Sometimes you find a weird reference to an actor from Rocky Horror.

Sometimes you discover an amazing gem of a movie that you wouldn't have even contemplated if it didn't feature Richard O'Brien.

Sometimes you think WHY?!!!

Billed as "The First British Fantasy Comedy Since Time Bandits", The Mumbo Jumbo is possibly the worst film I have seen in a long while (and I do include the Spice Girls movie in that list).

It tells the story of an American called "Thomas Doubting" (played by Jamie Walters from Beverley Hills 90210) who travels to the mystical island of Sinmouth to find the missing Princess Vanilla (played by Melinda Messenger, an actress that hasn't so much been trained as carved from solid oak). Along the way he is mistaken as the mystical 'Mumbo Jumbo', gets caught up in a plot to turn the village into compost and finally saves the day.

For a movie the claims to not only feature some of Britain's finest actors, but also to be 'Pythonesque', the Mumbo Jumbo misses the mark by miles. It tries to mix elements of 'Python' with 'Carry On' double-entendre, only succeeding in gaining a PG certificate where a U would be a more suitable target audience.

Richard's acting is one of the few redeeming features, but even his character in this is stereotyped, he plays a lowely assistant to Brian Blessed (who himself shouts his way through the movie, so nothing new there), called Archie.

A waste of a good idea, not recommended except for Richard O'Brien collections.

Starring: Jamie Walters, Joss Ackland, Brian Blessed, Melinda Messinger, Richard O'Brien, John Inman, Brian Murphy, Nigel Davenport, Sylvester McCoy.

Produced and Directed by: Stephen Cookson.

Region 2 DVD-5
Rated PG
4:3 Aspect Ratio
82 minutes (but it feels longer!!!!)