42 Up

Starring:Bruce Balden, Jacqueline Bassett, Symon Basterfield, Andrew Brackfield, John Brisby, Peter Davies, Suzanne Dewey, Charles Furneaux, Nicholas Hitchon, Neil Hughes, Lynn Johnson (IV), Paul Kligerman, Susan Sullivan (II), Tony Walker
Studio: First Run Features
Product Type: DVD

Editorial Review:
Amazon.com essential video
"Give me the child until he is 7, and I will give you the man" is the Jesuit maxim that was the kicking-off point for the most fascinating sociological record ever put on film. In 1964 the producers of 7 Up interviewed 14 children from varying social backgrounds, and every seven years since then film director Michael Apted (a researcher on the initial program) has checked in with them as they grew up. 42 Up, the 1998 installment, is in many ways the most contemplative and satisfying of the series, even though three of the original group have opted out of this round.

On a superficial level it's a study of an inflexible class system and the compromises, shifting values, and changing priorities of the people growing up in it. Apted (who now has seven generations of footage at his disposal) enjoys cutting between youthful dreams and aspirations and adult realities, but what was ironic effect in earlier chapters now takes on a more thoughtful and contemplative perspective. At mid-life the subjects (most of them now husbands, wives, and parents) have a mature perspective and a philosophy rooted in a life lived, while Apted, who has literally grown up with these people, brings a sensitive appreciation to their experiences.

Amazon.com

The premise behind the Up series is deceptively simple: take a cross-section of children at age 7, ask them about their hopes for the future, and then return every seven years to mark their progress. However, the results of these experiments, launched in 1963 by Britain's Granada Television, are anything but mundane, and their revelations about society, maturation, and the human condition were compiled into six extraordinary films, packaged together for the first time in this five-disc set. We meet the 14 children whose lives we will follow for the next 36 years in Seven Up, a episode of the television series The World in Action and directed by Paul Almond. What becomes evident almost immediately is that class and background will have an indelible effect on the kids for the rest of their lives; the upper-class boys and girls seem confident to the point of boorishness, while the middle- and working-class children seem resigned to a life of hard work or inevitable failure due to their backgrounds.

Fascinated by the footage, Almond's assistant, Michael Apted (later the director of The World Is Not Enough, among others, and president of the Directors' Guild), proposed to revisit the subjects every seven years, and in 1970, 7 Plus Seven was released, followed by 21 Up in '77, 28 Up in '84, 35 Up in '91, and the most recent entry, 42 Up, in '99 (Apted plans to continue the project). And the changes that occur to the original 14 (some of whom drop out of the project) are among the most fascinating and often tragic ever recorded on film. Success, failure, marriage and childbirth, poverty, illness--almost every possible element of the human experience passes before Apted's camera. And while each of the children's stories is riveting, the viewer will undoubtedly be gripped by that of Neil, a shy boy who endures incredible hardships. A one-of-a-kind series and sociological experiment, The Up Series is required viewing for not only documentary fans but any viewer with a curiosity about and concern for their fellow humans. The DVD set includes commentary by Apted on 42 Up. --Paul Gaita

Description

Starting in 1964 with Seven Up, renowned director Michael Apted has explored this Jesuit maxim. The original concept was to interview 14 children from diverse backgrounds from all over England, asking them about their lives and their dreams for the future. Every seven years, Apted has been back to talk to the same subjects, examining the progression of their lives. From cab driver Tony to East End schoolmates Jackie, Lynn, and Susan and the heart-breaking Neil, we see, as they enter their 40's, how close these subjects are to realizing their ambitions. An extraordinary look at the structure of life in the 20th century, The Up Series is, according to Roger Ebert, "an inspired, almost noble use of the film medium. Apted penetrates to the central mystery of life."

Customer Reviews:

For anyone who gets sentimental thinking about the past.......2007-06-16

I first saw a few of these films back when I came out of school and was going into work and was wondering what to do with my life and what I would become, this was very insightful. A large dvd set like this may seem way too long at first but when you think about what's in it, 42yrs of 14 people's entire lives, it's quite short.

All the characters you meet or have been in life are here. The ambitious John, the mentally ill Neil, charitable Bruce, disgruntled Jackie, simple values of Tony, Nick the intellectual, ... Too bad some of them decided to drop out, but they must be like movie stars without the moneys every 7 years.

The camera quality/technology states the era and atmosphere of each film. When I first watched these films I wondered if it was real, but the camera quality proved it was.

However, the films were started before reality tv, they were originally about class and values of different classes. People who like reality tv maybe disappointed, they mostly ask about people's values what they're up to in life and how they feel comes second.

Probably the best documentary I've watched.......2007-05-15

I thoroughly enjoyed the 7up series. I started at 7up and watched about one disc every 1-2 weeks until I recently finished 42up. I have been increasingly fascinated as I have worked my way through the series. There is something about watching another person's life, that has been fascinating for me. Especially at a moment where I myself am constantly thinking about where I want to be and where I want to go. Very thought provoking. At the end, you will feel like you have something invested in the future of these people.

I particularly found the changes from 21 to 28 to be the most pivotal and defining. This seems to be the point where most of them really branched out into adulthood. For those people that haven't seen the 7-21 series, they are definitely worth watching. There is a lot of editing as the series progresses. Watching the earlier shows in their entirety allows the viewer to be more involved in the life of the individuals and understand their background better.

All in all...Great series. Groundbreaking, interesting, and thought provoking. Highly recommended.

Endlessly Fascinating.......2007-03-25

If one watches these films in a short period of a couple days, there is perhaps too much repeated footage. It also takes a while -- for me Seven Up and much of 7 Plus Seven -- to sort out all the 14 subjects. But beyond those two minor points, The Up Series is terrific. Watching how each subject responds to the intrusive camera, how they change, and, on the other hand and even more strikingly, how the child at 7 really does, as the narrator intones in Seven UP, foreshadow the man is an experience not soon, or ever, forgotten. This work is nothing less than a history of the late 20th century as lived by 14 individuals. It is also remarkable as an ongoing commentary on Britain in those years.

Fascinating.......2007-03-17

Over the years I have seen these movies as they were released. In preparation for watching the latest 49 UP installment I decided to buy the box set and watch the movies together.
Firstly, I would like to thank the "uppers" for their honesty and effort in sharing the ups and downs of their lives with us all.
The documentary tracks the lives of 14 people, from a broad cross section of English society, every seven years. All of the participants seem honest and decent and for the most part are likeable. It is a little disconcerting to see the subjects aging - I mean it happens to us all but when watching the movies close together it is actually a little depressing.
The Documentary shows the subjects lives and I am sure that anyone watching can find some parallel with their own life. All in all it is excellent and just like real life takes you through a range of emotions as peoples lives are updated.
Over the years a couple of the "uppers" have dropped out which is very disappointing - I believe this documentary will still be looked upon hundreds of years from today and those in it are providing something of huge importance for future generations. To me at least this outweighs the loss the privacy of the subjects. This is especially true in the case of Charles who is a guy who actually makes his living from making documentaries! Still I suppose it is easy for me to criticise as I am not the person having a camera stuck in front of me every seven years.

Thought provoking.......2007-03-14

The initial concept was facinating. What do 7 year olds think? And, if there's a follow up, how did they change? But as I continued to watch the ongoing series I became more thoughtful than facinated. Had the cameras invaded my own life how would I respond? Defensive? Apologetic? Would my life's decisions change knowing that those cameras would return for yet another accounting? It made me wonder, too, at the price of celebrity and why anyone would aspire to such a thing. Social interest started the series - introspection kept me rivited to the end.

Average customer rating:

A series that improves with time
Phenomenal
Amazing Study of Development and How People Change Over Time
Before purchasing 42 UP, consider getting the whole series
very interesting

42 Up
Starring: Bruce Balden , Jacqueline Bassett , Symon Basterfield , Andrew Brackfield , and John Brisby
Manufacturer: First Run Features
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Similar Items:

49 Up
35 Up
28 Up
The Up Series (Seven Up / 7 Plus Seven / 21 Up / 28 Up / 35 Up / 42 Up)
Capturing the Friedmans

ASIN: B00005LDCB
Release Date: 2001-08-31

Amazon.com essential video

"Give me the child until he is 7, and I will give you the man" is the Jesuit maxim that was the kicking-off point for the most fascinating sociological record ever put on film. In 1964 the producers of 7 Up interviewed 14 children from varying social backgrounds, and every seven years since then film director Michael Apted (a researcher on the initial program) has checked in with them as they grew up. 42 Up, the 1998 installment, is in many ways the most contemplative and satisfying of the series, even though three of the original group have opted out of this round.

Customer Reviews:

A series that improves with time.......2007-01-30

The up series has followed the lives of 14 British individuals in seven year intervals beginning at age 7 (in 1963 or 64). Every seven years, the producer Michael Apted attempts to interview each of the individual children. For various reasons, some of the individuals are unwilling to be interviewed during a particular time (though most are present in each episode). In this segment, "42 Up", Apted interviews ten individuals: Andrew, Bruce, Jackie, Lynn, Neil, Nick, Paul, Suzy, Symon, and Tony.

On the whole, I found the individuals to be thoughtful and wistful. The mood is much different than "35 Up", where I was struck by the loss that many felt as their parents began to pass away (I am in a similar situation). There is more reflection on childhood and lost opportunities. Love for children and spouses is also evident. More than before, the individuals show strength and courage as they face the future.

In the commentary, it appears that Apted is beginning to realize that his previous segments sometimes provided disorted or incomplete views of the individual's lives. For example, in "28 Up", I think he provided some rather cruel clips on three of the individuals's wives. His edits would sometimes introduce condescending judgments. In this segment, it seems that he is allowing the individuals to speak without editorial moralizing or judgment. Though some of the individuals are still defensive, I think most of the interviews are more heartfelt as a result.

I was especially moved by the segments on Susan and Suzy. Both of these women are so honest and sensitive and their reflections are so true that I (the viewer) feels their pain in loss and the pride in their children. I am also appreciating Tony more now than before, when he did not allow any signs of weakness to show. In revealing himself, he is becoming a fuller person.

I think it is useful to see all the other segments before this one. I have become drawn into their lives. Thus, I feel Bruce's happiness and Lynn's hopes more than if I saw this segment before seeing the others. As a professor, I also strongly feel Nick's dilemma between his love for his childhood home and the love for his work that requires him to live elsewhere. I think that many people are involved in this type of situation that creates a loss no matter what he decides. Thus, the more he succeeds the less likely he can ever return home.

Missing are Charles, John, and Peter. This is sad because each of these individuals are articulate and smart. I miss each of them. John is so sharp and often provides strong counterpoint arguments against Apted's sometimes biased questions and views. I admit that John used to bug me quite a bit in his early years, but I now greatly miss his wit and insights. Peter also has strong opinions and I would be very interested in seeing how he dealt with the seemingly deadend career choice that his schooling prepared him for. Charles has now been missing for 21 years. In "14 Up" and "21 Up", he was a very intelligent person who was critical yet fair in his answers to various questions put to him by Apted. I got the impression that he was aware of Apted's agenda, yet tried to be fair instead of defensive in his self-analysis.

Last, I want to say that I feel that the individuals in these films are very fortunate because these videos provide a portrait of themselves that most of us have lost over the years. Though they rightfully acknowledge that these periodic interviews are painful and intrusive, they also memorialize their lives for their families. I personally remember little of my original dreams and hopes; they fade away over time. I wish that I could have had this opportunity every seven years, with the addendum that it would never be shown to the public. It would be something to give to my children when they are old enough to understand.

I rate this film four stars, not five, because I don't think the film lives up to its potential. That being said, I think that all in my generation could appreciate the candor that these individuals use in their confessions and their courage in revealing themselves to us.

Phenomenal.......2007-01-05

This is an excellent movie. How I wish I knew all the people interviwed in it. They are all such intriguing people--so human, flawed and yet wonderful.

Neil and Bruce, you were so luminous as children and now still so idealistic--you give us all hope for humanity. Tony, Nick and all the rest--best wishes to you all.

Amazing Study of Development and How People Change Over Time.......2005-03-28

I love the Up Series. I think everyone should watch it as it is a fascinating study of human development. Although their personality is somewhat predicted at a young age, we also learn how drive, emotional barriers and other challenges interact to influence the person they end up becoming.

I so appreciate the contributions of these fascinating people: Tony, Bruce, Suzi, Nick, Peter, Paul, John, Andrew, Charles, Neil, Jackie, Lynn, Sue & Simon. Thank you for sharing your lives with us! I hope that those who have dropped up come back for 49 Up, especialy Charles. As a child, I found Charles to be quite open minded and creative and thought it was completely fitting that he became a producer! Given his profession it is surprising that he has been unwilling to participate. I can't wait to watch 42 Up followed by 49 Up!!

Before purchasing 42 UP, consider getting the whole series.......2004-11-29

The whole series up to this film is finally available on DVD and is an awesome experience, much richer than this single film, as amazing as this single film is. I have discussed the reasons why one might prefer to get the entire series on DVD over on the Amazon page for the set.

very interesting.......2004-02-19

This series is an incredible project.
Does anyone out there know how I can get 7, 14 & 21?

Air Power: Story of Us Air Force Up & Away 1907-42

Average customer rating:

Air Power: Story of Us Air Force Up & Away 1907-42

Manufacturer: Columbia River Ent.
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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