esrosedotblog

SEVEN UP

In 1964, film maker Michael Apted made a documentary for Granada Television in Britain. Its premise was to show a group of seven year olds and ask them some basic questions. It would be a profile of the 'future of England' or some such. He called that film Seven Up. He didn't mean the beverage.

The film was such a resounding success, more as a here and now glimpse of these particular seven year olds, that he went back in another seven years to revisit the kids and made 7 plus Seven.

Now, each year, he has gone back to visit most of the same kids as they grew up and so there is a documentary for each seven years up through the age of 42. Of the original 14 kids, five have stayed with the project.

Today, I saw the first two and will keep on going through the five films. It is a fascinating process and I am enjoying it immensely.

At first, I panicked a bit as I felt I could not get to know all these kids. Yet, in short time, that concern faded. I got to them all and while I did not remember the names I certainly remembered them.

By the second film, when they are 14, one feels as though they are pretty well organized for life. I am sure that will change as we see the reality unfold. Fascinating.

There are some wonderful and not so wonderful surprises. It is British, after all, so there is a built in caste system of which the kids are somewhat aware but which colors a lot of what happens in these early years.

The first film is a Best 1176 Film but I cannot imagine seeing one without seeing them all and that is what I will do. So far it is all 5 out of Netflix5!