From time to time in these esteemed forums you read that X scene really captures the old Splosh style of WAM..or that it would be nice if there were more modern scenes that had the Splosh/Buff Films vibe.

It got me thinking..what do we all mean when we talk about the Splosh spirit, or try to capture it? Are we all thinking of the same thing?

I got out my old SPLOSH mags, and some of my BUFF videos (done by the Splosh team) and had a look.

Here's the things that I noticed that the scenes & photoshoots all had in common:

Nudity: Almost all their centrefold spreads and videos have nudity. So is that an essential part of it? Probably not. When Jessie announced she was going to try and recreate some SPLOSH centrefold stories none of us said...'it won't work if they are fully clothed' because although its something they all have in common, it doesn't seem to be a key part..though the scenes were definitely saucy..you can be saucy without nudity..and you can have nudity and not be saucy.

Everyone ends up messy: It's certainly something true of almost every splosh/buff scene, Like with the nudity, however, it is something used by many producers who are never talked of as capturing the splosh style. Meanwhile I've been told by several customers that my scenes have the splosh style..but in mine 1 character often stays clean. So maybe that's not key or a USP either

Storyline: I think this is definitely a big part of it. I do think those of us who loved Splosh/Buff loved the fact that there was always a plot, however stupid. Models dressed up and played characters.and this is probably one of the big overlap areas between my work and Bills. Things like the Special Wamming Unit..who come to punish Jessie for not pieing someone properly, I like to think is in that spirt..as was 'Decorating Disasters', 'Miss WAM' etc etc. So, for me, a story or plot is needed

Corny Jokes / Not taking things too seriously: I definitely think that is a factor too. 'Look at these jugs' 'Yes very impressive dear, but lets get back to the wamming'. As a writer I love the bits of comedy in the Splosh stuff. Is it key to have humour? What do you think? .

Everyone always starts by hating being wammed but ends up loving it: This seems to be a common theme in Bill's work...and one that would rule me out, as it's important to me that my characters don't like being wammed..tho no-one is ever genuinely upset..their reactions are like those in a slapstick movie, where they are exaggeratedly furious or frustrated, & want revenge.

Slapstick tropes: 'you wouldn't dare' 'let me have it' all our favourite cliches from slapstick we saw as children are there

Range of substances: Paint, flans, beans, spaghetti, yoghurt, chocolate sauce, rice pudding etc .there's always a variety, & it's not just pies or gunge

Exaggerated characters: Realism isn't key in the scenes or shoots I watched. The characters are almost cartoon stereotypes. The posh lady. etc.

Breaking the forth wall.: This is a Splosh trope that I love and often pay homage too : 'what do yo think guys..should I..well should I?' 'what do you think guys..should i show her what we do with a custard pie?'

Saucy & titillating but not hardcore sexual: The Carry Ons of Wam perhaps..with their corny humour, and love of jokes about large jugs, and sexiness via the nudity..even though some of the scenes were quite adult, the ones I most associate with splosh and buff were 'naughty' and titillating..but not hardcore

These were the ones I could find..what more can you think of?

I imagine British producers of a certain age can't help but have been influenced by Bill's amazing work.

Early last year I filmed a Man From Uncle style scene with Axa Jay as Jane Bond and Chloe Lovette as spy Ivana tekyaknickersoff which I think is my most Splosh style script yet, so I am really interested to know what other wammers think of when they talk about being Splosh-like..or what they liked and loved about Bill's work that made his stuff unique and still talked about 30 years on

I also have to say that I can't wait to see Jessie's take on things Splosh style too.

I think the main essentials were actual comedy, saucyness, and exaggerated characters. Plus a certain amount of teasing leading up to the mess starting. Also, as with much sploshing of that era, if it does go to nude, everyone gets totally gunged first, no taking clothes off while still partly clean.

tits, sauciness, comedy, always starting out clothed/ruining clothes, bright cake batter and pies, huge quantities, slapstick silliness

Agree with all of the above, I would say the main thing of SPLOSH was the comedy aspect of it, funny and sexy at the same time, a difficult thing to pull off!

I would say you have the same style in a lot of your scenes, definitely lots of corny humour when they're being filmed anyway!

I also think that a lot of it might be nostalgia to be honest from those of us that remember seeing SPLOSH/Buff films when they first come out, ie

Why can't they make films like SPLOSH used to?
Why is there nothing on the telly these days?
Why is music so bad now compared to the 90s?
Etc etc!!

Having said that, the videos were quite good though but I think it's down to the whole style of them when they were made rather than one specific thing!

Bill worked behind the scenes in the UK softcore magazines industry before Splosh took off. He wrote a number of 'Romps' for Razzle magazine in the late 80's and early 90's and a style formed.

As mentioned above, a 'plot' was very important - the magazine shoots were always themed sessions - girls working in a kitchen, as dinnerladies, at a paint store etc, so there was very little 'group of girls in bikinis and HEY, there are pies over there!' randomness. The scenario was always set up.

Because the number of pages allotted to a magazine shoot is limited (Romps had typically four pages, very occasionally more) they tended to tell a story, clean/clothed to wet/messy/naked, while also trying to give each model at least a large pic of her own.

One of the things I enjoyed most about his Splosh work was that it didn't stray too far from the style in his earlier work, and the videos were so great because they were simply a live-action version of what he'd always done

A couple of pics from an issue of Razzle from the early 90's

As I recall, there used to be adverts in the magazine asking for potential models which stressed that nudity was not a requirement. And certainly amateur stuff sent in for the magazine or videos were not always nude.

A few things I can think of...

slapstick comic acting/timing,
use of long shot and close up camera shots.
lots of mutli-coloured shaving foam slosh (that was the case with gilly's silly house - although as you say they did use other substances)

Watching some old silent movie slapstick clips would also help.

A typical execution of a splosh scene.....

Verbal exchange
Victim arms down, deadpan expression on their face
Other person picks up a pie looks at it and then looks towards the victim with an I'll show you expression (or maybe some dialogue ''so, you want more pies do you''
Camera close up of the pie rubbed in the face
Victim remains still looking straight to camera for a few moments, ..(almost in a breaking the fourth wall sense),
maybe shake of the head.....giving the impression she is thinking ''i can't believe she just did that'
Then slowly wiping the pie away and looking towards the other person in a ''right you've had it now'' sort of expression

As well as this one, I was going to reply to Jessie's splosh thread but I couldn't find it (too much alcohol last night perhaps) . I'll try again later because I think it would be great if someone could re-capture the splosh style that the wonderful Bill Shipton gave us.

Some very interesting replies which I think certainly illustrate the different takes we may have.

As Tony says , I think part of it is rose coloured glasses.

Also, because they did vary their approach then, for example you can say nudity is part of their style (Candy's first word she associated with splosh style was 'tits') or you can say it isn't..which was sort of my point.

Gilly's silly house went big on foam or slosh so person a might say it's that....but the splosh shoots and Buff films were more about pies and foodstuffs..so person b might say its that.

We all have our own definitions, which is why it is interesting comparing..and seeing what, if any, commonality there is

Keep them coming

Flanman: I'm not promising to try and replicate or recreate splosh stuff in the way Jessie is going to. But I do already see elements of my scenes as very Splosh influenced..(the scenarios, the breaking the fourth wall, the terrible jokes) and was curious as to what everyone's different views on what Splosh style was.

I think what I'd like to do more of, what I've always aspired to do more of, is the exaggerated characterisations and exaggerated reactions and exaggerated dialogue . But in a very time pressed shoot with models who aren't actresses, I may be setting myself up to fail.

I'll try and answer this properly from my perspective at some point in the next couple of weeks as it needs a good bit of detail.
I REALLY do like the Splosh magazine's now I've seen them now and still think there is a lot of fun to be had with it.

What I liked best about the Splosh magazine was the exaggerated expressions, beautiful eyes beneath all the mess looking straight at the camera and the fact that it was so bright and colourful.

The 'Messy Jessie' Splosh magazine cover captured the style perfectly (apologies I cannot remember who designed it).

I wouldn't disagree at all with that Jessie. I already incorporate many SPLOSH elements in my scenes, as do you I would say, but I've found this an interesting thread to try and quantify the core factors people associate with Bill's work..hopefully it will be helpful for your project too. I look forward to your more detailed reply.

If you watch a 'Carry On' movie which was a very stable diet of post war British sauce humour you will perhaps see where some of the comedy that Bill used derived.
Not necessarily the funniest thing but daft enough to keep you entertained, smutty but never lowered to the gutter.

I think you've got it down there, Rev - and other posters!

I always think it's the FUN aspect - first and foremost.

Bill Shipton always thought that this was the key to detracting from, firstly, the inherent 'shame' of masturbation (especially with something so ostensibly physically - and morally - 'harmless') - and furthermore, transform what was previously taboo, sexual 'perversion' into a potentially healthy sexual experience and encourage meaningful, respectful relationships with other people.

So, the light-hearted music hall/showbiz (Carry On!) slapstick mixed with the British softcore visual style of the glamour photographer - plus, in Bill's case - comedy in the vernacular language of the taboid newspapers.

It needs to be said that much of it evolved from necessity - as well as Bill Shipton being a writer - all films had to be approved by the BBFC so it was natural that SOME form of plot was required for the pieces to make sense as films. Nudity and some sexual depictions were acceptable - but much of the explicit sexual imagery the internet brought along later was then illegal in Britain (and enforced!). Pornography was mainly imported and illegal. Making (or being suspected of making) a 'blue' or 'pornographic' film could get you arrested (Bill Shipton had a story of being taken in for questioning - before being released - whilst shooting an early WSM movie due to a report filed to the police by a neighbour in the building they were using for a shoot) Photos and movies of an erect male penis (proof of 'real' sexual arousal) were right out. Most of this policing has been relaxed now as it's simply now no longer enforceable (the authorities, quite appropriately concentrate their resources on the genuinely nasty and underage stuff now) Plus, most of the camera people and photographers were pros from the glamour industry - so their work, because of their equipment, training and experience, would tend to look a certain way.

A GIF version of Sarah from Mucky Puppies is definitely warranted here...

This scene remains one of my top 5 wam scenes ever. full stop.

The comic acting from 'Sarah' is amazing. She has amazing comic timing!
Plus the fact that they don't hold back..I just love this scene so much

Excellent post by Trouso, by the way.

For me, the essence of the Splosh style was the sauciness and professionalism. The humour was very British, seaside-postcard type, but although it was certainly smutty and adult, I thought that the sense of harmless fun underpinning it all meant it never tipped over into being crude, which was a difficult balancing act but Bill always managed it.

The other point is just how professional his scenes were, and this is where he had an advantage over most other producers. He once explained about his career on the Splosh board and mentioned that he'd taken advice from someone who'd actually worked as a clown. I can't quite remember whether the context was that Bill had gone to him for some tips before making his first film, or perhaps whether he'd actually dabbled in circus/pantomime himself at one point, but I do remember how grateful he was, saying something like "that man taught me so much about stagecraft".

In other words, he could draw on an almost professional grounding in slapstick, which gave his films an extra dimension. Add to that his, as some have already said, other work as a writer for adult magazines, which explains why his (deliberately) corny jokes and so scripts overall worked so well, and it's no wonder the finished product was as good as it was.

Bill Shipton, Slapstick Pro!