Slade in Flame (1975) Flame (original title)

Director:

Richard Loncraine

Writers:

Andrew Birkin (screenplay)
Dave Humphries (additional dialogue)

Release Date:

2004 (USA)

Genre:

Musical | Drama

Tagline:

In the cut throat world of the music business you're either a success or dead.

Plot:

Light the Rock n' Roll spark with a Flame in the guise of Dave, Noddy, Jim and Don and their showcase of the rise and demise of rock band Flame...

Plot Keywords:

Working Class | Rock 'n' Roll | England | Rock Group | Cultural Difference

Cast

Don Powell	...	Charlie
Jim Lea	...	Paul
Noddy Holder	...	Stoker
Dave Hill	...	Barry
Tom Conti	...	Robert Seymour
Alan Lake	...	Jack Daniels
Johnny Shannon	...	Ron Harding
Kenneth Colley	...	Tony Devlin
Anthony Allen	...	Russell
Sara Clee	...	Angie
Nina Thomas	...	Julie
Michael Coles	...	Roy Priest
Rosko	...	Himself
Tommy Vance	...	Ricky Storm
John Dicks	...	Lenny
Barrie Houghton	...	Ron
A.J. Brown	...	Chairman of the Board
Susan Tebbs	...	Judy Seymour
Patrick Connor	...	Harold - Charlie's Boss
Anthony Roye	...	Sommers
Jimmy Gardner	...	Charlie's Dad
Sheila Raynor	...	Charlie's Mum
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Reginald Bosanquet	...	Himself - Newsreader (uncredited)
Peter Cellier	...	Salesman In Car Showroom (uncredited)
Bill Dean	...	Club Owner (uncredited)
Laurie Goode	...	Photographer (uncredited)
John Steele	...	Drummer - Wedding Reception (uncredited)
Irene Sutcliffe	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Nigel Terry	...	Assistant Disc Jockey (uncredited)
Rosetta Tropea	...	Dancer (uncredited)

Directed by
Richard Loncraine

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Andrew Birkin		screenplay
Dave Humphries		additional dialogue

Produced by
Chas Chandler	....	executive producer
Gavrik Losey	....	producer
John Steele	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Noddy Holder
Jim Lea

Cinematography by
Peter Hannan

Film Editing by
Michael Bradsell

Casting by
Irene Lamb		(casting)

Art Direction by
Brian Morris

Production Management
Garth Thomas	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Roger Simons	....	assistant director

Art Department
Milly Burns	....	assistant art director
Bill Hearn	....	carpenter
John Leuenberger	....	property master
Jeff Woodbridge	....	construction manager

Sound Department
Ian Fuller	....	dubbing editor
Tony Jackson	....	sound mixer
Alan O'Duffy	....	recording mixer
Stephen Ransley	....	sound boom
Bill Rowe	....	dubbing mixer

Special Effects by
Malcolm King	....	special effects

Camera and Electrical Department
Peter Bloor	....	electrician
Roy Rodhouse	....	gaffer
John Stanier	....	camera operator

Editorial Department
Colin Berwick	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Chas Chandler	....	music producer
Noddy Holder	....	music arranger
Jim Lea	....	music arranger

Other crew
Zelda Barron	....	continuity
Clinton Cavers	....	production assistant
Sally Shewring	....	production assistant
Marc Wolff	....	helicopter pilot

Production Companies

• Goodtimes Enterprises
• Spouberry
• VPS-Goodtimes
• Visual Programme Systems

Distributors

• Visual Programme Systems (1975) (UK) (theatrical)
• Shout! Factory (2004) (USA) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Lee Lighting  grip and lighting equipment

Also Known As:

"Flame" - UK (original title)

Runtime:

91 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

UK:PG

Filming Locations:

Berkeley Square, Mayfair, London, England, UK

Company:

Goodtimes Enterprises

Trivia:

Dave Hill had a double for the sequence where Flame ascend to Radio City, as he disliked heights.

Quotes:

Jack Daniels:[after been given their work schedule] Thanks Mrs. B. Two pubs, four socials and a bloody jacaranda club.
Charlie:Not a bad week though.
Ron Harding's secretary:Not a bad month.

Movie Connections:

Featured in It's Slade (1999) (TV)

"Mumble mumble(indecipherable)going for a piss" - D.Powell

The backdrop to this film was so bleak and gritty that one would not have been surprised to have spotted Jack Carter (in his black raincoat) passing by in the background.

With Alan Lake, Tom Conti and Johnny Shannon there to do the real acting, despite the serious nature of the film, Slade's thespian talents were little more important than the Beatles's were in Hard Days Night or the Monkees in Head. Despite that, Noddy Holder and Jimmy Lea (who were the brains behind Slade anyway i.e. they wrote all the songs) both aquit themselves extremely well; successfully creating credible, interesting and well rounded characters. Dave Hill simply played himself (not that that was a problem, as he was, to all intents and purposes, cast as himself anyway). I defy anyone to decipher a complete sentence mumbled by drummer Don Powell, but that oddly adds to his character's charm.

This successful hybrid between Get Carter and Stardust is truly a lost gem, that, despite it's rediscovery and favourable reassessment in the 90's, has still not received the popular recognition it deserves.

Who knows, if this had been a major success (as opposed to a major flop) on it's initial release, would it have been that long before we saw The Sweet doing a bullion job in The Sweeny?