Rock You Sinners

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Rock You Sinners
Rock You Sinners film Opening titles (1957).jpeg
Opening titles
Directed byDenis Kavanagh
Story byBeatrice Scott
Produced byB.C. Fancey
Starring Philip Gilbert
Adrienne Scott
Colin Croft
Jackie Collins
Production
companies
E.J. Fancey Productions
Small Film Distributors
Distributed bySmall Film Distributors
Release date
  • 1957 (1957)
Running time
59 minutes
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish

Rock You Sinners is a 1957 British second feature [1] black and white musical film directed by Denis Kavanagh and featuring early British rock and roll artistes, including Art Baxter and His Rock 'n' Roll Sinners, known for their song "Rock You Sinners". [2] [3]

Contents

The British Film Institute has called it the "first British rock 'n' roll film". [4]

Plot

The success of his rock and roll television show brings fame for DJ Johnny Laurence but trouble for his relationship with steady girlfriend Carol.

Cast

Production

The film is set in London and is mainly set in clubs, cafes and small recording studios.

Critical reception

The Monthly Film Bulletin wrote: "The plot of this film is negligible, most of the footage being occupied with rock 'n' roll numbers which, however lively, can hardly satisfy the more exacting initiates of the style." [5]

Kine Weekly wrote: "Good British title programmer for the masses and teenagers. ... Unpretentious as it is the film clearly proves that the Americans have no monopoly of rock 'n' roll fare." [6]

Picture Show wrote: "One of the few British rock 'n' roll musicals to be made ... well-acted by Philip Gilbert as the disc jockey and Adrienne Scott as his girl-friend." [7]

In British Sound Films: The Studio Years 1928–1959 David Quinlan rated the film as "poor", writing: "Monumentally inept British rock 'n' roll offering. Said one critic: the acting is so wooden you could light a fire with it." [8]

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References

  1. Chibnall, Steve; McFarlane, Brian (2009). The British 'B' Film. London: BFI/Bloomsbury. p. 59. ISBN   978-1-8445-7319-6.
  2. "Rock You Sinners". British Film Institute Collections Search. Retrieved 6 May 2024.
  3. "BFI Screenonline: Rock You Sinners (1957)". www.screenonline.org.uk.
  4. "Rock You Sinners (1957)". Archived from the original on 21 July 2018.
  5. "Rock You Sinners". The Monthly Film Bulletin . 24 (276): 89. 1 January 1957. ProQuest   1305817256 via ProQuest.
  6. "Rock You Sinners". Kine Weekly . 481 (2597): 17. 23 May 1957. ProQuest   2826279213 via ProQuest.
  7. "Rock You Sinners". Picture Show. 69 (1796): 10. ProQuest   1879624805 via ProQuest.
  8. Quinlan, David (1984). British Sound Films: The Studio Years 1928–1959. London: B.T. Batsford Ltd. p. 366. ISBN   0-7134-1874-5.