7 out of 7 people found the following review helpful:

Hmmm

MovieNut from , 18th July, 2009

This film was slightly amusing, (not sure if it's supposed to be or not) in a kind of creepy way. It takes a look at life in London in the 60's. My life is no better having watched this film. I have no idea why this was even on my rental list. If i had the chance to go back in time I'd remove it. One thing's for sure though, if this film is a true account of life in the 60's, I'm very glad I wasn't alive back then. Very odd, spoofy documentary type thing. Not sure what to make of it.

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1 out of 1 people found the following review helpful:

Not exactly raw but vaguely interesting

Wooster from , 14th September, 2009

If you're expecting a raunchy view of 60's London strip clubs and the like you'll be sorely disappointed. This slow and ponderous film takes snapshots of various groups of people living within the capital in the mid 1960's ranging from Cypriots to a hair replacement salon. There is a hooker and a belly dancer but in typical 60's style the whole show is very toned down and sanitised. It was particularly annoying that in two club scenes (one being the WAG Club) no actual music was recorded and a dreadful ochestrated backing track replaced the presumably Mod music being played on the dancefloor behind the film of the dancers. So, a vagely interesting view of various strands of 60's London enhanced greatly by my liberal use of the fast-forward button on my remote.

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Bonkers, but barely watchable.

Nevsky from , 29th January, 2010

This 1964 exploitation-doc directed by Arnold L. Miller and Norman Cohen is more of a ramshackle collage of various footage than the insightful treatise on London life that it is touted as. Sequences linger too long, and are certainly not as titillating or as 'raw' as you'd expect: it all starts with the upper crust (Harrow schoolboys, horse-riding tailoring), before stumbling through other slices of society, from beatnik amateur erotic photographers and life drawing classes, to variety clubs and themed restaurants. It is all tied together by a droll narration from David Gell, which attempts to craft something of a narrative – of a complex culture in flux – but it's a little forced and, at times, a little xenophobic, with its focus on immigrant subcultures (bellydancing shows, Cypriot socials, German and Swedish exchange students, Black soul clubs). In comparison, “British” culture is suffering, especially after the closure of the music halls, and the rise of 'anti-social' pastimes like strip joints and revue shows. It's all definitely barmy, in particular a sequence involving startlingly graphic imagery of hair-replacement (and removal) treatment, and a stab at horrific hysteria as homeless drunks snaffle purple meths and druggies cruise the streets for a fix. However, while the proceedings are doubtlessly interesting for social historians, London in the Raw probably won't keep the attention of most viewers. (The other, shorter pieces on the disc, 'Pub', 'Strip', and 'Chelsea Bridge Boys', are equally valuable as historical documents.)

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So good I've just bought it

TristanWhite from , 12th December, 2009

This is a brilliant documentary, I kid you not. A great snapshot of what London was like in the mid 60s. You don't want to rent this for tittilation, this is very mild stuff. But it's fascinating to see the London that my parents grew up in. The main feature is superb, delving into everything from burlesque, transvestite clubs, clubs where people went to dance/meet with people from other races, etc. I loved it. I learned a lot. I learned that Boots in Piccaddilly Circus used to be somewhere where you could legally get your daily quaaludes. I learned that the current 'sketch burlesque' fad is nothing new. I learnt so much. Recommend++ As for the other features, there is an alternative version which is the same but it's worth scrolling a few minutes into it after seeing the main film to see how a peep show used to work. The short 'PUB' is a bit of a drag, but the one on 'CHELSEA BRIDGE BOYS' is essential viewing for any enthusiasts keen to see how the Mods and Rockers lived in the period. A final short, STRIP, is OK but not as good as the latter. But for the main feature, and for Chelsea Bridge Boys, this is an essential piece of history.

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*** May contain spoilers ***

A fascinating and a rather crisp looking documentary.

A Customer from london, 20th October, 2009

A fascinating and a rather crisp looking documentary. which details some aspects of what life in London was like in the early 1960s. You have seedy looking bars, plastic surgoens, burlesque performers and strippers, pubs and reconstructed footage of gentlemen getting 'mugged' in clip joints and tramps drinking meths! The film has been cleaned up and looks like it was only filmed yesterday! Because of the high focus of footage, framing and the colours of the film stock, it does make the film look amazing. It really captures a set moment in time and is a wonderful historical piece. This is a sort of a 'Mondo' film, but is less exploitive and shocking, then the Italian versions of this type of 'shockumentary' made in the 1960s.

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a great look back in time

itstinks from , 25th September, 2009

The film starts with an observation on the good manners of the people in London and immediately you think 'things change'. Considering the film covers prostitutes, strippers and junkies there does seem to be a relaxed attitude to their behaviour and is all done in what seems a fairly innocent way. Especially interesting are the well spoken accents of some of the striptease girls and the fairly talentless entertainment in the East End pubs. The extras are pretty good as well.

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