Search - 42 Up on DVD

One Of The Best

Mark W Smith | Indianapolis, IN USA | 10/15/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Last week I purchased a video Roger Ebert identifies as one of the best films of all time, Michael Apted's "42 Up". And I wholeheartedly agree. This documentary, released in 2000, is one in a series of films that chronicles the lives of the same 14 people over the course of 35 years. The series' first installment was filmed in 1964. Fourteen, seven year old British children from various socioeconomic backgrounds, were interviewed about their lives, likes and dislikes, as well as their hopes and dreams for the future. Apted has tracked down each of these people every seven years, asking them the same, as well as other questions, to obtain their current status, their here-to-date accomplishments, as well as their disappointments. From each of these episodes of interviews, he has created another film, released shortly after filming, every seven years. The titles of the films denote the participant's ages; hence "7 Up", "14 Up", and so on. The original premise of the series was to test a hypothesis based on an old Hebrew quotation, "Give me the child until the age of seven, and I will show you the man"; the point being that our ultimate status in life reflected by socioeconomic level, our values and culture, are largely determined by the family into which we are born. This question is particularly significant in class conscious Great Britain where class distinctions are particularly apparent, if not a mainstay of their culture. And, the series tends to affirm the hypothesis, as most of the film's protagonists remain in the same socioeconomic group throughout their lives. The beauty of the film, however, is not in scientific investigation. And, one need not see the earlier films to appreciate the ones that follow. In each successive documentary, Apted includes footage from the earlier releases, as well as outtakes that had not been seen previously. Each film stands alone, on its own merit. What we experience, as viewers, is the unfolding and development of lives over time, compressed into a few minutes. We witness their challenges, their satisfactions, and their evolving expectations of themselves. Although Apted's questions are relatively innocuous, through the course of our repeatedly hearing them and their answers, we gain a relatively intimate knowledge of who these people are, and what they want. At times, the camera is unflinchingly honest. The inconsistencies obvious. And, it is also noted that Apted has clearly developed a level of intimacy with his subjects, as they often refer to him in the interviews by his first name. Keep in mind that he first met these people when they were children, and he has periodically checked in with them for nearly as long as they can remember. It is not surprising then, that each film has garnered increasing interest in Great Britain, as those following the series began to anticipate the ongoing sagas and, in some instances, had developed a genuine caring for some of films participants. One individual, Neil, whose life has taken some very difficult turns, received considerable attention. Some met the release of "42 Up" with ambivalence, as they wanted to know what had happened to Neil, but also feared the worse. I can attest to similar feelings, having previously seen the episodes of "28" and "35". Not all of the participants have been pleased with their involvement. One even went so far as to describe the experience as a curse that comes around every seven years. Some have opted out for some of the films; a couple have withdrawn permanently. The value of this work, however, is not derived from voyeurism, but rather, from what is stirred from within ourselves. As we watch the film and observe life's many transitions, we cannot help but to reflect on our own; to take note of where we are, where we have been, and where we have wanted to be. Although "42 Up" was to have been the last in the series, there has been ongoing speculation about a "49". Perhaps that is more telling about our own aspirations, a statement that we are not done yet with our own lives, than being motivated by our curiosity about the lives of others."

Documentary filmmaking at its best

Haseeb | Tempe, AZ United States | 10/28/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"In 1964 filmmaker Micheal Apted interviewed a number of seven year olds in England from different economic backgrounds. He has been back to interview them every seven years. The subjects are 42 years old in this film. This is perhaps the most fascinating and poignant documentary series I have ever seen and am likely to see. As you watch this film and see the drama of lives unfold well into middle age, you can't help but to be in awe. This film forces you to ponder on your own life and ask yourself questions. What have we been put on this earth for and what is the true meaning of life? Without giving away the whole film, I will say that a few changes have taken place in peoples lives and most of them have progressed rather nicely since 35 Up. One of the subjects got divorced but is happily remarried at 42. Another subject was actually caught being unfaithful but was forgiven and is still married to the same person. One of the subjects finally gets married at the age of 42, but has concerns about trying to start a family so late. Some of the subjects who've been married for a long time talk about how hard marriage is. Other subjects who have teenagers talk about how difficult they can be. None of the subjects was incarcerated and none of them died yet. I hate to break it to the Neil fans, but he is not doing anything all that big dispite the rumors. Although he is still on welfare, he has managed to find some stability in his life and is keeping himself busy. He still more or less has the same demeanor he had at the age of 35."