56 Up (2012)
When a cross-section of seven-year-olds were interviewed for 7 Up in 1964 it was immediately evident that their social backgrounds influenced their attitudes towards life. While the upper class children were confident and self-assured, those from middle and working class backgrounds were resigned to a challenging life of hard work. This premise was put to the test every seven years when the same group were interviewed about the progression of their lives. 49 years in the making, the changes that occurred to the original 14 make for fascinating television and are in many ways the stories of all our lives. From success and disappointment, marriage and childbirth, to poverty and illness, nearly every facet of life has been captured on film. Now, at the age of 56, the group are once more brought together and, with the benefit of hindsight, assess whether their lives have been ruled by circumstance or self-determination.
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When a movie has you begging for it to end not even half way through it's pure crap. We've all seen this movie and this characters millions of times, nothing new in it. Don't waste your time.
One of the most extraordinary films you will see this year. Take that as you want.
The gang is back under the directions of Michael Apted. They are now closing in on old age. Everybody is looking back rather than looking forward. Sure they look forward for their kids, but not anymore for themselves. Peter has finally return to the series, but it's only a taste. He's only giving the highlights but mostly he wants to promote his band. He still isn't completely open especially about his first marriage. That is still better than Charles who is still absent.The question is starting to creep in on what will happen to this series if one of them pass or maybe if Michael Apted pass. This raises the question of what the future episode will look like. It will probably feel like talking to my parents and the older generations about their aches and pains. Everybody will be comparing their medical health. The part I want to see now is Michael Apted on camera. He's getting up there in age and it would be nice to see the group talk to him as an equal before it's too late.
Michael Apted confirms the series' status as a remarkably insightful, moving, often poetic, chronicle of the times. More than a series, it's a phenomenon. The stated intention is to prove the Jesuit adage, "Give me the child until he is seven and I will give you the man." But as the upper class John here claims, the show set out to prove that England is "still in the grasp of a Dickensian class system," which he claims was not true in '64 and is even less true now. His friend Andrew's view is borne out by most of the stories here. A harsh stratification remains in force, but it is primarily economic, not social. In a brilliant spinning irony, the very aristocratic John claims Apted misrepresented him by not mentioning his father died when he was nine, his mother labored hard and he got to Oxford only on a scholarship. But John himself convincingly presented himself as a blue blood. Moreover, in his generous patronage of his forefather's Bulgaria he proves himself the ideal aristocrat! Apted frequently reminds us how documentary moves into poetry and real people into metaphors. For more see www.yacowar.blogspot.com.
While I did check the Spoiler box, I wanted to warn again that I might have some spoilers in this review.Perhaps not surprisingly, this series has been uneven. Some very good ones, and some not-so-good ones. I'd say with the exception of the original 7 Up, this is probably the best in the series. I am five years younger than these people, so I could relate to some of the their feelings at this stage in their life. I thought that as they are aging, most of them have become more and more likable. Even cab driver Tony, one of my least favorite people in this series now comes off as a decent guy to me. Obviously, Neil is probably the most compelling character of this group, and I'm glad to see that he's doing so much better now compared to 28 and 35.I also thought that it was smart that when Apted shows clips from prior cycles, he is starting to put on the screen which movie it came from. At 42 Up and 49 Up, it was getting extremely difficult to figure out which years we were seeing in the massive cross-cutting that is done. This makes 56 Up much easier to follow than those two.On the DVD's Special Features, section, I would also highly recommend watching the late Roger Ebert's interview with Michael Apted after 49 Up came out. It definitely gave me additional insight and context. Next to Neil, I have always found Suzy to be my favorite person in the series, primarily because of her extreme transformation from 21 to 28! Apted notes in the commentary that Suzy is a big fan favorite for many...I thought it might have only been me! He also notes how the tone is different for each of these films, based on what is going on at that life stage, and actually refers to 28 Up as "overbearing." I found that interesting, because for me, 28 Up is by far the worst of the series.If you haven't seen any of the series, I'm not sure I'd recommend this. One should at least see 7 Up/14 Up (on the same DVD in America) before seeing 56 Up. I started with 49 Up when it came out, and since then, started watching them in order so that I would be all caught up with 56 Up.
Michael Apted has had a long and successful career as a director. His credits have included such upper-middle-brow works as GORILLAS IN THE MIST and ENIGMA, and such popular works as a Bond movie and COAL MINER'S DAUGHTER. His most fascinating work has been on 1963's 7 UP, for which he was a researcher, and its sequels. Every seven years since the original show, Apted has interviewed and directed the same collection of ordinary Britons from all backgrounds.Partly a survey of contemporary British life, partly a work of sociology, but mostly an album of snapshots, they offer the viewer a fascinating look at how lives diverge and snake around each other: an upper class boy whose life has followed the expectations he had at seven. A farm boy who became a nuclear physicist; girls who grew up to be mothers and grandmothers and are now dealing with death. I have been following this since they were twenty-one, and have looked at all of them on DVD. Everyone has a story, unique and commonplace at the same time, some happy, some sad, some mixed.The eighth in the series has finally made its appearance in the US on the movie screen, and I don't know how to describe it to you. All I know is that it is utterly fascinating, both as a portrait of British society and of individuals trying to cope with sporadic celebrity. I don't know how much longer Mr. Apted will be able to continue to do these shows -- he is 72 himself -- but I will continue to look at them as long as he and his collection of subjects continue to make them and I urge you to take a look.