The Violators from Casanova Productions

[hattertim]

Had a request from a fellow forumite to start a thread about this subject based on the pic below of the back cover advert (which, incidentally, is taken from Playbirds 01/09) to see if anyone has any more information about the films mentioned, or, of course, can post any clips etc from them! Here's the pic...

[jackdore]

I requested Hattertim to kindly post this advert as it's intrigued me for years. It featured on the back of WHITEHOUSE, PLAYBIRDS, LOVEBIRDS etc, all big sellers, for several months in late 1976. It was very unusual to see hardcore pornography so blatantly advertised at the time in the UK.

Sullivan's publications were well known for cons and hoaxes and it's possible this was another one. But where did the pics come from? There's supposed to be four films but the shots look as if they come from the same one. Has anyone heard of Casanova Films or the Ultimate Film Club? Is anyone around who attempted to buy them, or even worked for the mags at the time? Can anyone identify where the shots came from?

The fact that thousands of copies of this advert were in circulation indicates that someone must know something, including about the other films mentioned, GOODNIGHT NURSE, ANNA'S MANOR and DANISH MAID. So hopefully somebody here can solve this little porn puzzle.

[argoman]

I suspect, but cant prove it, that this series was by Harrison Marks, on account that two other films advertised there (The Danish Maid, Good Night Nurse) were by him. Another Ad for the ‘Ultimate Film Club’ offered for sale, Art for Arts Sake and Bistro Bordello, again Marks directed titles.

You suspect, given that these come from Sullivan mags, that these were soft core shorts being made to look like hardcore. Yet I recently found a film called Die Lusterne Grafin, a german dubbed porn short from the 70s, that matches the plot description of Anna’s Manor. So maybe these were shot in soft versions for the UK and hard versions for overseas.

[lynnfan]

There has also been a thread on these on the BGAFD British Girl's Forum, and it appears that these were actual shorts (loops) and were made in London. Though Harrison Marks made the other 3 films mentioned in the advert, there's a real doubt he made these, with a suggestion they were the work of someone with technical experience in the legit film business. Watch this space.

[argoman]

It probably doesn’t help all that much but there is a publicity picture from Come With Play Me (1977) of Harrison Marks and Alfie Bass reading a magazine with that Nazi 8mm films Ad on the back (a slightly blurry copy of the pic below). Of course this doesn’t prove that Marks made those series of films, but as Come Play With Me was filmed in the Winter of 1976, it does means they must have been shot prior to that date.

[argoman]

Heres an advert for G&B Books (1976) who were the one time ‘London Agents’ of The Ultimate Film Club, who released the ‘Nazi’ 8mm films. The same address (130 Godwin Road, London) was also used by ‘K.G Imports’ and ‘Subdean Publishing’. I assume all these companies were one in the same, as the three films advertised here, first appeared in an advert for Subdean Publishing in 1972, where their titles were referred to as “Taboo: Landlords Delight”, “Flesh: Room Service” and “Wife Swappers (orgy)”.

Anyone recognize those company names, know who these people were, or visited their shop at 130 Godwin Road? Might offer a clue as to who made those “Violators” films.

[andysmz]

Interesting reading concerning Ultimate Film Club at

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harrison_Marks

[argoman]

Bit of an update, according to Simon Sheridan’s Mary Millington bio David Sullivan’s first company was ‘Subdean Publishing LTD’ formed in 1972. As Subdean were based out of 130 Godwin Road, the companies ‘K.G Imports’ and ‘G&B Books’ which also shared that address must have been Sullivan as well.

‘G&B Books’ were citied as The Ultimate Film Clubs ‘London Agents’ in an issue of Playbirds, so I can’t help wondering if The Ultimate Film Club was another of Sullivan’s companies.

[andysmz]

Originally Posted by argoman

Bit of an update, according to Simon Sheridan’s Mary Millington bio David Sullivan’s first company was ‘Subdean Publishing LTD’ formed in 1972. As Subdean were based out of 130 Godwin Road, the companies ‘K.G Imports’ and ‘G&B Books’ which also shared that address must have been Sullivan as well.

‘G&B Books’ were citied as The Ultimate Film Clubs ‘London Agents’ in an issue of Playbirds, so I can’t help wondering if The Ultimate Film Club was another of Sullivan’s companies.

Highly likely I would have thought. I had always previously assumed that all the "adverts" in Sullivan's mags were basically for his own companies. The situation is probably clouded by the fact that some academic "researchers" have accepted Sullivan's smokescreens which implied that a great many independent companies actually existed (Roldvale, Kelerfern, Conegate etc plus the ones you have identified) as fact.

[lynnfan]

Originally Posted by andysmz

Highly likely I would have thought. I had always previously assumed that all the "adverts" in Sullivan's mags were basically for his own companies. The situation is probably clouded by the fact that some academic "researchers" have accepted Sullivan's smokescreens which implied that a great many independent companies actually existed (Roldvale, Kelerfern, Conegate etc plus the ones you have identified) as fact.

You're right andysmz. The best book on Sullivan's notorious early business career is the aptly titled 'Sultan of Sleaze', Penguin 1994 by Mark Killick. Also 'The Pornbrokers' Martin Tomkinson 1982. He certainly wouldn't allow any third party to detract from his profits and he's been known to give editors of 'The Sport' a bollocking for mentioning the likes of Mayfair, when they should be promoting his mags (which he supposedly had sold).