Private Project

MANCUNIAN MAN: The Legendary Life of Cliff Twemlow

Bouncer. Novelist. Composer. Screenwriter. Producer. Star. To ‘80s UK audiences, Cliff Twemlow was all of these and then some. For more than a decade, in fact, Twemlow was the UK’s most prolific indie filmmaker. But in Manchester, he was – and remains – a legend.

Between 1982 and 1993, Twemlow gathered a devoted team of local doormen, martial artists, variety performers, club DJs, models, girlfriends, gym friends, family members and B-listers to create his own cut-rate Hollywood empire. Shooting on early pioneering video technology, composing all the music himself, and working on nearly nonexistent budgets, Twemlow and his unlikely ensemble of misfits crafted gangster films, horror films, spy thrillers, sci-fi epics and beyond. Perhaps best known for 1983’s ultra-violent G.B.H. (GREVIOUS BODILY HARM) – which was banned as one of the notorious Video Nasties – Cliff Twemlow’s unbelievably true story is now told by Jake West – director of the documentary VIDEO NASTIES: MORAL PANIC, CENSORSHIP & VIDEOTAPE as well as the features ’RAZOR BLADE SMILE and DOGHOUSE – and Severin Films through exclusive interviews, insane film clips, rare behind-the-scenes footage and more.

  • Jake West
    Director
    Doghouse, Evil Aliens, Video Nasties: Moral Panic, Censorship & Videotape, ABC's of Death, Midnight Peepshow
  • Carl Daft
    Producer
    Lost Soul: The Doomed Journey of Richard Stanley's Island of Dr. Moreau, Master of Dark Shadows, The Theatre Bizarre, Plague Town, Blood & Flesh: The Reel Life & Ghastly Death Of Al Adamson
  • David Gregory
    Producer
    Lost Soul: The Doomed Journey of Richard Stanley's Island of Dr. Moreau, Master of Dark Shadows, The Theatre Bizarre, Plague Town, Blood & Flesh: The Reel Life & Ghastly Death Of Al Adamson
  • Brian Sterling-Vete
    Producer
  • David Flint
    Producer
  • Marc Morris
    Producer
  • Oliver Tobias
    Key Cast
  • Barry Twemlow
    Key Cast
  • Max Beesley
    Key Cast
  • John Saint Ryan
    Key Cast
  • Ginette Gray
    Key Cast
  • Brian Sterling-Vete
    Key Cast
  • Runtime:
    2 hours 3 minutes 50 seconds
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - Jake West

Jake West has a B.A Honours Degree in Film & Video (West Surrey College of Art & Design) and has worked extensively as both a director & writer in the film and television industry since 1993.
Jake is best know for his feature film work primarily in the horror/Fantasy & Sci-Fi genres. These include his debut ,the award winning “Razor Blade Smile” (Manga/Palm Pictures), “Evil Aliens” (Universal), “Pumpkinhead: Ashes to Ashes” (Sony/SyFy) Starring Lance Henriksen & Doug Bradley , the Zombie Comedy/Horror hit “Doghouse” (Sony Entertainment/Vertigo ) Starring Stephen Graham, Danny Dyer, Neil Maskell, "The ABC's of Death” (Magnet Releasing) and most recently the horror anthology feature “Midnight Peepshow” which premiered at this Frightfest in 2022 at the Empire Leicester Square, London.

Jake has Directed Second Unit also on numerous feature films Including, “Allies’, “Kicking Off, “The Sleeping Room” and most recently Jason Mewes directorial debut "Madness in the Method" (of Jay & Silent Bob fame).

Jake a passionate film connoisseur also owns Nucleus Films, a UK-based independent distribution label he founded in 2003 with film researcher and author Marc Morris. Nucleus Films produced and released the highly acclaimed documentaries directed by Jake West 'Video Nasties: Moral Panic, Censorship & Videotape' and 'Draconian Days'. Nucleus Films also is a prolific producer of DVD and Blu-Ray extras & documentaries for most major UK labels.

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