The Young Ones

I saw this film aged 11 when it came out and loved it. It seemed fresh and exciting - and importantly it was in colour! It was full of possibility and aspiration to this post war lad.

Film and TV at this time seemed set upon diluting rock n roll by transforming its stars into 'all round entertainers'. Once Elvis had been neutered by his period in the army, films involving popular music involved clean cut clones like Fabian or Ricky Nelson - or a squeaky clean Elvis himself. Cliff was a UK version of this phenomenon - himself an Elvis clone initially smouldering for Jack Good on TV's 'Oh Boy!', but polished up for this film, his sexual threat now removed.

Someday someone will produce a proper study of the period 1958 to 1962, where nothing dangerous seemed to happen and rock lay fallow. Actually rock was just regrouping for the Mersey sound and more.

The film however is a UK version of a typical Hollywood musical, and by UK standards some money has been spent. Looking at it now though, you can see it was a throwback even then.

On a personal note I have a soft spot for the old long gone Finsbury Park Empire - near where used to live - which is the supposed location where 'the young ones' put on a show.

In fact this film may be the origin of the cliche 'Hey - why don't we put the show on right here?!'

Also as a small footnote - reckon the production designer of 'Absolute Beginners' in 1986, owes The Young Ones a debt