SLADE IN FLAME
Exclusive! Don's "Flame" film script found!
Many thanks to Slade Historian, Chris Selby, who has provided the website with a copy of Don's original "Flame" film script.
The script was part of a rock auction held by Omega Auctions in Stockport in May. Chris managed to obtain a copy from the seller, that we can share with you on the website.
Apparently, the seller said that the script was was taken by a dustman from a skip that was outside his flat in Platt's Lane, Hampstead in the mid 1970's. Story goes that Don was having a clear-out from his flat, and the script was dumped...
Don has confirmed that the scribbled notes written on the script were made by him.
Chris' tip: Watch "Flame" on DVD, whilst reading the script on your laptop... You will then notice the changes that were made, and lines which were altered.
Below: See the entire 95 pages of the film script.
The script was part of a rock auction held by Omega Auctions in Stockport in May. Chris managed to obtain a copy from the seller, that we can share with you on the website.
Apparently, the seller said that the script was was taken by a dustman from a skip that was outside his flat in Platt's Lane, Hampstead in the mid 1970's. Story goes that Don was having a clear-out from his flat, and the script was dumped...
Don has confirmed that the scribbled notes written on the script were made by him.
Chris' tip: Watch "Flame" on DVD, whilst reading the script on your laptop... You will then notice the changes that were made, and lines which were altered.
Below: See the entire 95 pages of the film script.
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Slade In Flame
In late Summer of 1974, Don and Slade filmed the movie Slade In Flame.
The film was a mild success in the UK, but later years has achieved critical and cult acclaim.
When the film was reviewed on Film '75 by Barry Norman he said - "For all it's failings it has a gritty realism which you can't escape and in fact it has some kind of attraction at the end of the day. This was a prophetic statement in many ways, because Slade were expected to make a slap-stick kind of comedy and in fact it did the total opposite and showed the unseemly side of the rock business. Whether the fans wanted this was another story."
The film was a mild success in the UK, but later years has achieved critical and cult acclaim.
When the film was reviewed on Film '75 by Barry Norman he said - "For all it's failings it has a gritty realism which you can't escape and in fact it has some kind of attraction at the end of the day. This was a prophetic statement in many ways, because Slade were expected to make a slap-stick kind of comedy and in fact it did the total opposite and showed the unseemly side of the rock business. Whether the fans wanted this was another story."
Don as Charlie in Flame
Don's thoughts on Flame - February 2013
I had a ball making ‘FLAME’..... I loved every minute of it.
I didn’t mind the early mornings at all. You just had to make sure you were disciplined and got an early night if you were on an early call for 6am to start shooting. This meant you had to be up around 4am to shave, make-up (took a long time) and get fitted.... And then hang around for hours while they sorted lights and camera angles...
I really thought I would have a problem with learning the script. But you just learned what you needed the night before. I always had my script on set with me all the time ( for reference).
The scene with Alan Lake and myself in the prison cell took hours as no-one knew he was going to pull his food plate away from the toilet. I kept bursting out laughing as so did, John Stanier (the camera man) and Richard Loncraine (director) who were only about a,metre away from Alan and myself. In the end I made them leave the cell and just leave the camera rolling. But, if you look closely, the only way I could do the scene was with my head down and you can see me laughing.....
Don - 12 February 2013
I didn’t mind the early mornings at all. You just had to make sure you were disciplined and got an early night if you were on an early call for 6am to start shooting. This meant you had to be up around 4am to shave, make-up (took a long time) and get fitted.... And then hang around for hours while they sorted lights and camera angles...
I really thought I would have a problem with learning the script. But you just learned what you needed the night before. I always had my script on set with me all the time ( for reference).
The scene with Alan Lake and myself in the prison cell took hours as no-one knew he was going to pull his food plate away from the toilet. I kept bursting out laughing as so did, John Stanier (the camera man) and Richard Loncraine (director) who were only about a,metre away from Alan and myself. In the end I made them leave the cell and just leave the camera rolling. But, if you look closely, the only way I could do the scene was with my head down and you can see me laughing.....
Don - 12 February 2013
Full Cast
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Don Powell -
Dave Hill - Jim Lea - Noddy Holder - Tom Conti - Alan Lake - Johnny Shannon - Kenneth Colley - Anthony Allen - Sara Clee - Nina Thomas - Michael Coles - Emperor Rosko - Tommy Vance - John Dicks - |
Charlie
Barry Paul Stoker Robert Seymour Jack Daniels Ron Harding Tony Devlin Russell - Roadie Angie - Barry's girlfriend Julie - Paul's wife Roy Priest Himself Ricky Storm Lenny - Ron Harding's thug |
Barrie Houghton -
A J Brown - Susan Tebbs - Patrick Connor - Anthony Roye - Jimmy Gardner - Sheila Raynor - Reginald Bosenquet - Peter Cellier - Bill Dean - Laurie Good - John Steele - Irene Sutcliffe - Nigel Terry - Rosetta Tropea - |
Ron - Ron Harding's other thug
Chairman of the Board Judy Seymour Harold - Charlie's boss Sommers - Gimmicks man Charlie's Dad Charlie's Mum Himself - Newsreader Car Showroom Assistant Club Owner Photographer Drummer at Wedding Reception Reporter Assistant Disc Jockey Dancer |
Production Credits
Richard Loncraine - Director
Gavrik Losey - Producer
Writer - Andrew Birkin
Additional Dialogue - Dave Humphries
Studio - Goodtimes Enterprises
Gavrik Losey - Producer
Writer - Andrew Birkin
Additional Dialogue - Dave Humphries
Studio - Goodtimes Enterprises
"What we need is a drummer with a kit like.... that!"
Locations
The film was made entirely in the UK. The known locations are as follows.
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Wedding Reception Scene -
Iron Foundry - Charlie's Home - Stoker's Market Stall - Public Toilets (Stoker & Paul visit) - Train Scenes - Barry's 21st Birthday Scenes - Club Scene - Them Kinda Monkees Can't Swing - Concert Scene - This Girl - Concert Scene - OK Yesterday Was Yesterday / Summer Song / Far Far Away - Concert Scene - Standing On The Corner - Recording Studio - Hotel Scene (exterior) - Hotel Scenes (interior) - Radio City 299 - Car Showroom (Charlie & Barry) - Nod & Jim in pigeon loft - |
Pinner, London Borough of Harrow
Sheffield Park Hill Flats - Sheffield Portobello Road Market, London Public Toilets - Portobello Road / Talbot Street Bluebell Line - Kent Wandsworth Town Hall - now Wandsworth Art Centre Sherwood Rooms, Nottingham (now called Oceana) Strip Club - Soho, London Rainbow Theatre, Finsbury Park, North London Hammersmith Palais - West London Converted biscuit factory - Kensal Rise, London Grand Hotel - Brighton Portman Hotel - London (now demolished) Maunsell Forts - Thames Estuary Jack Barclay Cars - Berkeley Square, Mayfair, London Willesden - near Lee Electrics |
Key Dates
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Filming commences for Flame (London) -
Concert scenes at The Rainbow, Finsbury Park - Concert scenes at Hammersmith Palais, London - Far Far Away single release - Further scenes at The Rainbow (later cancelled) - Original release date Flame album (postponed) - Actual release date Flame album - Newcastle Premiere at Pavilion Theatre, Newcastle - How Does It Feel single release - London Premiere at Metropole Theatre, Victoria - Film also opened at Rialto, Coventry St, London, W1 - Presentation Flame Gold Disc at State Cinema, Kilburn - US Premiere at Ambassadore Theatre, St Louis - First UK TV showing of Flame (Channel 4) - Most recent UK TV showing of Flame - |
29 July 1974
4 September 1974 5 September 1974 11 October 1974 21 October 1974 22 September 1974 29 September 1974 12 January 1975 7 February 1975 13 February 1975 13 February 1975 16 February 1975 12 September 1975 12 December 1987 23 December 2012 |
UK Roll Out Schedule 1975
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REGION
Tyne Tees Region Yorkshire Region London (North & South) Region Southern Region Westward Region Anglia Region Lancashire Region Scotland Region Northern Ireland and Eire Region |
COMMENCEMENT DATE
19 January 19 January 16 February 23 February 23 February 23 February 16 March 16 March 19 May |
Extra Details
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Don's first scene filmed for Flame -
Flame costume designers / makers - Flame Guitar Makers - Flame logo designer - Film poster designer - Don, Dave and Jim's first band in the movie - Nod's first band in the movie - Film budget - |
Charlie's band audition
Steve and Barbara Megson Framus (Germany) Steve Ridgeway Arnaldo Putzu Jack Daniel's and The DT's Roy Priest & The Undertakers £250,000 |
Don and Slade at the Flame Premiere - 13 February 1975
London Premiere Guest List - 13 February 1975 - Metropole, Victoria
Don and all of Slade
Chas Chandler & John Steele (Slade Management)
Alan Lake & Diana Dors, Rosko, The Arrows, Lynsey De Paul, Colin Blunstone, Pilot, Mud, The Sweet, Suzi Quatro,
Bill Oddie, Kiki Dee, Alan Price, Lulu, Gary Glitter, Roy Wood, The Troggs, Barry Blue, Susan Hanson (Miss Diane - Crossroads actress) & Jeff Rawle (Billy Liar actor)
Chas Chandler & John Steele (Slade Management)
Alan Lake & Diana Dors, Rosko, The Arrows, Lynsey De Paul, Colin Blunstone, Pilot, Mud, The Sweet, Suzi Quatro,
Bill Oddie, Kiki Dee, Alan Price, Lulu, Gary Glitter, Roy Wood, The Troggs, Barry Blue, Susan Hanson (Miss Diane - Crossroads actress) & Jeff Rawle (Billy Liar actor)
Slade In Flame book - by John Pidgeon
Once the Flame film was in the can - a novel relating to the film was commissioned.
"Based on an original screenplay by Andrew Birkin".
John Pidgeon wrote the story. He based it on the film - but made it tougher. The violence was stronger - and the sex scene (with Jack Daniels in the back of the van) - was made sexier. It was published by Panther Books in January 1975.
Eight pages of black and white stills from the film were included in the middle of the book.
The book sold 150,000 copies in 1975. "Pretty good for any book" said Nick Webb, the editorial executive at Panther Books at the time...
"Based on an original screenplay by Andrew Birkin".
John Pidgeon wrote the story. He based it on the film - but made it tougher. The violence was stronger - and the sex scene (with Jack Daniels in the back of the van) - was made sexier. It was published by Panther Books in January 1975.
Eight pages of black and white stills from the film were included in the middle of the book.
The book sold 150,000 copies in 1975. "Pretty good for any book" said Nick Webb, the editorial executive at Panther Books at the time...
Other Interesting Flame facts...
The opening of the film. Don recalls at the start of the film, when he is leaving the foundry - that the other people in the shot were real foundry workers. However, they kept on looking at the cameras whilst they were walking out of the factory...... So, Richard Loncraine stood on a wall opposite and started singing a load of rubbish so - they would look towards him instead of the camera.....
The motorcycle driver, with the side-car, who drove Charlie (Don) home after his shift at the foundry - actually worked there for real...
The pirate radio scene - when we the band were climbing the ladders up the from the boat up to the radio station. Don remembers that it wasn’t ‘H’ doing the climbing - as he was scared of heights. Dave Hill couldn’t do it. So instead, one of the lighting technicians, put on his overcoat and he did that scene for him.
The train scene. Don remembers the sequence when he tucked the tablecloth into his trousers - and then pulled the tablecloth away when he stood up... Don says that they had problem making the tablecloth stick in his zip. It kept coming away. In the end they had to sew the tablecloth to his trousers...
The Roy Priest & The Undertakers scene with the Coffin. This was filmed in a strip club in Soho. During the filming Alan Lake got into a scuffle with the actual club manager - who Alan knew from his drinking days. Alan was arrested - but later released. Alan's wife (actress Diana Dors) then pleaded with the film management not to sack Alan from the film - she personally vouched that she would ensure that he behaved for the remaining filming!
The scene where Don's band were racing away from the ‘Undertakers’ and their car crashes through the barrier... Well they (Don, Dave, Jim, Sara Clee and Alan Lake) were all in the car as seen. They drove right up to the barrier and they all got out to let the stunt man takes over... The idea was for him to then turn car completely over. But, every time he smashed through the barrier, the car ended right side up. It just wouldn’t go over..... The crew filmed all night trying, with no luck, trying to catch the car turning over. That night's filming was scrapped. Apparently, lots of stunt men were calling Richard Loncraine to say they would do it for nothing. However on the night of the re-shoot, they used the same stunt man. Once again Don and the band drove up to the barrier, got out, and the stunt man took over. Everyone waited with baited breath...... The stunt man hit the barrier, the car went on it’s side, and slid along towards the camera (which Gavrik Losey was operating). Luckily the car stopped about 3 feet from the camera..... Richard Loncraine shouted "Cut - print it - that’s the one. I’m not going on the same as the other night"....
Film director Richard Loncraine wanted Slade roadie Robbie to have a scene in the movie. The plan was for him to be filmed bursting into Flame's dressing room (after the Hammersmith Palais gig) and mention that the crowd were going wild. He needed to say: "Boys, they're going apeshit out there". Instead he said, on the first take, "Boys, they're throwing apeshit out there". This caused hilarity - and the film crew bursting with laughter.
The girl who got on stage, during the Rainbow filming, and chased over to Don on drums - was actually a big fan of Don. She was called Sue and came from Watford. She had tried to get onstage throughout the day - and in the end the Director asked Slade roadie JJ (Johnny Jones) to "let her go" so that it could be captured on film.
Slade commissioned an antique fire engine to transport them to the film's London premiere on 13 February 1975. They boarded the back fire engine round the corner to the cinema - and waited until the coast was clear to make their entrance. It was a cold February night while they waited - and The Sweet pulled up alongside them in their limo. Steve Priest wound down the window and said "I bet you're bleeding freezing!"
Chas Chandler hired WW2 searchlights to light up the sky in Victoria on the night of the Premiere. The ploy was to ensure that passers by came to see what was going on...
The original Flame outfits worn by Slade were given away in a competition in Fab 208 Magazine in 1975. The winner was David Carlisle of Harlow in Essex.
When Nod filmed the market stall scene in Petticoat Lane, Paul Kossoff from Free walked by. He recognised Nod.In his drunken / doped stupor he couldn't be persuaded that Nod was making a film - and not doing his day job!
The motorcycle driver, with the side-car, who drove Charlie (Don) home after his shift at the foundry - actually worked there for real...
The pirate radio scene - when we the band were climbing the ladders up the from the boat up to the radio station. Don remembers that it wasn’t ‘H’ doing the climbing - as he was scared of heights. Dave Hill couldn’t do it. So instead, one of the lighting technicians, put on his overcoat and he did that scene for him.
The train scene. Don remembers the sequence when he tucked the tablecloth into his trousers - and then pulled the tablecloth away when he stood up... Don says that they had problem making the tablecloth stick in his zip. It kept coming away. In the end they had to sew the tablecloth to his trousers...
The Roy Priest & The Undertakers scene with the Coffin. This was filmed in a strip club in Soho. During the filming Alan Lake got into a scuffle with the actual club manager - who Alan knew from his drinking days. Alan was arrested - but later released. Alan's wife (actress Diana Dors) then pleaded with the film management not to sack Alan from the film - she personally vouched that she would ensure that he behaved for the remaining filming!
The scene where Don's band were racing away from the ‘Undertakers’ and their car crashes through the barrier... Well they (Don, Dave, Jim, Sara Clee and Alan Lake) were all in the car as seen. They drove right up to the barrier and they all got out to let the stunt man takes over... The idea was for him to then turn car completely over. But, every time he smashed through the barrier, the car ended right side up. It just wouldn’t go over..... The crew filmed all night trying, with no luck, trying to catch the car turning over. That night's filming was scrapped. Apparently, lots of stunt men were calling Richard Loncraine to say they would do it for nothing. However on the night of the re-shoot, they used the same stunt man. Once again Don and the band drove up to the barrier, got out, and the stunt man took over. Everyone waited with baited breath...... The stunt man hit the barrier, the car went on it’s side, and slid along towards the camera (which Gavrik Losey was operating). Luckily the car stopped about 3 feet from the camera..... Richard Loncraine shouted "Cut - print it - that’s the one. I’m not going on the same as the other night"....
Film director Richard Loncraine wanted Slade roadie Robbie to have a scene in the movie. The plan was for him to be filmed bursting into Flame's dressing room (after the Hammersmith Palais gig) and mention that the crowd were going wild. He needed to say: "Boys, they're going apeshit out there". Instead he said, on the first take, "Boys, they're throwing apeshit out there". This caused hilarity - and the film crew bursting with laughter.
The girl who got on stage, during the Rainbow filming, and chased over to Don on drums - was actually a big fan of Don. She was called Sue and came from Watford. She had tried to get onstage throughout the day - and in the end the Director asked Slade roadie JJ (Johnny Jones) to "let her go" so that it could be captured on film.
Slade commissioned an antique fire engine to transport them to the film's London premiere on 13 February 1975. They boarded the back fire engine round the corner to the cinema - and waited until the coast was clear to make their entrance. It was a cold February night while they waited - and The Sweet pulled up alongside them in their limo. Steve Priest wound down the window and said "I bet you're bleeding freezing!"
Chas Chandler hired WW2 searchlights to light up the sky in Victoria on the night of the Premiere. The ploy was to ensure that passers by came to see what was going on...
The original Flame outfits worn by Slade were given away in a competition in Fab 208 Magazine in 1975. The winner was David Carlisle of Harlow in Essex.
When Nod filmed the market stall scene in Petticoat Lane, Paul Kossoff from Free walked by. He recognised Nod.In his drunken / doped stupor he couldn't be persuaded that Nod was making a film - and not doing his day job!
