after much consideration, he chose Carry On Cleo as his favourite.

Phil Campbell is one half of the wonderful Hammer Runners, who, along with Brian Reynolds, wrote Running Scared, their account of life as runners at Hammer Films in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Again, it was a difficult choice. Phil and I talked about so many films and found ourselves just laughing endlessly as we reminisced about classic scenes. Eventually Phil concluded that it had to be Carry On Up the Khyber. There's nothing to be afraid of with that choice; 'oh, I dunno though.'

My good friend, film fanatic and collector, Mark Priest recalled seeing so many of the Carry On films at the cinema, including classic double-bills. Again it was hard to whittle the list down to just five before choosing a favourite. Mark went for Carry On Doctor, what with Kenneth Williams, Hattie Jacques, Sid James, Jim Dale, and of course Franke Howerd, how could you go wrong?

We were so lucky with CARRY ON FILM TALK, because we also were recording an interview with the marvellous Judy Matheson for our Peter Cushing documentary at the same time and she kindly agreed to record a short piece about her favourite Carry On. We were particularly lucky because Judy announced that she had a personal Carry On story to share with us, which she had not shared with anyone else before. A world exclusive in anyone's book!

Way up near the top of her list was also Carry On Up the Khyber, a wonderful choice in its own right. Eventually though, Judy went for Carry On Screaming, not just because of her Hammer Films heritage, but because it starred her great friend, the amazing actress Fenella Fielding.

The very first regular episode of FILM TALK introduced Billy Wilder's amazing comedy, Some Like It Hot to our top 100 list. This absolute classic starred the incomparable Tony Curtis, Jack Lemmon and Marilyn Monroe. Witnesses to a vicious St Valentine’s Day gangster massacre, musicians Curtis and Lemmon take-off and hide out as saxophonist and bass player in an all-girl jazz band. Championed by Morris Bright.

Each week we add another title to our list of the 100 greatest films ever made (in our humble opinion). You can find each episode on the RABBIT & SNAIL FILM WEBSITE or take a look at our YOU TUBE CHANNEL. Do visit us when you have a chance, watch some of our videos, and if you like what you see, please do subscribe to be notified when we release more.

A huge thank you to Graeme and Carry On Blogging for asking us to be a part of the blog, it's a privilege and an honour. Thank you.

Best wishes all,


Richard Edwards, RABBIT & SNAIL FILMS

You can follow me on Twitter @CarryOnJoan and on Instagram