Quote:
Originally Posted by Susan Foreman  This looks like a bit of an oddity!
' Cooking Price-Wise' (1971) - Blu-ray pre-order available from the BFI Shop direct - UK$16:99 "The never-before released 6-part cookery show from 1971, presented by the incomparable actor and chef Vincent Price. Recipes include Moroccan tajine, the American Ice Box Cake and Fish Fillets Noord Zee!
You don't need to be a master chef to join cinema's master of terror Vincent Price in the kitchen for this brilliantly bizarre crash-course in very-1970s cookery! Early in that delicious decade, while he was on a sojourn in England, the legendary screen-star and fine-dining aficionado took an unlikely break from the macabre movies to rustle up this long-sought-after labour-of-love six part television series, encouraging bored British housewives to serve up something different. From melon monsters to crocodile cucumbers, not forgetting the perfect souffle, the marvellous Mr Price is your genial and garrulous host amid the paisley-patterned saucepans, as he demonstrates favourites recipes from around the world - in this fantastic full-fat celebrity cookery show unlike any other!
BFI Flipside is dedicated to rediscovering the margins of British and Irish film, reclaiming a space for forgotten movies and filmmakers who would otherwise be in danger of disappearing from our screens forever. It is a home for cinematic oddities, offering everything from exploitation documentaries to B-movies, countercultural curios and obscure classics. If it's weird, and forgotten, then it's Flipside." |
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Episode 1 "Potatoes: Dishes from New York, Savoy and Holland"
- Recorded: Friday 17 July 1970 / Transmitted: 13 April 1971
- Menu:
-- Manhattan Vichyssoise
-- Pommes de Terre Savoyard
-- Fish Fillets Nord Zee
Episode 2 "Lamb: Dishes from Greece and Morocco"
- Recorded: Monday 13 July 1970 / Transmitted: Tuesday 20 April 1971
- Menu:
-- Dolmades
-- Moroccan Tajine
-- Caf? Napoleon
Episode 3 "Bacon: Dishes from Great Britain"
- Recorded: Tuesday 14 July 1970 / Transmitted: Tuesday 27 April 1971
- Menu:
-- Gammon in Common Crust
-- Wilted Spinach Salad
-- Ayrshire Poacher's Roll
Episode 4 "Cheese: Dishes from California, Switzerland and Austria"
- Recorded: Friday 17 July 1970 / Transmitted: Tuesday 4 May 1971
- Menu:
-- Pannequets de Fondue
-- Cheese Party Dishes
Episode 5 "Rice: Dishes from the Gulf Coast, Hawaii and Indonesia"
- Recorded: Thursday 16 July 1970 / Transmitted: Tuesday 11 May 1971
- Menu:
-- Gulfcoast Salad
-- Nasi Goreng
-- Hawaiian Chicken and Long Grain Rice
Episode 6: "Cream: Dishes from Italy, America and Turkey"
- Recorded: Wednesday 15 July 1970 / Transmitted: Tuesday 18 May 1971
- Menu:
-- American Ice Box Cake
-- Yogurt Fluff
-- Souffle Pudding Charmian
Extra features:
- Audio commentary on "Potatoes" by film and television historians Vic Pratt and William Fowler (2024)
The BFI's Pratt and Fowler, who wrote the book "The Bodies Beneath: The Flipside of British Film & Television" mentioned the television series there, and give comments here about Price's career at the time, the 1970s being on full display with the set design, the video quality of the episode, and more.
- Audio commentary on "Bacon" by film and television historians Lisa Kerrigan and Josephine Botting (2024)
This commentary has the BFI's Kerrigan and Botting discussing about the music played for the series, behind the scenes of the production, and more.
- Audio commentary on "Cheese" by author and webmaster of "Silver Screen Queen of the Kitchen" Jenny Hammerton and film and television historian Peter Fuller (2024)
Hammerton and Fuller chat together about Price's travels and collecting recipes, background information on the cookbooks released, notes on the visuals and more. Hammerton sounds fine but Fuller sounds a bit muffled with his microphone in comparison.
- "Until We Eat Again: Victoria Price on Her Father's Love of the Culinary Arts" 2024 interview (18:09)
This new and exclusive interview with Vincent Price's daughter Victoria Price recalls about growing up in a culinary family discussing the Price family history, her childhood and eating her father's cooking, her parents collecting recipes from around the world, the successful cookbooks, invitations to talk shows to demonstrate his cooking, becoming a spokesperson for food companies and organizations, "Cooking Price-Wise" being reprinted and more.
- "Monster Munch with Jenny Hammerton" 2024 demonstration of Vincent Price's party recipes involving cheese (24:37)
This featurette has Hammerton creating the Cucumber Crocodile, Melon Monster, and Cheese Chess Board that Price created in the series.
- "Kitchenfinder General with Jenny Hammerton" 2024 interview conducted by Vic Pratt (21:09)
This featurette has Hammerton joined by Pratt at her her home in which she discusses about collecting celebrity recipes in the thousands from vintage magazines and books, with her most cherished ones including a vintage tattered copy of "Cooking Price-Wise". Shown are other related memorabilia and information on a number of other celebrities and their culinary loves.
Archive Films:
This section has seven food related vintage films from the BFI National Archive.
- "Ministry of Food Cookery Hints No.1: Oatmeal Porridge" 1940 short film (5:58)
This wartime short sponsored by the Ministry of Food looks at the simplicity of oatmeal for the family. Not only preparing the oatmeal in the kitchen, but there is suggestion of keeping it in a large wooden box filled with hay for warmth over a long period of time for best results. Not exactly the fastest way to prepare or enjoy a meal, it is a fascinating look at the time and what was seemingly expected. The black and white picture is very sharp, with some minor damage being visible, with the narration audio being fairly good with no hiss or crackle to be heard. Note the short can be seen for free on the BFI Player.
- "Ministry of Food Cookery Hints No.3: Potatoes" 1940 short film (6:12)
The third short in the series looks at potatoes and their versatile ways for preparation as an essential household food. It's definitely not as exciting or fun as how Vincent Price put things, but on a simple informative side. Both this and the short above feature narration from Max Munden, with a dry informative side that is expected of educational government shorts of the period. Note the short can be seen for free on the BFI Player.
- "When the Pie Was Opened" 1941 short film (8:11)
This short was also sponsored by the Ministry of Food, but is quite different from the dry commentary shorts of above, and instead closer to an art film. Directed by Len Lye, this is an imaginative short that looks at a girl (played by Valerie Forrest) and her love for vegetable pie, told through a dreamlike trance. Note the short can be seen for free on the BFI Player.
- "Tea Making Tips: Sponsored by the Empire Tea Bureau" 1941 short film (10:29)
This wartime short which was sponsored by the Empire Tea Bureau is a simple showcase of tea making from various people.
- "Food Flash" incomplete 1946 short film on how to cook a cabbage (1:00)
- This short film stars Charlie Chester and Arthur Haynes in a scripted skit of two men trying to cook a cabbage but through verbal comedy of taking instructions too literally making it impossible for them to do the simple task. Unfortunately only a minute of the film survives and it is presented here without the ending, so it is unsure if they were able to complete the cooking. The picture and the audio are in fairly good condition, with the black and white image being fairly balanced and the dialogue sounding very good.
- "The Good Housewife 'In Her Kitchen'" 1949 short film (8:34)
What starts as a seemingly ordinary educational short with a woman narrating about cooking in the kitchen becomes a fourth wall breaker with a man entering the studio set, and mansplaining it with reality. While it does have some informative ways on how to keep food fresh, it certainly is done in a way that is unique to the period. The black and white image is very contrasty here, with the source being a 16mm print and the audio is not very good either, with the dialogue being slightly hard to understand. Note this short can be seen for free on the BFI Player.
- "Centenary Express: 100 Years of Refreshment" 1980 short film (6:35)
This British Transport Film looks at the 100th anniversary of train catering on the British railway service with footage of a train traveling from Yorkshire to London, plus footage of British Railways Board chairman Sir Peter Parker commemorating the event with a cake cutting ceremony. The color short is fairly good in quality, with some colors being slightly washed out. Note the short is available on DVD on the BFI's release of "The British Transport Films Collection Volume 7 - The Age of the Train". It can also be watched at Train Air Tram.
Overall Score:
The Show: A
Video: B-
Audio: B+
Extras: A
Overall: A-