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Drive Carefully, Darling

Drive Carefully, Darling (Part 1 and Part 2) is a 15 minute PIF (so probably not intended for broadcast on TV) addressing the all-too-common attitude amongst drivers that driving regulations don't apply to them.

After the introduction by Frank Bough, we see a male driver’s morning through his eyes as he drives off to a conference, with the occasional cut back to the wife’s morning. The message is given in a very unusual manner, with three actors representing the driver’s brain (rather like The Numskulls in The Beano). The three characters in the ‘brain’ argue the different attitudes to driving amongst them, showing that bad driving decisions are often made when the voice of reason is repressed inside the driver’s mind, and they let their ego take over.

The piece is notable because it was directed by John Krish, a revolutionary director of many public information films (the film won a Grierson Award), and, on a more NTSy level, two of the actors playing the ‘brain’ are John Challis (famous for playing Boycey in Only Fools and Horses), and COLIN BLOODY BAKER (and if you need what Colin’s famous for explained, you’re probably reading the wrong site). Although YouTube files in two parts do require some commitment, it’s well worth your time, especially for the harrowing end, where Colin Baker shows what a good actor he really is.

“Brain to eyes, brain to eyes, come in…PLEASE!”

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Comments

Excellent stuff, one of the most effective PIFs I think I’ve ever seen; it gets the message across without wallowing in gruesomeness and shock tactics like modern PIFs and road safety adverts tend to do. The ending is particularly effective, the accident is so sudden and there’s no “build up” or warning which is, I suspect, the whole point.

The young Colin Baker put me in mind of the young Malcolm McDowall.

Zagrebo's picture

By Zagrebo
March 02, 2009 @ 3:34 pm

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Yes, I know what you mean about Malcolm McDowell! There’s certainly been some famed PIFs recently that have been gruesome, but it’s interesting that this, from the recent Think! campaign, is really rather similar to this from the 1970s.

Tanya Jones's picture

By Tanya Jones
March 07, 2009 @ 12:31 am

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