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Very Hot Topic (More than 25 Replies) 'Smugglers!': Matthew Johnson (Read 18,987 times)
Cinefan
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'Smugglers!': Matthew Johnson
13. Feb 2010 at 22:25
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Okay, but this one will get you! Here's a film so obscure I'm still convinced someone on BA will have seen it. 'Smugglers!' directed by Patrick Amery in 1999 and issued by a little film company in England called Rewind Motion Pictures. It's a takeoff of Enid Blyton's Famous Five stories and stars boy actor/singer Matthew Johnson. 12 year old Richard (Johnson) spends his pocket money on a battered collection of Famous Five books and a pile of old Abba records. He falls asleep and is transported to the 1950s arriving at Aunt Fanny's cottage dressed in typical boyswear of the period, tanktop and shorts. He meets a girl called Georgina who demands to be called George played by Katy Lush. They have an adventure looking for a smuggler's lost map to a treasure. Also after this map is a villainous Professor Sidebottom (pronounced Sid-e-bo-tem). Every now and then Matthew Johnson will burst into an Abba song and dance routine. Quite enjoyable. While I didn't regard him as the best boy singer I'd ever heard, I liked him all the same. The whole film lasts barely an hour and has a certain endearing amatuerish quality about it.
'Smugglers!' was never meant for the cinemas. I found the film a quaint oddity, a laugh and quite enjoyable, too. It is not listed in BA movies nor is Johnson listed in the boy actors. Shame. Anyone seen this film?
PS Sorry I can't post any stills as I don't have the equipment to do that.
  
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hosenhaus
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Re: 'Smugglers!': Matthew Johnson
Reply #1 - 13. Feb 2010 at 23:08
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Rewind, eh?  As in "Nathan's Gift" and "Flame and the Beggar Boy" ... But I must admit I skipped "Smugglers! - the musical"

  
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Re: 'Smugglers!': Matthew Johnson
Reply #2 - 14. Feb 2010 at 17:31
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Here's a VHS rip....

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But I think I'm going to skip it also.
  
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Re: 'Smugglers!': Matthew Johnson
Reply #3 - 14. Feb 2010 at 19:10
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josephk wrote on 14. Feb 2010 at 17:31:
Here's a VHS rip....

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But I think I'm going to skip it also.


I wonder of they do Russian voice-overs even for musicals...
  
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Re: 'Smugglers!': Matthew Johnson
Reply #4 - 14. Feb 2010 at 22:36
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Not everything on that site is dubbed into Russian.

Quote:
Title: The Smugglers - The Musical
Original name: Smugglers! The Musical
Artist: Matt Johnson
Genre: Adventure, Musical
Year: 1999
Language: original (English)
Issued: United Kingdom


(Google translated)
  
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Zabladowski
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Re: 'Smugglers!': Matthew Johnson
Reply #5 - 15. Feb 2010 at 04:05
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Rewind is a distibutor of what could politely be called amateur films. I have seen Flame and the Beggar Boy and that was enough to turn me away from the rest of their catalog. I don't know that many of their films ever had a proper release anywhere other than on homemade DVD available at their website.



  
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Re: 'Smugglers!': Matthew Johnson
Reply #6 - 15. Feb 2010 at 06:20
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How about that "Picture This" catalog. They always have good stuff. Well, I think they do anyways.
  
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Re: 'Smugglers!': Matthew Johnson
Reply #7 - 15. Feb 2010 at 11:07
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Phenom wrote on 15. Feb 2010 at 06:20:
How about that "Picture This" catalog. They always have good stuff. Well, I think they do anyways.


"Picture This" did US/Canadian releases of commercial films, mostly from abroad.  But I heard that the recession drove them out of business.  Too bad.

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Re: 'Smugglers!': Matthew Johnson
Reply #8 - 15. Feb 2010 at 11:59
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I really disliked the way Picture This packaged their films. Their DVD covers had the the look of cheesy 60s B movie posters. Did they think their demographic were B horror and Sci-Fi fans. No wonder they went out of business.

At least Rewind know their audience.
  
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Re: 'Smugglers!': Matthew Johnson
Reply #9 - 15. Feb 2010 at 14:22
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The packaging may have been crap, but at least the movies were good. What I didn't like about them was the way they tried to brand them as though they were part of a series called "Tales of the Orphanage" - when as far as I can tell these were independently produced films with no relation to each other. I think this may have given some people the wrong impression. I suspect the cheesy packaging was just a result of them not having money to hire a decent designer.
  
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Re: 'Smugglers!': Matthew Johnson
Reply #10 - 16. Feb 2010 at 23:05
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.
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Re: 'Smugglers!': Matthew Johnson
Reply #11 - 18. Feb 2010 at 20:48
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"Page 49, sir." Thanks for posting that still, 'hosenhaus'. Hey, you guys, don't be too critical of Rewind Pictures. I think it's good that this outfit has been able to make these sort of amateur boy films for all these years. We appreciators of the Boy Actor should not be too quick to criticise them as their DVD efforts should be of interest to us for more reasons than one ... !
  
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Re: 'Smugglers!': Matthew Johnson
Reply #12 - 19. Feb 2010 at 04:14
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Cinefan wrote on 18. Feb 2010 at 20:48:
"Page 49, sir." Thanks for posting that still, 'hosenhaus'. Hey, you guys, don't be too critical of Rewind Pictures. I think it's good that this outfit has been able to make these sort of amateur boy films for all these years. We appreciators of the Boy Actor should not be too quick to criticise them as their DVD efforts should be of interest to us for more reasons than one ... !



Yes, they've been in business for quite a long time so they must be doing something right. They even act as retailers for some highly sort after mainstream boy movies, such as Storm boy, I want to be famous, and Last days of summer. I'd highly recommend all three.
  
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Re: 'Smugglers!': Matthew Johnson
Reply #13 - 19. Feb 2010 at 06:41
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Yeah, I agree. Screw the packaging and the graphics arts or whatever. I've never bought a video based on the packaging. I buy them for what is inside. If the movie itself is good or at least I like it then my money is well spent. I emphasize if "I" like it not if everyone else likes it or not. And I've seen quite a few really good "B" movies as well. We should all be greatful that people are making good or even decent Boy Actor movies and even more greatful that their are distributors that are willing to make some of the more controversial ones available for us to purchase and enjoy.
  
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Re: 'Smugglers!': Matthew Johnson
Reply #14 - 19. Feb 2010 at 14:12
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Phenom wrote on 19. Feb 2010 at 06:41:
We should all be greatful that people are making good or even decent Boy Actor movies


I think in this case you mean "indecent."  Smiley
  
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