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Post by tory on Oct 15, 2020 10:22:54 GMT
Ken Loach - "Sorry we missed you"
A diehard Socialist's view of the gig economy. A bit predictable in some respects - the family disintegrate due to both parents working zero hours contracts jobs as a delivery driver and carer. Both children are "talented", but their problems increase due to both parents working such long hours. The driver is a "grafter", but inevitably things happen and cascade into turmoil.
I admire Loach - he is determined to provide stories and narratives about what life is really like for many people - and I like the gritty, unknown actors he uses.
What I think is problematic is that it's a middle-class view of the world that no-one watches. His films make little or no money and aren't watched, I guess, by the people that perhaps need to watch them. It is important for this sort of film to be made, but I would argue strongly that someone like Shane Meadows provides a different, more entertaining, warts 'n' all lens for portrayals of white working class life in England. Meadows is unflinching in his portrayals, but he celebrates life too. Loach's view is relentlessly miserable. White working class people don't want to be told that their life is shit - they know it all too well.
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Post by oh oooh on Oct 15, 2020 10:52:09 GMT
I agree apart from 'his films make little or no money' - his last cinema release was a big success.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 15, 2020 14:04:26 GMT
Loach's view is relentlessly miserable. White working class people don't want to be told that their life is shit - they know it all too well. I don't think this is true actually. Loach's subject matter could be seen as miserable as his films usually focus on economic hardship and social inequality. However his treatment of these isn't always miserable, indeed sometimes he can fall into a rather unrealistic feel good sentimentality - Looking For Eric for example.
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Post by Reactionary Rage on Oct 15, 2020 14:21:57 GMT
I've only ever seen Kes.
He's always struck me as a bit one note so I've never ventured further than Kes.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 15, 2020 14:27:44 GMT
I've only ever seen Kes. He's always struck me as a bit one note so I've never ventured further than Kes. I find it a bit sad that he is rather neglected by serious film goers in the UK, whereas the French, for example, rate him very highly. I do get the criticism that he's a bit one note, but at his best he produces powerful, humanist work.
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Post by Reactionary Rage on Oct 15, 2020 14:37:30 GMT
What would you recommend?
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Post by Deleted on Oct 15, 2020 14:50:14 GMT
What would you recommend? I was hoping you wouldn't ask me that! I was going to add that he makes decent films, rather than great ones. Post Kes there are no masterpieces that I'm aware of. However I did really like Riff Raff and Sweet Sixteen. You might struggle with the accents in the latter though!
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Post by Reactionary Rage on Oct 15, 2020 15:01:33 GMT
oh it's about a bunch of west coast wankas being all wegie n shit
Ach fuck that.
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Post by oh oooh on Oct 15, 2020 15:04:08 GMT
Riff Raff has some fantastically funny stuff. Ricky Tomlinson is on top form.
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Post by oh oooh on Oct 15, 2020 15:06:51 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Oct 15, 2020 15:36:35 GMT
The Wind that Shakes the Barley is good.
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Post by oh oooh on Oct 15, 2020 15:43:48 GMT
Family Life (made for TV in 1971) is excellent.
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Sneelock
god
you're gonna break another heart
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Post by Sneelock on Oct 15, 2020 19:37:16 GMT
didn't he do "Dirty Grandpa"?
ha ha.
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Post by DarknessFish on Oct 18, 2020 20:29:34 GMT
Well, I've finally been forced to sit through all 3 Hobbit films. What a dreadful protracted waste of celluloid they were, the only enjoyment coming from the fact it finally ended. Highlight for me was the sub-C64 graphics of the dwarves on goatback galloping up the mountain towards the end.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 19, 2020 22:49:51 GMT
I agree apart from 'his films make little or no money' - his last cinema release was a big success.
Daniel Blake was hugely well-watched as well. My experience might be skewed as it was set in Newcastle but it seemed like everyone was discussing it for a while.
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