6.18.2009

"Give me a child until he is seven and I will give you the man"

I really have a thing for documentaries of peoples life's.

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Ever seen Steve Hartman's Everybody Has a Story? (not exactly a documentary but...)Oh boy, I was such a sucker!

(and it never should have ended!)

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What about The Farmer's Wife? Ah, love love love!!

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So a year or so ago I read about The UP Series and knew right away that it was my kind of show. But wasn't so sure how I'd get my hands on it.

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Lo and behold, while at my local library I saw they carried the dvd's. Eek!

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And guess what? The Up Series was all I dreamed it would be!!


The premise of the film was taken from the Jesuit motto "Give me a child until he is seven and I will give you the man." In 1964 the films began with 14 British children at who were at the tender age of 7. Every 7 years they are visited again, the latest being 49 UP.

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There are a few clips from the series I wish I could find to share. Here is one. Paul was asked, at 7, if he wanted to get married when he was older. He seems very concerned about marriage-







The intensity in that little boys eyes.... Did you see? Oh mercy!

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What was amazing is how very true it is, that you could see the men and women that the 7 year old children would become. The intense eyes on the little boy above stayed that way, although later in years he seemed to grow happier and more at ease with himself. But still quiet and concerned.

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The only shocker was a boy Neil, who was SO adorable, with a twinkle in his eye, and full of life at 7 but very nervous and unsure at 14, and seemed to get unhappier with time. But from the latest film, he seems to be coming around (he credits faith and being busy).

Here are two trailors from the series.

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And look for Neil. Look how darling he was! And tell me he's not John McCain's twin! And check it out, they are both into politics.

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If you ever get your hands on The UP Series, clear your day and start from the beginning.

6 comments:

Coral Rose said...

Sweet. Netflix has the first two as one documentary, and then the rest I can stream instantly. I know what I'm doing this weekend. :-)

Sister Black said...

that's coll. i had forgotten all about this program. i'd like to see it.

I am LoW said...

Coral- I don't think you would regret it!

Ma- if you like the sort of stuff, like I do, you'll love it. I can't get enough! But I've gotten all there is for now. :-/

Carrie Maseda said...

Okay girl, feel free to pass them my way when you are done, or let me know when you are returning them to the library; I will more than happy to escort you, and quickly check them out before someone else has the chance! :) You know how much I LOVED The Farmer's Wife, so I know I would love this too; I am a sucker for this type of thing!

I am LoW said...

Carrie- I've turned all of them in except UP 28, which I still have. And I haven't yet seen UP 21. So maybe if you hurry to the library you'll catch what's there. I just have a little more to see of UP 28 and then I can lend it to you (or have you follow me to the library, haha). I wish I had watched them in order, you should try too. I was just too anxious too, having no idea when the library would get what and when. But they CAN be watched in any order, they always review.

Mamafamilias said...

Okay, ya know I've gotta see if anybody in NC has this now. If for no other reason than to hear them talk. They ain't from around here are they.