'Africa Shakes' Movie?

[petercheck]

Anyone know the status of a movie called 'Africa Shakes'? This apparently featured Brian Poole and The Tremeloes, probably filmed during their 1964 world tour, despite the movie not being released until 1966.

See here: www.rock.co.za/legends/africashakes/index.htm

and here: www.imdb.com/title/tt2548984/

Must confess, I'd never even heard of this movie until today, when I stumbled upon it while researching something completely different!

[Jeff Leach]

Looks interesting with also featuring psyche singer Sharon Tandy and Dana Valery

www.imdb.com/title/tt2548984/

Some info here : allmusic-wingsofdream.blogspot.com/2018/03/bill-kimber-couriers-shakin-up-storm.html

And here (some duplication) : www.rock.co.za/legends/africashakes/africa_shakes_part3.htm

[petercheck]

Seems like Brian Poole and The Tremeloes appeared in another obscure (and probably long lost) movie called 'A Touch Of Blarney', filmed in Ireland in late 1964:


www.brianpoole.com/touch-of-blarney-1964-film/

[iwest]

Nov 2, 2019 17:03:41 GMT petercheck said:

Anyone know the status of a movie called 'Africa Shakes'?

Apparently it was shown at this event in Johannesburg in 2016:

electricjive.blogspot.com/2016/08/september-jive-south-africas-music.html

So it presumably exists in an archive somewhere in South Africa at least. Maybe the organisers of that event could provide more info if you wanted to pursue it further.

[petercheck]

Apr 1, 2021 10:24:32 GMT iwest said:

Nov 2, 2019 17:03:41 GMT petercheck said:

Anyone know the status of a movie called 'Africa Shakes'?

Apparently it was shown at this event in Johannesburg in 2016:

electricjive.blogspot.com/2016/08/september-jive-south-africas-music.html

So it presumably exists in an archive somewhere in South Africa at least. Maybe the organisers of that event could provide more info if you wanted to pursue it further.

Very interesting indeed!  I've just sent the link to Brian Poole, as I'm sure he'd love to see this.

[John Green]

Apr 1, 2021 10:24:32 GMT iwest said:

Nov 2, 2019 17:03:41 GMT petercheck said:

Anyone know the status of a movie called 'Africa Shakes'?

Apparently it was shown at this event in Johannesburg in 2016:

electricjive.blogspot.com/2016/08/september-jive-south-africas-music.html

So it presumably exists in an archive somewhere in South Africa at least. Maybe the organisers of that event could provide more info if you wanted to pursue it further.

Friday 16 September 2016 (18:30) – Film screening
African Shakes (Basil Mailer): Filmed in 1965 and aimed at the ‘teenage’ audience, ‘Africa Shakes’ was a sometimes cringe-inducing attempt to replicate the Beatles ‘A Hard Day’s Night’ in a South African setting. However, with the benefit of fifty years’ hindsight, the film can now be savoured as a rare, pre-television era document of the local music scene, both white and African. Although ‘starring’ a second-rate British ‘beat band’, Bill Kimber & The Couriers, the film includes unique cameo appearances by Ben Nkosi, Reggie Msomi, Dana Valery, Lemmy Special Mabaso, Sharon Tandy, Abigail Kubeka (backed by Peter Mokonotela, Gideon Nxumalo, Chooks Tshukudu and Early Mabuza), Brian Poole & the Tremeloes (from the UK), Una Valli, Cy Sacks and George Hayden.

Correction: Thanks to an email from Richard Laws we can correct this as follows: "We wrapped the film on my 18th birthday, May 15, 1964 (not, as is stated, in 1965), so to say that it was an attempt to somehow emulate "A Hard Days Night" would be incorrect. The two films were shot at approximately the same time. As the Couriers, we couldn't have seen The Beatles film until its release in London in July, 1964."

[petercheck]

Thanks for this John.  Yes, I did know that their appearance was filmed during their World Tour in April-May 1964.

Here's a cutting from the NME about 'A Touch Of Blarney':

[Jeff Leach]

Rare still hereAttachment Deleted

[Richard Marple]

My anti virus software is warning me not to open the link to rock.co.za!