[8][9] The film was shot at an office building at Birminghan 5 Ways, seen in the opening credits, and at Belvedere Power Station (demolished 1993–1994).

Its fantasy factory, here endowed with a solid and convincing presence, no longer belongs to the world of surrealism so much as to that of social satire (and pre-credits shots of industrial slum streets suggest that the change of emphasis is deliberate).

The gigantic equipment manages (despite the film's implicit moral) to dwarf even David Warner's engaging and gangling presence, just as the noise and protracted sight gags submerge a number of pleasant details, like David Waller's performance as the harassed executive with a passion for miniature trains, or the transvestite lovers constantly exchanging clothes.

"[10] Variety compared the film thematically with Charlie Chaplin's Modern Times but was critical of its "irritating air of improvisation" and described the storyline as "thin", albeit praising some of the off-beat situations as "very funny".

[11] Leslie Halliwell, in his Film Guide, described it as a "weakly futuristic industrial fantasy which the author would probably claim to be about lack of communication.

[12] English indie rock band the Smiths covered the film's title song for the B-side of their 1987 single "Girlfriend in a Coma".

[13] Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr has stated in interviews that one of the main impetuses for his leaving the band was singer Morrissey's insistence on covering the song.