Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Final credits for soft-porn pioneer

Steve Boggan
Sunday 29 June 1997 23:02 BST
Comments

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

As an epitaph, it was probably what soft-porn movie-maker George Harrison Marks would have wanted: "George's films were basically Carry On movies with tits and bums."

That was how Mr Marks's cult classics were described yesterday by friend and business colleague Peter Fairbrass, following the film-maker's death from liver cancer at the age of 71.

During the 1960s and 1970s, Mr Marks flooded Britain's cinemas with such tackiness as Naked as Nature Intended, The Nine Ages of Nakedness and Come Play With Me. They were controversial at the time but now seem refreshingly naive compared with the pornography available today.

Mr Marks began his career in comedy before moving over to glamour photography, using as his subjects the showgirls of London's Windmill Theatre.

Shortly afterwards he decided to make nude films but he rejected claims that his movies were pornographic.

"They were never pornography," said Mr Fairbrass. "He always thought that the acid test was that if a jury watched the film would they have a laugh at it?"

Steve Boggan

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in