The recent resurgence in popularity of the Carry Ons has given rise to a whole new merchandising industry. 1999 saw a veritable tidal wave of collectibles, from model cars through to the first appearance of a Carry On film on DVD.

Carry On Uncensored, the latest collaboration between Robert Ross & Morris Bright, is one of those strange beasts that treads the fine line between glossy coffee table book and serious reference work. I get the feeling that the publishers wanted something that was clearly Christmas present material and on that front, Carry On Uncensored delivers in style. It's big, it's glossy and it's got a semi-naked Barbara Windsor on the cover.

Those readers expecting an in-depth expose of the films a la Rob's "Carry On Companion" are likely to be somewhat disappointed. Carry On Uncensored takes a more superficial approach to its subject; the text rattles along at a cracking pace, throwing puns and innuendo at the reader faster than Tolly Rothwell on happy pills. That's my only real criticism of what is otherwise an essential addition to the growing library of Carry On books; much of the information contained in Carry On Uncensored would really be of greater interest to those who consider themselves fans of the series. It's a goldmine of anecdotes, trivia and script excerpts that never made it to the screen, but the narrative style seems to be aimed at a more general audience - the tongue in cheek approach to the subject seems at odds with the subject itself.

Redemption, however, comes in the form of the plethora of behind the scenes photographs of cast and crew at work and play. Rob and Morris spent a great deal of time rummaging through Peter Rogers' drawers (ahem) while researching Carry On Uncensored and the results are spectacular. From cover to cover, the book is packed with stunning photographs of the team, most of them published for the first time, and it's these photographs that put Carry On Uncensored firmly in the "must buy" category. I've been around a few years and consider myself more knowledgeable than most on the subject of the Carry Ons. I've had the privilege of raiding Peter's collection on a number of occasions and thought I'd just about seen it all. Rob and Morris have once again proved me wrong and long may they continue to do so.