Movie Reviews: Up Pompeii
Slave Lurcio (Frankie Howerd) inadvertently comes into the possession of a scroll bearing the names of the proposed assassins of Emperor Nero. The conspirators want the scroll back, but it has fallen into the hands of Lurcio's master, Ludicrus Sextus. Chaos ensues as the various parties each try to get their hands on the scroll. Meanwhile, Mount Vesuvius is starting to rumble.
I have to admit that I only have a passing familiarity with the TV show that this movie was based on. I wasn't even around when Up Pompeii was first broadcast on TV and it isn't the sort of show that is often repeated. The BBC is much too afraid of offending anyone without anybody getting up in arms about the show's innuendo.
The plot is pretty basic and is little more than an excuse for Frankie Howerd to have a natter with the audience and comment on how silly things are. It is clear that this film has little use for the fourth wall.
It goes without saying that Frankie Howerd is the main draw, but there are several more familiar faces to keep an eye out for especially if you are a fan of Hammer lovelies. Madeline Smith (of The Vampire Lovers fame) play's the nymphomaniac daughter of Lurcio's master and Julie Ege (Creatures the World Forgot) plays the aptly-named Voluptua.
Innuendo and terrible puns are the order of the day here, so those of you expecting sophisticated humour will have to look elsewhere. I was perfectly happy watching this film as it was the sort of humour that I was expecting when I watched The House in Nightmare Park.
There is some brief nudity and Madeline Smith has a bath scene, so I guess there are some more plus points for this film.
The DVD that I have also comes with a sort-of sequel Up the Chastity Belt, which is basically the same sort of film transposed into medieval times. There was another sequel, Up the Front which was set during the First World War, but I doubt I will be able to review that one as I can't find it on DVD at a reasonable price. I will have to be content with just watching Up the Chastity Belt so hopefully I will enjoy that one as much as I did here.
Three pointy hats.
Next time: Up the Chastity Belt