70 Up - For those of a Certain Age!
Discussion
ITV filmed a group of 7 year olds from widely different backgrounds in 1963 and made a 1 hour programme called 7 Up, then repeated the formula every 7 years with 14 Up, etc.
Anyway what is said to be the last episode will be on ITV on Tuesday at 9pm. If you are a 50s child it's fascinating.
Anyway what is said to be the last episode will be on ITV on Tuesday at 9pm. If you are a 50s child it's fascinating.
We watched the first two episodes in sociology class in school, 1976-77, and like many my age I’ve followed it ever since. It’s been fascinating but I thought last nights was disappointing in that it spent too much time looking back and not enough on their current lives. I’m hoping part 2 will rectify that.
Neil is obviously the standout, seeing what became of that bright eyed boy who wanted to be an astronaut has been very sad. However, the two lads who perhaps had the hardest start in life, Simon and Paul from the children’s home, have done well and have come out happy.
It also shows that money and privilege doesn’t buy happiness I think, particularly when the lawyer Andrew(?) said that looking back he wishes he’d spent a little less time at work and gone to see his children’s school plays etc.
Seeing Nick’s final interview next week will be very poignant.
Neil is obviously the standout, seeing what became of that bright eyed boy who wanted to be an astronaut has been very sad. However, the two lads who perhaps had the hardest start in life, Simon and Paul from the children’s home, have done well and have come out happy.
It also shows that money and privilege doesn’t buy happiness I think, particularly when the lawyer Andrew(?) said that looking back he wishes he’d spent a little less time at work and gone to see his children’s school plays etc.
Seeing Nick’s final interview next week will be very poignant.
davidc1 said:
They followed the wrong kids which was a shame. Too many posh boys and not enough girls. I think Michael apted admitted this. I will watch it as its a unique document and try and get my head around another 7 years has passed .
And also...some people have dropped out, not wanting to be part of the it. I suspect they didn't fully understand the impact that it would have on their whole lifetime.It is fascinating, quite odd by today's standard where the very clear class structure of old has broken down. I find it very nostalgic as it is something my late parents watched throughout their life times. Some hard stories, but also some lovely things.
It seems Apted did annoy many of them by "casting" them to fit the stereo type but then that is sort of the premise of the programme, can you change your spots.
It seems Apted did annoy many of them by "casting" them to fit the stereo type but then that is sort of the premise of the programme, can you change your spots.
An extraordinary piece of TV and history. What a fantastic thing to have recorded those lives for the better part of 70 years.
Just think, if you started the same thing now the kids wouldn't be 70 until nearly the next century.
And if you wind the clock backwards 70 years from 1963, TV hadn't been invented, electricity had barely been invented, the car had barely been invented, medicine had barely been invented and most people were riding about on horses.
Just think, if you started the same thing now the kids wouldn't be 70 until nearly the next century.
And if you wind the clock backwards 70 years from 1963, TV hadn't been invented, electricity had barely been invented, the car had barely been invented, medicine had barely been invented and most people were riding about on horses.
Panamax said:
An extraordinary piece of TV and history. What a fantastic thing to have recorded those lives for the better part of 70 years.
Just think, if you started the same thing now the kids wouldn't be 70 until nearly the next century.
And if you wind the clock backwards 70 years from 1963, TV hadn't been invented, electricity had barely been invented, the car had barely been invented, medicine had barely been invented and most people were riding about on horses.
Some of the inventions that led to changes in life and society from the late 19th century to the late 20th century were phenomenal.Just think, if you started the same thing now the kids wouldn't be 70 until nearly the next century.
And if you wind the clock backwards 70 years from 1963, TV hadn't been invented, electricity had barely been invented, the car had barely been invented, medicine had barely been invented and most people were riding about on horses.
Things became so much more "comfortable" for many people.
I am 75 and so remember the original airing when I was 10, or so. I did not watch any of the other episodes until this, the last series. I mostly identified with Neil and so was genuinely shocked to see his outcome.
I suppose the concept of social mobility had not really been thought about in the 60s, but it did seem odd that Nick was the only person who stepped out of the box, farmer’s son to nuclear fission expert, living in the USA.
I was born and raised in a 2-up; 2-down northern mill town, one of 4 kids, to parents who survived the 1930s depression and the WW2, but constantly strived to do better. I married in 1972 age 21 and so have been helped massively by house price inflation. My mum died age 55 and so it became our ambition to retire at that age. We did that and moved to France for 17-years having built a home and business there. We now have homes in the UK and also in Spain where we spend winters. Our lives are utterly transformed.
Most of my friends have enjoyed similar social mobility, but the sadness on the horizon is long term illness. My friend from schooldays has Parkinson’s disease, and we visited another last Friday, a retired Barrister living in a nursing home, quite coherent then, but occasionally bonkers with Frontal lobe dementia. Both he and his wife live in perpetual purgatory. A Dutch friend died last year from Parkinson’s.
I was left with the feeling that I might have enjoyed a 77 and 84UP, if I am still around. Our current philosophy being; So far - So good.
I suppose the concept of social mobility had not really been thought about in the 60s, but it did seem odd that Nick was the only person who stepped out of the box, farmer’s son to nuclear fission expert, living in the USA.
I was born and raised in a 2-up; 2-down northern mill town, one of 4 kids, to parents who survived the 1930s depression and the WW2, but constantly strived to do better. I married in 1972 age 21 and so have been helped massively by house price inflation. My mum died age 55 and so it became our ambition to retire at that age. We did that and moved to France for 17-years having built a home and business there. We now have homes in the UK and also in Spain where we spend winters. Our lives are utterly transformed.
Most of my friends have enjoyed similar social mobility, but the sadness on the horizon is long term illness. My friend from schooldays has Parkinson’s disease, and we visited another last Friday, a retired Barrister living in a nursing home, quite coherent then, but occasionally bonkers with Frontal lobe dementia. Both he and his wife live in perpetual purgatory. A Dutch friend died last year from Parkinson’s.
I was left with the feeling that I might have enjoyed a 77 and 84UP, if I am still around. Our current philosophy being; So far - So good.
Loved this series - a real mixture of hopes and dreams - it was as if the posh boys were just going through the motions with everything mapped out. I can see why they thought they had been ‘cast’ into various roles in the ‘production’. The chances of Tony going to Oxford would have been very slim!
Nice to see Neil and Peter having a chat at the end although it would have been good to hear their interaction - they’ve not crossed paths for many years.
Nice to see Neil and Peter having a chat at the end although it would have been good to hear their interaction - they’ve not crossed paths for many years.
John Brisby, in the 21 episode, pointed out that the show was edited to give the impression that he and the other "posh boys" had their futures set out before them and it all just manifested through their entitlement borne of their class. He said it didn't show the hard work, stress and sleepless nights spent getting to where they were.
Charles Furneaux dropped out completely after 21, having not got the exact educational future that was supposedly planned for him, as he didn't like how he was portrayed. He apparently had a big argument with Michael Apted on the telephone and, around the time of the 42 Up episode, took legal action to prevent the past footage of him being reused.
Neil seemed to be hit with mental health problems at around puberty which changed him as a person. I remember a news item about him on BBC's North West Tonight which spoke of him becoming a councillor in the North West when he was otherwise unemployed and on benefits.
Charles Furneaux dropped out completely after 21, having not got the exact educational future that was supposedly planned for him, as he didn't like how he was portrayed. He apparently had a big argument with Michael Apted on the telephone and, around the time of the 42 Up episode, took legal action to prevent the past footage of him being reused.
Neil seemed to be hit with mental health problems at around puberty which changed him as a person. I remember a news item about him on BBC's North West Tonight which spoke of him becoming a councillor in the North West when he was otherwise unemployed and on benefits.
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