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Amazon.co.uk Review
It's hard to fill a music documentary with the same energy that ignited the movement, but Live Forever succeeds in charting the rise and decline of the Britpop genre with ease. Looking back on the 1990s phenomenon, it removes the rose-tinted spectacles that are so often donned for such retrospectives and looks at the trend and hype through a refreshing political perspective hinging around the New Labour government. It's fascinating to see how the spin doctors went to work on this new youth culture to increase popularity with voters.
It was a time of political change, when, after long Conservative rule, people were looking forward to the future, and Cool Britannia filled a cultural hole. There was bizarre art from the likes of Emin and Hurst, and a vibrant music scene filled with "jolly" Blur tunes and Pulp's off-kilter takes on the working class. But it was Oasis's meteoric rise and the simultaneous "Lad" cultural stereotype they embodied that really gripped the nation's youth (both male and female). Live Forever offers interviews with the Gallagher brothers (who actually come across as sound geezers), Damon Albarn (who fares less well, and it becomes clear where director John Dower's commitment lay in the big Britpop battle) and the sublime Jarvis Cocker (who really should have become more of a cultural icon). Although Britpop ended after a blitz of cigarettes and alcohol, its place is sealed in music history. Just as The Filth and the Fury has become the must-see documentary on punk, Live Forever may well become the defining film of the 90s generation. --Nikki Disney
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase
'Live Forever' is a documentary on the phenomenon/fad that was Britpop, when in the mid to late 1990's British Art, Music, Film and Politic's fused into the mainstream sweeping aside America's dominance of popular culture.
Interviewed are individuals who contributed towards the rise of Britpop such as Liam & Noel Gallagher, Damon Albarn, Jarvis Cocker and many others who insight's quite humorous at times give you a sense of what it was like.
The film's Pièce de résistance is that it is jam-packed full of excellent music from the era. 'Live Forever' is well worth your attention and time if either you lived through Britpop or want to know what all the fuss was about.
Interviewed are individuals who contributed towards the rise of Britpop such as Liam & Noel Gallagher, Damon Albarn, Jarvis Cocker and many others who insight's quite humorous at times give you a sense of what it was like.
The film's Pièce de résistance is that it is jam-packed full of excellent music from the era. 'Live Forever' is well worth your attention and time if either you lived through Britpop or want to know what all the fuss was about.
5 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
This is the kind of documentary that contains enough facts but never gets tiring - in fact it is highly enjoyable right to the last frame. It has a very clever structure, it's visually strong and has a positive tone towards the era, which is represented by the Gallaghers, Jarvis Cocker, David Albarn and many others who make powerful remarks. Even your average art-enemy, Damien Hirst is an interviewee. The best short conversations are definitely the ones with the two Gallagher brothers. Although, I never liked the music and the personalities, I must admit that they are hilarious! Even their tribute band is funny.
I never watched a documentary that I had to watch again immediately. And again. And several times since then. Some might say, that it's not a full list. I don't think that it was ever meant to be. Personally, I would have liked more about The Prodigy and something about Radiohead (they are completely ignored), but I was happy with what I was given - a film, featuring most of the defining bands, characters and reliable sources about Britpop, done in a stylish, witty and entertaining manner.
Even if you don't like Britpop, Oasis or Blur (you still have to have a general curiosity about music in the UK), take a chance on this one, you will not regret it! It is a very rare item - a British film that is exciting and not trying too hard to be stylish, clever and important, while it is all of these things, naturally. A wondering star!
I never watched a documentary that I had to watch again immediately. And again. And several times since then. Some might say, that it's not a full list. I don't think that it was ever meant to be. Personally, I would have liked more about The Prodigy and something about Radiohead (they are completely ignored), but I was happy with what I was given - a film, featuring most of the defining bands, characters and reliable sources about Britpop, done in a stylish, witty and entertaining manner.
Even if you don't like Britpop, Oasis or Blur (you still have to have a general curiosity about music in the UK), take a chance on this one, you will not regret it! It is a very rare item - a British film that is exciting and not trying too hard to be stylish, clever and important, while it is all of these things, naturally. A wondering star!
2 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
Live Forever does a fine job of packing a phenomenal concentration of pompous, self-important sycophants into 82 minutes of film. The only interviewees who come across as faintly interesting are Noel and Liam Gallagher, who alone save this film from being the unqualified train-wreck it so nearly is. Damon Albarn is so self-conscious and humourless that he fails to find a single interesting thing to say. His absurd rant about defenceless trees being cut down to build houses sets the tone for much of the film's silly pseudo-political drivel.
But Damon and Jarvis and Noel and Liam are creative artists and deserve a degree of indulgence. It's the pretentious, po-faced sycophants and hangers-on - drawling on about the Moment that was Brit Pop and how many lines of cocaine they did and how Noel once passed wind in their general direction - who make the thing almost unwatchable.
Cool Britannia. Thank god it's over.
But Damon and Jarvis and Noel and Liam are creative artists and deserve a degree of indulgence. It's the pretentious, po-faced sycophants and hangers-on - drawling on about the Moment that was Brit Pop and how many lines of cocaine they did and how Noel once passed wind in their general direction - who make the thing almost unwatchable.
Cool Britannia. Thank god it's over.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Champagne Supernova
Cracking documentary, great extras, superb interviews, altogether a very good dvd at an even better price. GO BUY IT MAN
Published 4 months ago by Liam
Great DVD, great extras.
Loved this DVD, detailing the battle of Brit Pop between Blur and Oasis, aswell as going into some detail about Pulp. Read more
Published 5 months ago by Matty
For fans of Britpop
An excellent review for all those fans (like I) who lived the golden years with Blur & Oasis most popular groups!!
Published on 9 Feb 2010 by Sonic
Glory days
This is the kind of documentary that contains enough facts but never gets tiring - in fact it is highly enjoyable right to the last frame. Read more
Published on 16 Mar 2009 by Andras
The retrospective
Forever derided as the movement that spawned 'lad' culture (possibly the natural successor to the whole acid house movement in the late 80s), 'Brit-pop' was to encompass everything... Read more
Published on 30 Jun 2005 by "maythebloodiestwinners"
'If' finally happened...
We have the Americans' to thank, you know? As with all the best movements, Britpop was a protest movement. Read more
Published on 19 Aug 2004 by Daniel Warburton
the one band missin ...
opk, this is a great little dvd, all the right parties are there, all the people who brought brit-pop 2 fame and glory, but none for the one band who actually kicked it all off, i... Read more
Published on 28 Jun 2004
The Best Movie EVER!
theres not much more to say about this movie other than its sheer brilliance. the interviews are extremely well thought out and covers everything that britpop was about. Read more
Published on 20 Jun 2004 by "bostonmurf"
Well, at least the soundtrack is quite good!
The people who made this rubbish were obviously never passionate about Britpop. OK, so maybe that allows them to put together a more objective view of the era, but they have a... Read more
Published on 29 Mar 2004 by M. Walker
Real Politik meets Rock and Roll
LIVE FOREVER (John Dower 2003)
The documentary makers (including the BBC) who turned out that riveting and deadly piece of terrorist history, One Day In September (Kevin... Read more
Published on 7 Feb 2004 by Jonathan Dawson
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