Roller A-Z: Cherub

Cherub is one of the rarer roller labels. I first saw mention of it in Kinsey’s catalogue, identifying seven films made between the years 1968 and 1969, making it one of the earlier attempts at branding. I only met one collector who possessed a Cherub title – the Big John English starring More La More II. Suprisingly, this title was shot in the infamous Victorian flat, that features in many of the Blue Scene Films titles that also star English, usually alongside a skinny male. It is likely that More La More II was shot by the same person who made the Blue Scene Films rollers, as it features some of the same signatures, such as the use of unnecessarily high camera angles and solid editing. I discovered discovered titles on Delilah Deluxe and Fantasy – Poor Old Man and A Small Hotel – that had Cherub logos at their opening. Once more, this illustrates how rolllers were issued across multiple labels, and suggests that the same producer was involved. In Under the Counter, I questioned whether the mysterious ‘Skinny’ Ken Taylor might have been responsible for Cherub, given that he had a connection with Ivor Cook, possibly the man behind Blue Scene Films, and Anthony Collingbourne, who police associated with the label Fantasy. Sadly, More La More II did not have a cover, and I cannot recall the film stock. If any readers possess any Cherub titles, or can confirm whether they were issued in the typical Soho style roller box with postcard glued to the front, do get in touch.