RIP Michael Apted

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slowmotion

Quite dreadful
Location
lost somewhere
7up is wonderful. I always felt faintly voyeuristic watching people being painfully honest about how their lives turned out. All credit to them. It makes a wonderfully refreshing contrast to the toe-curling PR/positive spin/utter bollocks of celeb culture.

RIP
 

SkipdiverJohn

Deplorable Brexiteer
Location
London
Sad news that @Blue Hills. I always found those documentaries absolutely fascinating and liked the unpretentious way in which they were made.
As @slowmotion says above, I really can't be arsed with all that shallow self-important dumbed-down celebrity culture shite. It's a waste of my time watching it. On the other hand, programmes like the Up documentaries represent true reality TV at it's best.
 

Beebo

Firm and Fruity
Location
Hexleybeef
I loved those documentaries. His voice was very calming.

It was hinted in the last series that they were hoping to call it a day at 70up. Shame he didn’t make it.
 

Beebo

Firm and Fruity
Location
Hexleybeef
Whenever a new series came out it was really sobering to reflect that time was slipping away- I was 5 in 1964 so each series has resonated with me through my life.
As a person younger than the participants I found it comforting to see ordinary people navigating their way through life. And seeing that most people muddle through in the end.

I found the change from 21up to 28up the most interesting. They went from shy students to mature adults in that time, and I first engaged with the program in my early 20s.

Most people settled down and married in that 7 year period. Would that happen with kids born today? I doubt many would have left home by 28.
 

Paulus

Started young, and still going.
Location
Barnet,
Whenever a new series came out it was really sobering to reflect that time was slipping away- I was 5 in 1964 so each series has resonated with me through my life.
It resonated with me as I am the same age as the participants in the documentaries. Some of the early stuff could of been me as a kid.
I thought the whole series of programs were fascinating, only a couple of the participants dropped out over the years.
 

SkipdiverJohn

Deplorable Brexiteer
Location
London
The participants were a bit older than me, but that doesn't reduce the relevance of the series. What we were afforded was an insight into the mid baby boom generation from different walks of life, with different aspirations. To anyone with an interest in what makes British people the way they are, and why they have the outlook and attitudes they do, these sort of programmes are priceless.
 
OP
OP
Blue Hills
Location
London
Central to the idea of the series from the off it seemed to me was the idea that class exists.
Many of blair's ilk seemed to seek to deny this or spout bollocks about "we're all middle class now".
At the same time the series seemed to treat all the participants with respect, no easy jibes.
 

SkipdiverJohn

Deplorable Brexiteer
Location
London
Central to the idea of the series from the off it seemed to me was the idea that class exists.

I reached exactly the same conclusion as you about this aspect. The British class system is a subject in it's own right, but irrespective of what your politics are and whether you view the class system negatively or not - only a complete fool would seek to play down it's significance or even deny it's existence altogether.
 

Rocky

Hello decadence
RIP Michael Apted.

Up was a great series and fantastic undertaking, it was a little more tho' than a comment on social class. It also contained themes around religion, family, happiness and psychological state. There was also discussions about the worries and concerns subjects have for their future. It was a fabulous piece of sociology and provides an invaluable record of the country during that period.
 
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