Bronco Bullfrog arrives on Blu-ray in January from new label Seventy-Seven
New label Seventy-Seven is releasing Bronco Bullfrog on Blu-ray this January. Also known as Around Angel Lane and Ghost Squad TV 3, the 1970 British kitchen sink teen drama marks Barney Platts-Mills’ first full-length feature film. Shot in black and white and featuring newly edited English subtitles for its East End and Cockney dialogue, the film stars Del Walker, Ann Gooding, and Sam Shepherd. Emerging directly from the East London youth culture that Platts-Mills documented in the late 1960s, the film has since become a significant work in British social realist cinema.
Film Overview
Bronco Bullfrog follows the fortunes of 17-year-old Del Quant and his friends as they navigate the limited opportunities of working-class East London. The film opens with Del, Roy, Chris, and Geoff breaking into a cafe in Stratford and escaping with only ninepence and some cake. The small-time break-in highlights the lack of direction in their daily lives. Soon after, they reconnect with Jo Saville, known as Bronco Bullfrog, newly released from borstal. Del and Roy join him in planning a larger robbery that they hope will improve their circumstances.
During this time, Del meets Irene Richardson and the two begin a relationship despite strong objections from Irene’s mother and Del’s father. Their attempts to envision a life beyond the constraints of their surroundings form the emotional center of the film and reflect the struggles of young people who want to escape the expectations placed on them.
Filmed on location in East London with non-professional actors from local suedehead communities, Bronco Bullfrog blends documentary-style immediacy with the intimate character focus of kitchen sink realism. Its unpolished vitality and candid view of adolescent life have helped the film earn enduring recognition as a cult landmark.
Bonus Features
- NEW Newly recorded commentary by Director of Photography Adam Barker-Mill
- Everybody's An Actor, Shakespeare Said (1968, B. Platts-Mills). A 30-minute documentary charting Joan Littlewood's teen acting workshops with future Bronco Bullfrog cast members
- Joan Littlewood Interview (1968)
- In The Company of Joan (2016, W. Richardson). A feature-length documentary about the life and work of Joan Littlewood
- Barney Platts-Mills and Roy Haywood in Conversation. A never-before-seen Q&A moderated by critic Jason Solomons
- Theatrical re-release trailer and teaser
- Cinema60 podcast episode on Bronco Bullfrog hosted by Bart D'Alauro and Jenna Ipcar
- Booklet with two essays including a new piece by critic Christina Newland
Release Date and Availability
Seventy-Seven will release Bronco Bullfrog on Blu-ray on January 27, 2026. The disc is Region A locked. It is currently available to pre-order.
Fans of British cinema can check out other recent announcements including Studiocanal’s January Blu-ray release of Only Two Can Play and BFI’s February Blu-ray release of Strongroom.
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