Cool It, Carol!

Our characters head to London to make some cash, Asquith's character becomes a superpimp, then they get prudish towards the end. Not funny as a comedy, not interesting as a story, just titillation in the grubbiest way. We see semi-nudity regularly, and "Carol" is naive and frankly a bit unrealistic about being pimped out to all and sundry and shooting mucky movies, but as the story is so shallow it's the only way it functions at all. TBH "Last Night in Soho" (Edgar Wright) does it better, goes deeper, is more interesting, is darker, funnier, and portrays the scene more realistically despite being newer.

According to the opening credits, "this story is true but actual names and places are fictitious." That's because Pete Walker read a story in the tabloid News of the World and got inspired. And unlike movies of this era like Permissive and More, the degenerate lifestyle he envisioned wasn't tragic. Joe (Robin Askwith, the Confessions of... series) and Carol (Janet Lynn*, Twins of Evil) have left behind their small town for swinging London, where Joe fails to even find the simplest of jobs and she quickly becomes a model. Before you can open the newspaper to Page 3, Carol's involved in the scummier side of entertainment - the photoshoot for a dirty magazine was shot in Mayfair photographer Philip O. Stearn's studio and the stills were in the July 1970 issue - with dirty old men all wanting a piece of our heroine. There's some great casting here, with Stubby Kaye (the owner of Acme in Who Framed Roger Rabbit?), Harry Baird (The Four of the Apocalypse), Chris Sandford (who was also in Walker's Die Screaming, Marianne), radio DJ Pete Murray, Carry On star Eric Barker, Pearl Hackney (who was in four Walker films, including Four Dimensions of Greta, Tiffany Jones and Schizo) and Martin Wyldeck (Walker really liked using the same actors, as he also was in several of his movies). This never gets as dirty as the American title - The Dirtiest Girl I Ever Met - promises. It exists in a different time of sexuality, where Robin Askwith's butt and innuendo is enough. But man, all those scenes of old men licking their lips in slow motion makes me realize that Walker really was made to be a horror director. *Susan George was originally considered for this movie.

Screened far too many times by Renown ('Talking Pictures TV'). Now if not then, the film is irresponsible, unfunny and unpleasant. The 1969/70 street scenes and vehicles are of historical interest (if only one knew how to upload images to imcdb.com). This movie's general bad taste and one or two goofs have been sharply observed by discerning reviewers.

COOL IT CAROL! is a low budget sexploitation epic from British director Pete Walker, although even at this stage of his career he can't resist making the material as dark and uncomfortable as it can be. Made in 1970, it proves a fitting tribute of its era, complete with sleazy * producers, dirty old men, and all manner of outlandish fashions and hairstyles. The production values are typically excellent as this looks and feels like your usual above-average Walker production. Robin Askwith and Janet Lynn are a good fit as the out-of-their-depth young couple who move to London with hopes of hitting the big time, only to find themselves drawn into a world of sleaze. The grubby atmosphere is spot on and there's plenty of tasty nudity for male viewers to enjoy (particularly from the delectable Lynn), but it's all rather seedy and depressing. In many ways this film is an offshoot of the old 'sensation' genre of the 1930s, about pretty young girls finding themselves exploited by perverted older men. There are indications at comedy with the presence of Askwith and some funny dialogue, but as mentioned, it's rather depressing overall with a storyline that never really goes anywhere. I much prefer Walker when he has a story to tell, as in his later film HOME BEFORE MIDNIGHT.

Carol is quite something when you see her in lingerie or *. She leaves her boring existence to pursue her modelling career, taking off with childhood friend, Robin Askwith, mostly still filling the boots of his Timmy Lea character in the Confession films. Though the story is supposedly true in this film, one wouldn't really care. A lot of people will do anything to survive. Askwith and co need money in London. Food, like that delectable pastry in the window and accommodation costs money. Someone talent spots Askwith's better half, and soon she's doing some pretty weird photographic * shoots, and offering sexual services, where may'be a bit of her likes it. She becomes hooked, finding it hard to turn offers down, where Askwith starts getting annoyed. Jealousy? He has a thing for her? She doesn't decline at first. Some tasty nudity, provide momentary erotic entertainment from our title lead, doing it with some 60+ men, some moments of it getting nasty, if demeaning to our lead, despite it being a comedy, that didn't have me laughing. This movie isn't anything special. Bits of it are truly pathetic, and I wonder if the words, "acting lessons", mean anything to Askwith.