Holiday on the Buses Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		4.0
Overall		4.0

Holiday on the Buses Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov July 4, 2024

Bryan Izzard's "Holiday on the Buses" (1973) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Imprint Films. The supplemental features on the release include various cast and crew interviews; vintage trailer; archival promotional materials; and more. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-Free.

Get in. We are going on vacation.

After Mutiny on the Buses Harry Booth went on to direct another comedy with Reg Varny, Double Take, but then moved on to more ambitious projects. Hammer’s choice to direct the third and final feature film, Holiday on the Buses, was Bryan Izzard, who had been closely involved with the ongoing hit TV series.

Holiday on the Buses produces the most diverse comedy material for two reasons. First, it moves its protagonists out of their familiar playground (the bus station and the repetitive town routes) and brings them to a big, densely populated holiday camp. Second, it allows several new characters to spice up the comedy material significantly more. The transition is very smooth and the changes work very well. Unsurprisingly, if one ignores the opening credits, one would not know that Izzard had replaced Booth.

Shortly after arriving at the holiday camp, Stan Butler (Varney) and his partner Jack (Bob Grant) begin chasing the ladies. Inspector Blakey (Stephen Lewis) appears and much to Stan and Jack’s surprise begins pursuing an overworked nurse, too. Even Stan’s mother (Doris Hare), sister Olive (Anna Karen), and her husband Arthur (Michael Robbins) temporarily abandon their modest home and arrive at the holiday camp to soak up more of the great weather in style. Stan’s mother quickly finds an admirer with the energy of a twenty-year-old, while Olive goes to work to give Arthur plenty of reasons not to be the first to fall asleep in bed. However, while the players make their moves at the new playground, a lot of unexpected developments force them to improvise in ways that significantly diminish their ability to get what they are after.

Like the previous two feature films, Holiday on the Buses definitely looks and feels dated now. However, this is again a good thing because its humor remains unfiltered, too. Yes, not all jokes are equally effective, but because all risqué material is fair game, all engagements look and feel genuine. This helps the leads maintain outstanding chemistry as well.

What about the newcomers? If one has not seen the previous two films, one will not be able to tell that they are newcomers. For example, Kate Williams, Maureen Sweeney, and Gigi Gatti are as good as the leads, so whenever they are expected to dominate a sequence temporarily, the switch is very effective. Of course, this is hardly surprising because it is how the great majority of British comedies from the 1960s and 1970s were made – they were large ensemble pieces with terrific contributions from a wide range of different actors.

The finale is energetic and uplifting, leaving the door wide open for yet another feature film. At the time, everyone knew that a fourth film was not considered, but the finale does not even suggest that the colorful leads are in the process of evolving into proper adults. Blakey might be the only exception because there are several sequences where he does look like an old-timer who is desperately trying to find the right lady to spend the rest of his life with.

Izzard’s director of photography was Brian Probyn, who lensed Ken Loach’s directorial debut, Poor Cow, and Terrence Malick’s directorial debut, Badlands.

Holiday on the Buses Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.85:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Holiday on the Buses arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Imprint Films.

Holiday on the Buses is the best looking film in the On the Buses trilogy. No, the technical presentation is not flawless, but this film has the healthiest visuals of the three. Virtually all of them boast very good delineation, clarity, and depth. In a few areas, minor density fluctuations can be observed, but even if improvements are made, I think that the overall quality of the visuals will remain very, very similar. Color balance is stable. The primaries and supporting nuances are nicely set, too. However, in several areas both can be tweaked for optimal results. Currently, occasionally light green interferes with primary blue, creating minor shifts in color temperature that are unnatural. (This is why in these areas the visuals can appear slightly dated as well). Image stability is very good. There are no traces of problematic digital corrections. I did not see any large cuts, debris, marks, stains, or other similarly distracting imperfections. My score is 4.25/5.00. (Note: This is a Region-Free Blu-ray release. Therefore, you will be able to play it on your player regardless of your geographical location).

Holiday on the Buses Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There is only one standard audio track on this Blu-ray release: English LPCM 2.0. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided for the main feature.

The previous two films can be viewed with excellent lossless track. The third film continues the trend. All exchanges are very sharp, clear, and easy to follow. There are no stability issues. The music score creates a few memorable dynamic contrasts, but you should not expect to be impressed. Holiday on the Buses comes from the 1970s and its age definitely shows.

Holiday on the Buses Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• On the Buses: Non-stop Laughter - this program takes a closer look at the conception, production, and reception of the three On the Buses feature films. Included in it are clips from interviews with the stars of the three films, writers and producers Ronald Chesney and Ronald Wolfe, author and film historian Morris Bright, and production supervisor Roy Skeggs, amongst others. In English, not subtitled. (35 min).

• Interviews - presented here are additional interviews addressing the history of On the Buses and their popularity. In English, not subtitled.
  
  1. Writers and producers Ronald Chesney and Ronald Wolfe. (11 min).
  2. Hammer Films producer and production supervisor Roy Skeggs. (9 min).
  3. Author and film historian Morris Bright. (10 min).
  4. Steve Luxton, founder of the On the Buses fan club. (11 min).

• Trailer - presented here is a remastered vintage trailer for Holiday on the Buses. In English, not subtitled. (3 min).

• Photo Gallery - a large collection of vintage promotional materials and production stills for Holiday on the Buses. Presented with music. (4 min).

• Booklet - 40-page illustrated booklet featuring reproductions of the original press books from all three films in the On the Buses box set.

Holiday on the Buses Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The three On the Buses films are legit British classics. They come from an era when all humor was unrestricted, and the two sexes had an equally great time targeting the stereotypes that defined them. This practice now seems like an ancient art. I had a wonderful time revisiting these films on Blu-ray. All three are gathered in this three-disc box set from Australian label Imprint Films. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.