ABC "Mantrap" Pt 5

Seminal New Romantics ABC and punk filmmaker Julien Temple pay homage to 50s espionage flicks in this hour long folly from 1983. Martin Fry has the look of a Hitchcock protagonist, but by his own admission, his acting was a little "mahogany". Temple captures the isolation and paranoia of the former Communist Bloc, but forgets to tell a story in the process.

Nonetheless, this curiosity from the naive dawn of pop-video has enough to keep fans and casual viewers entertained. The 6th form script about some Cold War double dealing will occasionally make you wince, but is padded out with some wonderful footage of ABC's (sadly never repeated) World Tour.

B-Movie regulars and wannabes try their best amidst the ensuing nonsense - but it's pretty much in vain, so don't expect John le Carré! But do delight in a soundtrack taken from arguably the greatest debut album of all time - "The Lexicon of Love".

The film never lives up to its pretentions, but will leave you with questions to muse over next time you're in the pub, among them; "Just how brilliant could ABC have been if fate had been kinder?" and "Whatever happened to Lisa Vanderpump?"

Category:

Music

Tags:

• 1982
• ABC
• Martin Fry
• Mark White
• Julien Temple
• Dave Palmer
• Steve Singleton
• Eighties
• Espionage
• Film Noir
• New Romantics
• World Tour
• Mantrap
• Juilen Temple
• Lisa Vanderpump
• James Villiers
• New Wave
• 80's Pop
• The Lexicon Of Love
• Poison Arrow
• The Look Of Love
• All Of My Heart
• Tears Are Not Enough

[birdie399]

love the jazz keyboards- who played them on the theme from mantrap?

[shazam99]

Anne Dudley is credited with keyboards on Lexicon, but Dave Clayton had also been a long time collaborator with the band...I think he played them on tour, so possibly the more likely of the two!

[SandraKershaw]

Where is part 6??????

[carina1106]

gotta love the 80s. I haven't seen this in years. Thank you for sharing. I would love to see part 6 if anybody has it and is willing to share. Thanks again

[BarnabasFrid]

@KansasCityMilkman42 Hey? May I send you a blank DVD? I'd love to have this for my James Villiers Library!

[veronicaleighbaker]

LOL guess we have answered the question "Whatever happened to Lisa Vanderpump" She my Favorite houswife on "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" She is a great actor too! As soon as I heard about her avcting I came on here I have never saw this bfore and now I love it lol can't stop watching THANKS SO MUCH FOR POSTING!!!!!!!!!!

[KansasCityMilkman42]

@haw95

Hi. My copy isn't as good as the one uploaded by shazam99 but you're welcome to a copy. It's easier to record the whole video to be honest - I've still got it on my hard drive.

[haw95]

Kansascity, THANK YOU for uploading this: I used to have the VHS but it degraded in storage. If I send you a blank DVD would you send me part 6? How would I find your address to mail it?

Thanks again

[r3tr0r0ck3r]

Such as shame the last part is missing :(

[KansasCityMilkman42]

Just tried to upload Part 6 but as I suspected it's been blocked. Send me a blank DVD and I'll burn you a copy of the whole film.

[KansasCityMilkman42]

It looks like part 6 keeps getting taken off You Tube - probably due to copyright reasons. I wouldn't mind if you could buy Mantrap on DVD but as you can't I think it's unfair. I'm about to upload part 6 although the sound quality isn't brilliant - we'll see how long it stays on this time!

[Thelastcommie]

Is there a part 6?