Once dubbed the ‘King of Sexploitation’ by the tabloid press, Stanley Long was the godfather of the British sex film. Starting out with 8mm striptease reels in the 1950s before moving into nudist documentaries, Long went on to produce and direct a string of extremely popular X-rated movies which told tales of wife swapping, groupies and other saucy goings on. He reached the pinnacle of commercial success with this trio of incredibly successful ‘on the job’ sex comedies.
Adventures of a Taxi Driver, starring sitcom actor Barry Evans, set the template with the antics of a cabbie who ‘gets more than his fare share’. Securing international distribution – as well as becoming the most successful comedy at the British box office in 1976 – it prompted two sequels, each featuring more of the same but with a different lead actor (future hit-record producer Christopher Neil).
Boasting supporting casts which burst with top-tier British acting talent – including Harry H Corbett (Steptoe and Son), Diana Dors (Berserk), Judy Geeson (Inseminoid), Suzy Kendall (To Sir, with Love), future musical theatre sensation Elaine Paige, and former Doctor Who Jon Pertwee – the Adventures series represents British popular filmmaking at its most unashamedly cheeky.
Technical Specifications
Supplements
- Audio commentary with producer and director Stanley Long (2008)
- The Best of the Adventures (1981, 87 mins): feature-length compilation of extracts from all three films in the Adventures series, made for the nascent videotape market and hosted by journalist and broadcaster Peter Noble
- The BEHP Interview with Stanley Long: Part One (1999, 87 mins): archival audio recording, made as part of the British Entertainment History Project, featuring the producer and director in conversation with Dennis Gifford and Emmanuel Yospa
- Peter Sinclair’s Camera (2022, 15 mins): the veteran cinematographer discusses his work for exploitation filmmakers Stanley Long and Pete Walker, and his move to Los Angeles in the 1980s to direct music videos
- Original theatrical trailer
- Image gallery: promotional and publicity materials from Stanley Long’s archives
- Script gallery: complete shooting screenplay