By Nicholas Ware
Some films you can go into blind, but 56 Up, opening at the Enzian tomorrow, March 8th, is not one of those films. 56 Up is the eighth part of a documentary series that started way back in 1964 with Seven Up!, a look at fourteen British seven-year-olds from different social strata.
Every seven years, the filmmakers have revisited the majority of those children to check in on their lives. While that original film was directed by Paul Almond, all subsequent films in the series have been directed by Michael Apted, a filmmaker also know for fiction films like The World Is Not Enough and The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. Over time, the films have transformed from being about the social aspects of class to more existential (and personal) questions of identity, desire, celebrity, and the compromised reality of the documentary form.
The easiest, and likely best, way to become acquainted with the series is to watch the entire run via Netflix's instant streaming video library (subscription required). The titles, in order, are:
Every seven years, the filmmakers have revisited the majority of those children to check in on their lives. While that original film was directed by Paul Almond, all subsequent films in the series have been directed by Michael Apted, a filmmaker also know for fiction films like The World Is Not Enough and The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. Over time, the films have transformed from being about the social aspects of class to more existential (and personal) questions of identity, desire, celebrity, and the compromised reality of the documentary form.
The easiest, and likely best, way to become acquainted with the series is to watch the entire run via Netflix's instant streaming video library (subscription required). The titles, in order, are:
Additionally, some of the series has been uploaded by users to YouTube.
For those in need of a shortcut, the series' Wikipedia page has some information, though I strongly suggest avoiding it and watching the films instead.
Some of what occurs to the children throughout the series is heartening, some heartbreaking. The Up series predates reality television, even formative reality TV like The Real World. Unlike the modern Real Housewives exploitation schlock, Seven Up! and its sequels treat their subjects with respect and reverence. It may be a bit of a commitment to catch up for those new to the series, but it's well worth it. Roger Ebert even called the series as a whole one of his favorite films of all time.
56 Up is showing at the Enzian Theater (1300 S. Orlando Ave., Maitland, FL, 32751, 407-629-0054) at 6:30pm on March 8th-12th and March 14th, at 3:00pm on March 8th-10th, and at 9:30pm on March 13th.
