Mancunian Man: The Legendary Life of Cliff Twemlow. Part of Severin Films Season

Jake West’s documentary retraces the life of a singular individual: Cliff Twemlow, an opportunistic, fascinating figure of Manchester’s counterculture of the 1980s. Self-made star and film producer for the direct-to-VHS market, Twemlow built up a motley crew of fellow would-be actors eager to appear on-screen - any screen. MANCUNIAN MAN, a window into a period when video stores reigned supreme, also reflects its subjects’ tremendous creative energy. Cliff and his friends created a genre of their own, driven by a deep desire to make movies. Jake West revives the legend for today’s audiences. Twemlow, famed for his banned film, "G.B.H.", built a low-budget film empire from 1982-1993 with a devoted team of diverse individuals. With innovative video technology, self-composed music, and minimal budgets, he pioneered an array of films in genres like gangster, horror, thriller, and sci-fi. Director Jake West and Severin Films now unravel Twemlow's remarkable and genuine story through exclusive interviews, captivating film clips, and rare backstage footage. 

“An essential watch for anyone remotely interested in indie film and the crazy days of the VHS era.” Starburst

Severin Films Season 

Triskel Arts Centre presents a season of documentaries from Severin Films, a company dedicated to the world’s most provocative cinema for physical media, theatrical release, streaming and beyond. Founded in 2006 by David Gregory, Carl Daft and John Cregan, Severin’s curatorial and archival work has produced acclaimed collectors’ editions and box sets - all with exclusive/extensive Special Features - that has placed the company at the forefront of the industry, while their original productions have won numerous awards on the international festival circuit.

Three feature-length documentaries from Severin Films will be screened over three consecutive evenings: BLOOD & FLESH: THE REAL LIFE & GHASTLY DEATH OF AL ADAMSON (about the film career and tragic real-life murder of director Al Adamson), ENTER THE CLONES OF BRUCE (a look at the bizarre genre of films imitating the work of legendary actor Bruce Lee) and MANCUNIAN MAN: THE LEGENDARY LIFE OF CLIFF TWEMLOW (a fascinating account of bouncer, novelist, composer, screenwriter, producer and actor Cliff Twenlow). 

While these documentaries will be of interest to cult movie fans, they are also entertaining explorations of their subjects for the casual viewer to thoroughly enjoy also.