LPCDreissues: Looking forward to the past

To celebrate the reactivation of el Records, the label is pleased to be instigating a programme to re-release authentic, stylish, highly regarded and long deleted original film soundtracks from the sixties beginning with Michael Winner's 1962 Glbert & Sllivan film parody 'The Cool Mikado'. 'The Cool Mikado' features original music by the John Barry Seven, songs performed in characteristic style by Frankie Howerd, dance routines by Lionel Blair and comic sketches involving Tommy Cooper, Mike & Bernie Winters, Pete Murray and Stubby Kaye. While the film is no cinematic masterpiece, it is an authentic Eastmancolor period piece full of historical interest. Frankie Howerd of course was hardly less than a comic institution in Britain through the sixties and seventies-his career peaking with the bawdy ancient Greek television romp 'Up Pompeii'. John Barry would go on to become Britain's foremost composer on the international film music scene with credits including the James Bond films, 'The Ipcress File' with Michael Caine and the highly popular 'Persuaders Theme' for the television programme which featured Roger Moore and Tony Curtis. 'The Cool mikado' was also one of the first feature films of Michael Winner who later in the sixties would direct Oliver Reed and Michael Crawford in 'The Jokers' and Orson Welles with Reed again in 'i'll Never Forget What's 'Is Name'. The soundtrack, initially released on Parlophone, has been deleted almost four decades and is a highly prized collectors item with original copies (if they can be found at all) fetching in excess of £100. Therefore, this stylish re-issue of 'The Cool Mikado' is sure to be welcomed by film buffs el aficionados and (indeed) the record-buying public alike
Track listing: Overture Gentlemen of Japan Three Little Maids From School A Wandering Minstrel The Sun's Hooray! Behold The Lord High Executioner A More Humane Mikado The Sun Whose Rays Are All Ablaze Tit Willow Twist Here's A How-De-Do! Were You Not To Ko-Ko Plighted The Flowers That Bloom In The Spring Finale: For He's Gone And Married Yum-Yum