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GRANADA'S LANDMARK DOCUMENTARY SERIES
The original Seven Up was broadcast in 1964 as a one-off World in Action special, featuring children who were selected from different backgrounds and social spheres to talk about their hopes and dreams for the future. As members of the generation that would be running the country by the year 2000, what did they think they would become? Inspired by World In Action founder editor Tim Hewat's passionate interest in both the Jesuit saying, "Give me the child until he is seven and I will show you the man", and the rigid class system of 1960s Britain, Seven Up set out to discover whether or not the children's lives were pre-determined by their background.
The result is groundbreaking television - the very first example of a programme recording real people living real lives - and the follow-up films have won an array of awards. Director Michael Apted, who has since moved to Hollywood to direct films, has returned every seven years to chart the children's progress through life. Over the past five decades, the series has documented the group as they have become adults and entered middle age, dealing with everything life has thrown at them in between.
This DVD release has been made with the co-operation of the Up production team and features an in-depth interview with Michael Apted on both the series of films and his time as a staff director/producer at Granada, as well as contributor-specific commentaries with producer Claire Lewis, film editor Kim Horton and cameraman George Jesse Turner.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
By K. Gordon
TOP 500 REVIEWER
Format:DVD
The 'Up Series' represents one of the most fascinating and unusual uses
of film in cinema history - a documentary life-long chronicle of the
lives of 14 people starting at 7 years old, revisiting them every seven
years through age 49 (so far).
While I could quibble, wishing for a bit more depth here and there
(especially with the women, where there's a bit too much emphasis
on love and marriage at the expense of all else), it's really an astounding,
moving, frightening and uplifting document. There's no way to watch
this remarkable series of films without reflecting deeply on one's own
life, and how you have changed (and stayed the same) over your own
lifetime.
While Michael Aped deserves every bit of credit he's received for this
amazing piece of cultural anthropology, it's important to note the first film,
7 Up,was actually directed by Paul Almond, and Apted was a that point a
researcher for the project.
of film in cinema history - a documentary life-long chronicle of the
lives of 14 people starting at 7 years old, revisiting them every seven
years through age 49 (so far).
While I could quibble, wishing for a bit more depth here and there
(especially with the women, where there's a bit too much emphasis
on love and marriage at the expense of all else), it's really an astounding,
moving, frightening and uplifting document. There's no way to watch
this remarkable series of films without reflecting deeply on one's own
life, and how you have changed (and stayed the same) over your own
lifetime.
While Michael Aped deserves every bit of credit he's received for this
amazing piece of cultural anthropology, it's important to note the first film,
7 Up,was actually directed by Paul Almond, and Apted was a that point a
researcher for the project.
19 of 20 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
The saying that I have chosen as a title was the impetus behind this series. A group of children from widely different social backgrounds was filmed and interviewed for television in 1964 at the age of seven, and thereafter every seven years. The first interviews in the series are hilarious, for the most part, though some are poignant. We found it compulsive viewing: it is fascinating to see people - and society - changing and developing, and to discover something of how their lives turned out, and one comes to care about what happens to them. One disadvantage of the format is a certain amount of repetition at the start of each new programme, as new viewers needed to have it explained to them what happened in the past, but by spinning out our viewing over several days we minimised the nuisance - in fact we came to look forward to some moments, like the little boy who didn't like greens. We also enjoyed the absence of background music. The interviewers kept out of sight and did not compete for attention with the subjects, who were all interesting in their different ways. The first programme was black and white, so it showed television developing too. It was quite a heart-warming programme: one could respect and like all the subjects, varied though their lives and personalities are, and in spite of the considerable social gap (discussed thoughtfully, without rancour on one side or snobbery on the other)the final impression is of the basic decency of human beings, and the unity of human experience in the journey through life. It was not clear at the end whether another set of interviews will take place in 2012: I do hope so.
18 of 19 people found the following review helpful
By Riseleyj
Format:DVD
I watched the first three series every seven years whilst growing up in England. It was most enjoyable back then ~ and some of the children involved, particularly Neil and Tony have always remained a vivid picutre in my memory. That is why I was most excited when I managed to track down a copy of 7-49. It is just how I remembered it. Extremely entertaining although quite pertinent at times with it's portrayal of the class difference and social issues.
My only minor critism in each series would be the constant flashbacks to previous interviews. I realise that this was only meant to be viewed every seven years ~ therefore we would need to be reminded of previous questions and subsequent answers given by the children. I chose to watch 4 series in one week ~ so naturally by the fourth series of flashbacks I was growing a little tired of the same footage!
That said I am finding the series extremely entertaining and love watching them all finding their place in society!
My only minor critism in each series would be the constant flashbacks to previous interviews. I realise that this was only meant to be viewed every seven years ~ therefore we would need to be reminded of previous questions and subsequent answers given by the children. I chose to watch 4 series in one week ~ so naturally by the fourth series of flashbacks I was growing a little tired of the same footage!
That said I am finding the series extremely entertaining and love watching them all finding their place in society!
Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
7 - 49 up
A fascinating series - sadly part of the 28 up disc does not work properly....otherwise very satisfied to have this series on DVD.
Published 1 month ago by G Austin
5.0 out of 5 stars
Wonderful in every way!
Following these people from childhood into middle-age we find them reflecting on life journeys that might have surprised us at the beginning of the series. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Barbara Bergmann
5.0 out of 5 stars
Make sure you have a UK-compatible DVD player!
I'm sure the DVD is great. I couldn't play it because when it arrived, the DVD is programmed for UK DVD players, something buried in the information about the product. Read more
Published 3 months ago by unhappy purchaser
4.0 out of 5 stars
Interesting viewing
I hadn't watched any of these episodes and I'm glad I didn't have to wait 7 years between each show otherwise I don't think I would have bothered catching up with the 'subjects. Read more
Published 5 months ago by Kooka57
5.0 out of 5 stars
How do you make God laugh? Tell him your plans
Take ten boys and four girls, all born in 1956. Take some from wealthy homes, and some from middling, and some from poor, and some from local authority care. Read more
Published 5 months ago by Nat Whilk
3.0 out of 5 stars
not great for a new dvd
this is a wonderful thoroughly enjoyable documentary. however we've had some problems with the disk skipping jumping and getting stuck in places which is a bit disappointing for a... Read more
Published 7 months ago by sorrel
3.0 out of 5 stars
dvd
The package arrived promptly and appears to be in good order. I cannot comment on the quality or condition of the contents as I have not yet opened it.
Published 11 months ago by Stephen Docherty
5.0 out of 5 stars
Real lives, Real People
I have followed the series over the years being a 1956er myself but to see them all together, back to back, was a very different experience. Read more
Published 11 months ago by Mike M
5.0 out of 5 stars
7 up gets better and better
An amazing commitment by a group of (originally) 14 children as they grow into adulthood and demonstrate how social class impact on education, employment, marriage and opportunity. Read more
Published 12 months ago by David H
5.0 out of 5 stars
7-49 up
Wonderful documentary, definately worth seeing, helps you understand the development of this generation well through a cross section of different people from varying backgrounds.
Published 14 months ago by Sakina
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