Picked up a compilation disc of the 'Up Series' (includes through 42 Up) at the library yesterday afternoon. This is a series I'd long wanted to watch in its entirety. I'd seen bits and pieces of some of the later ones before, and it always intrigued me. Yesterday evening and afternoon we watched the first two entries (Seven Up and 7 Plus Seven), and hope to watch the remaining episodes over the next week or so.
Very interesting, especially the contrasts among the different classes and upbringing, the differing attitudes towards wealth and life goals, love, education, hopes and dreams. Some of the kids you will take a liking too (I'm already quite fond of Tony the boy who wants to be a jockey), and some you will take a dislike to, others you will be puzzled by, and some you will worry about where they are headed in life.
Fascinating idea of checking in on the same kids every seven years, I have noticed in my own life how the seven year cycle seems to bring distinct changes. These kids are roughly five years older than I am, so their experience is really not so removed from my own (aside from the different country of origin).
I imagine it was a quite different experience in viewing these documentaries as they were released, a feeling of revisiting old friends to see how they were 'getting on'. I've read that many of the subjects become quite well known in the U.K. to the point where some of them have dropped out of the project due to the unease with the public scrutiny of their lives. (frankly, speaking for myself, this is my biggest antagonistic attitude towards 'high school reunions', being a rather private person). Viewing them back to back like I am doing, however, gives one a very melancholy feeling of time passing much too quickly.
The 7 Plus Seven documentary catches up with the kids at 14. A few are starting to get very self concious about the camera, some in an uncomfortably shy way, and a few of them in almost a self serving way, very aware at this young age how they are being perceived and worried about appearances. Tony has started training to be a jockey, some of the upper crust chaps are preparing for higher education and careers in law and politics - Neil and Suzy seemed the most uncomfortable with being filmed (I read later that Suzy's parents had just gotten divorced, which may explain her attitude) and I'm really starting to worry about Neil (perhaps it is because I had a glimpse of his future in one later episode I had seen).
Fascinating stuff, well worth your time.
Addendum: Watched 21 Up this morning. Still pretty interesting stuff. I was confusing Neil with Nick (from my spotty memory of having watched one of the later episodes before). Tony's dreams of being jockey have died after three races, and he seems to accept his fate with a shrug and a toss of the head, now he looks forward to getting his taxi license, and has an interesting attitude towards life in general "be a pest, and eventually you'll get what you want just because people are sick of you". Neil seems to be starting to drift a bit. John continues to become more and more of a snobbish prig and sheltered wealthy suburbanite Suzy remains an enigma. Two of the trio of public school girls (Jackie Lynn and Sue) are already married and starting to settle down. I'm reminded of myself at that age, arriving at 'adulthood', but would still not know any sort of real direction for another ten years.
Addendum Again: Continuing to catch "up" with the 14 children this evening with 28 Up. This was the longest of the films so far. Interesting how each of them, despite their differences in goals and expectations and present situations, for the most part, seem quite content with their lot, as I suppose we all are to a certain extent. A mixture of regret and resignation and rationalization in equal parts. Starting to find myself looking back at my own (and my wife's) lives at each of these arbitrary turning points, where I was at 7, at 14, at 21, at 28 (or for that matter, my son has passed two of the milestones already, and is rapidly approaching the third, talk about time passing much too quickly), and the recurring questions that keep popping up in the series : "Can you see in the person you eventually turn out to be in the child?" "Where do you see yourself in seven years?" "Do you envy those who had more advantages than you did?" . . . A lot to chew over.
And Again: Having an 'Up' marathon this weekend (Library discs are 'one week rentals', so want to fit them all in before the deadline). Watched 35 Up on Sunday afternoon before the oscars. On one hand, seeing the same clips over and over from previous shows gets a little tiresome when you are watching them back to back like we are doing, although if I were to skip over them to get to the 'present day' I'd be missing a lot of interesting juxtaposition. We always start out with Tony, still a cabbie, part time actor with modest goals and ambitions, and some interesting revelations this time. You wonder if he and his wife are sticking together for the sake of the program or for the kids. You also wonder if he would have taken up acting if he hadn't been involved in this project, and so obviously enjoying the limelight - . . . . John returns after skipping the last segment, and he hasn't gotten any less annoying. His pleas for 'the unfortunates in Bulgaria' seem very self serving ("Look at me with all these poor people"), like a politician or celebrity with a pet cause. He's obviously done well in the Thatcher years. . . and in direct contrast, Bruce, while much less flamboyant and charismatic, seems to be truly making a difference with the less fortunate on a more personal level. . . . Neil still is struggling with poverty and mental difficulties, although he seems to be making strides in finding a niche for himself in local theatrical productions . . . Notably absent is Peter in this segment, and Symon (although Symon will be back in 42 Up) . . . Suzy remains sheltered and out of touch but pays lip service to wanting her children to 'get a wider view of the world' but I somehow don't believe they will end up any different. . . Nick still lives in Wisconsin, and seems to be pretty well adjusted overall, and in this episode gives us a little more glimpse behind the mask than he has in previous chapters. There seem to be a lot of tears in this one, a lot of parents passing away, missed opportunities, regrets. Par for the course at this age I suppose.
And Again: Watched 42 Up yesterday evening (DVD series is due back to the library tomorrow). Still a lot of 'rehashing' of old clips, although they do try to edit them a bit more this time. Some very interesting connections to what the kids say in the first couple sessions to how their lives eventually turned out. A nice surprise about Neil (its the last segment, and I won't spoil it for those that haven't seen it, but it is the best part of the whole series I thought). Symon returns in this episode, Paul is gone again, Peter is still missing. Some of the participants are looking sort of tired of the whole project, while others seem to really enjoy participating in it. I probably would have ended up being one of the 'drop outs' if I had the misfortune of being dragged into it at seven years of age. Regardless, it has been an interesting series of documentaries. Looking forward to catching up with these folks in the next film.