THE BIG SWITCH starring Sebastian Breaks & Virginia Wetherell. Directed by Pete Walker.

English director Pete Walker is best known in the States for his deliriously over-the-top horror pictures such as HOUSE OF WHIPCORD, SCHIZO and THE DAY THE SCREAMING STOPPED. While these films are more representative of his typical delight in showing 'birds' (i.e. English sluts) being roughed up by blokes and loving it, THE BIG SWITCH is a hoot in its own right. If you wonder what Austin Powers would've really been up to in the Swinging London of the 1960's? Then check out THE BIG SWITCH, which is set therein and features tons of location photography of actual East End nightclubs and hippy fashions.

Sebastian Breaks plays a no-good nudie photographer who gets blackmailed into using his prowess with picking up easy tarts and making them pose before his "big zoom lens" to frame a murder victim. No sooner than you can say "Hitchcock," Breaks finds himself the target of a variety of sleazy underworld types, all interested in securing the negatives from his photographic session to use for their own nefarious purposes.

Full of scantily-clad babes and lots of psychedelic music, THE BIG SWITCH is like a no-budget James Bond flick. But rather than GOLDFINGER or FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE as the inspiration, Walker seems to be more interested in the ON HIS MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE era. In fact, the self-assured, smugly condescending Sebastian Breaks reminds more of George Lazenby than Sean Connery or Pierce Brosnan. Whenver he gets in trouble and is asked to do something he feels beneath his dignity (which is hysterical given his profession!), he retorts, "You MUST be joking!" with a snide undertone only the British can make sound so damnably cutting.

Rare as hell but fun to watch, THE BIG SWITCH is a welcome switch from the overproduced epics of today. Eschewing c.g.i. and non-stop action for stunt work and intrigue, this is a diverting time waster the likes of which is rarely seen these days. Shagedelic scale: 8 out of 10, baby! GrrrRRRrrrrr.... yeah!