Customer Reviews

49 Up

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

For those who watched it on CBC, you might consider purchasing this DVD. The complete running time of the documentary is 135 minutes. CBC's version ran 85 minutes without the commercials (over two nights). Roughly 40 minutes - approx 1/3rd of the documentary - was cut by the CBC to make it fit their timeslot. CBC completely removed the stories of Lynn (librarian), Suzy (upper middle class girl who was quite shy, now married with kids) and Nick (farmer's son who moved to USA to work as a university professor) and others were severely edited, including Bruce (teacher) and Paul (moved to Australia).

The 'Up Series' represents one of the most fascinating and unusual uses
of film in cinema history - a documentary life-long chronicle of the
lives of 14 people starting at 7 years old, revisiting them every seven
years through age 49 (so far).

While I could quibble, wishing for a bit more depth here and there
(especially with the women, where there's a bit too much emphasis
on love and marriage at the expense of all else), it's really an astounding,
moving, frightening and uplifting document. There's no way to watch
this remarkable series of films without reflecting deeply on one's own
life, and how you have changed (and stayed the same) over your own
lifetime.

While Michael Aped deserves every bit of credit he's received for this
amazing piece of cultural anthropology, it's important to note the first film,
7 Up,was actually directed by Paul Almond, and Apted was a that point a
researcher for the project.

I saw 49 Up on CBC Newsworld in Canada. I've always enjoyed the Up series but found 49 Up a bit of a disappointment. Simply put, not much has happened to the participants since 42 Up. This is not the fault of the filmmaker, just the reality. One participant even questions if it's interesting to watch a group of people grow older, balder, and fatter, and I have to agree. There's not much drama or shocking revelations here. Watching it is like catching up with old friends who haven't been up to much. I think 42 Up established that people tend to remain in their social class, so that's old news. Also, 49 Up covers much of the same ground as 42 Up, with many of the same flashbacks. So, 49 Up feels like a bit of a retread. I'd only recommend 49 Up as a rental.