Just for You

This 1 hour film whizzes through 17 acts in the space of an hour.Only a handful do I remember.Introduced by Sam Costa who at the time was a DJ on radio.A few spots of entertainment amongst the dross

My dad who died in April 2019 was a mechanic by trade and a hoarder of tools, especially hammers !, I found 49 of various sizes in his garage (Where he was at his happiest and spent many hours) we put a couple of wooden handled ones in his coffin as a kind of humorous acknowledgement and tribute, at his funeral we played 'If i had a hammer' by Trini Lopez, I don't particularly like the song...till I heard Johnny B Great's version in this film, I wish I'd known about it then as I'd much rather have had it played than the original, I looked Johnny up on the Web and was sad to read he died when he was only 44 in 1988, he was a very talented musician from everything I've seen written about him. R. I. P Johnny.

A rather disjointed meld of a 1964 UK music flick 'Just for You" (directed by Douglas Hickox) and later US scenes directed by Vince Scarza. The UK footage owes more than a bit of its inspiration to "Pop Gear". The US bits (yes the Paxton plot is relentlessly dopey) at least have cool DJ's from 60's Top 40 Philly stations and some decent songs to keep it interesting.

The plot is obviously dispensable and mercifully occupies little screen time. The oft repeated truism that any film with Freddie & the Dreamers is intolerable for viewing is at least somewhat untrue in this case as they actually play one of their hits, "You Were Made for Me". The music clips (especially the brilliant Chiffons song "Nobody Knows What's Going' On In My Mind But Me") seem suspiciously like "Scopitones", the proto-MTV loops that played in special jukeboxes of the 60's.

Studio pianist Johnny B. Great does "If I Had A Hammer" while cool looking black couples dance wildly. It's So Hard to Be Good" by Louise Corday, The Bachelors, A Band of Angels, The Applejacks, Freddie Cannon, Jackie & the Raindrops, The Vagrants, The Merseybeats and many more. It will please mod era enthusiasts.

More a stream of consciousness (recalling Gordon Harker fiddling with a TV set three decades earlier in 'Elstree Calling') than a movie. Shot on a tiny soundstage at Shepperton with almost Caligariesque styalised sets in pastel sixties Eastman Colour.

Few of the guest artists (all obviously miming) are on for more than about two or three minutes; culminating in Freddie and the Dreamers performing the title song.

Although it carried a 'U' certificate in 1964, Talking Pictures preceded it with a disclaimer that some of it might be unsuitable for children; and it starts as it will continue with uncle Sam Costa propped up on a pillow ogling Faye Craig jiggling her hips on a huge colour TV screen far in advance of anything then available to the British public (while Millie's number begins and ends with a close up of her Cathy Gale boots).

If you're heavily influenced by endless runs of oldies playing on the radio each and every day, why not try to hunt down this little movie aptly called DISK-O-TEK HOLIDAY. Like so many rock n' roll musicals of the age, they offer a little-bitty story about boyfriends and girlfriends who are in love. The main interest is the musical numbers performed by several artists you've never quite heard of (if there is a familiar name, "Freddy And The Dreamers"). They did, after all, show off some reliable talent that once amused loyal audiences at the time. The nicest feeling about this one is the appearance of disc jockeys who announces the artist and plays the platters on the turntable (that's the way it was!). It must be one of those movies, then! I'm more familiar with "If I Had A Hammer" and "Locomotion" than anything else, but given the obscurity this title once had, the music is very creative and it sounds real good, too. Was this one destined to launch MTV? Almost! The sets are both cheap and expensive, but it sure comes close to the real thing! If I told you way back in the 70s, there would not be another poppin' movie melody like this ever again. It isn't all that special nor important, but it's now a one-of-a-kind treasure. Even the whole family can sit through this!