Documentary Series Updates Lives of 7-Year-Old Schoolchildren at Age 49
by Ky N. Nguyen
Give me the child until he is 7 and I will give you the man,” goes a Jesuit maxim. Sparked by that thought, 7-year-old English schoolchildren talked about their lives and dreams in the landmark 1963 documentary “7 Up”—made for the British current affairs series “The World Is Speaking.” Every seven years since then, a documentary crew has revisited the group for an update. The venerable series, an early precursor to today’s popular wave of reality television shows, is considered one of the classics of documentary film history.
My how time flies. In fact, the time has come for “49 Up.” After premiering at AFI’s SilverDocs in June, the highly anticipated sequel returns to D.C. for a theatrical engagement at Landmark’s E Street Cinema. “49 Up’s” veteran director Michael Apted was also a researcher for the first film.
Twelve of the original 14 subjects are included in the latest installment, with one choosing to return after sitting out “42 Up.” Two others dropped out earlier, choosing to keep their lives private. At times, many of the subjects have objected to their portrayal in the series, which has exposed some of their vulnerabilities. For instance, Jackie cries out, “You will edit this program as you see fit. I’ve got no control over that.”
But nothing is terribly shocking or negative in “49 Up.” The more privileged boys are lawyers educated at Cambridge or Oxford, just as predicted. There are varying degrees of changes: divorce, grandchildren, job transition, etc. The biggest visible change is that of Neil. Homeless at 28, he’s now a respected politician in his village.
Apted compares what the subjects said earlier to what’s happening today. For the most part, the 49-year-olds have accepted their lot in life, even if they don’t have everything they may have desired at the age of 7. Some scenes show them rather happily interacting with each other, making it feel like a school reunion.
Compared to previous episodes, “49 Up” is relatively calm. That does make it less dramatic as a singular piece, but it’s still mesmerizing. Nevertheless, “49 Up” works best when taken as part of the entire series, providing a sort of coda—at least for seven years. For viewers interested in catching up, the rest of the “Up” series is available on home video.
49 Up
(English; 135 min.)
Opens Fri., Oct. 6
Landmark’s E Street Cinema
4 out of 5 stars
Viva Pedro: ‘Bad Education’
Spanish maverick auteur Pedro Almodóvar is famous—or rather infamous—for pushing the boundaries. In anticipation of his upcoming film “Volver,” Sony Pictures Classics celebrates the maverick’s distinctive career with Viva Pedro, a theatrically released retrospective of his work that plays in select cities nationwide. For spoiled Washington-area cinema fans, it’s just another series at AFI Silver Theatre, which actually had their own Almodóvar series about a year back.
To mark the occasion, let’s take a closer look at Almodóvar ’s previous release, 2004’s “Bad Education,” playing Oct. 10 to 12, part of the “Viva Pedro” series through Oct. 18. It is certainly an accomplished film, but it doesn’t quite gel like his best work. The flaws result from an ambitious experiment: The master of over-the-top melodrama tried his hand at film noir.
Alas, that means the typically glorious Almodóvar colors are muted. Actually, everything here seems subdued: characters, acting, energy, tension—all of the elements that excite fans. The film lacks the strong female leads that are typical of Almodóvar, and in the end, I just wasn’t quite satisfied. Nevertheless, it’s certainly worth a look as less-than-prime Almodóvar is still pretty good.
To some degree, “Bad Education” is autobiographical. Fulfilling the femme fatale role in Almodóvar’s homosexual world is Ignacio (Gael García Bernal), who pays a visit to his old school buddy Enrique (Fele Martinez). Ignacio gives Enrique, now a rising film director, a story based on their dramatic childhood. Enrique decides to transform it into his next film, casting the budding actor Ignacio. But maybe Ignacio really wants more than just a good part—perhaps something not so innocent. Ignacio might not even be whom he claims to be.
The director changes the aspect ratio of the screen to help distinguish between “reality” and the story-film within the film. Keeping to Almodóvar’s form, the structure is very convoluted, but it doesn’t seem difficult to follow. The viewer can just flow with the changes in perspective and go along for the ride.
Bad Education
(La Mala Educación)
(Spanish with subtitles; 105 min.; scope)
Oct. 10-12, part of the “Viva Pedro” series through Oct. 13
AFI Silver Theatre
3 out of 5 stars
‘Al Franken: God Spoke’
Chris Hegedus made his name as a political documentarian capturing Bill Clinton’s campaign for the U.S. presidency in “The War Room,” which Hegedus presented to a sold-out Filmfest DC audience. Directed by Hegedus (“Startup.com”) and Nick Doob, “Al Franken: God Spoke” looks at the remarkable transformation of a popular comedian into a famously foul-mouth political talk radio host. The phenomenon further blurs the lines among entertainment, news and politics in America’s contemporary mass media.
Franken’s name has been thrown into the hat as a potential candidate for his late friend Paul Wellstone’s U.S. Senate seat in Minnesota. If so, he’d follow in the legacy of entertainer-cum-politicians Ronald Reagan, Jesse Ventura and Arnold Schwarzenegger. As Franken notes, “Celebrity trumps ideology.”
Although that may be true in today’s media-dominated world, Franken has become more famous for his ideology than his comedy (“Saturday Night Live”). In the talk radio spectrum, he’s a rare liberal in the genre dominated by reactionary conservatives. Franken’s live battle with conservative commentator Ann Coulter is very dirty and very funny. The cinema verité style of “Al Franken: God Spoke” follows the tradition partly established by executive producer D.A. Pennebaker, the co-director of “The War Room,” when making “Primary” in the 1960s.
Interestingly, “Al Franken: God Spoke” is not a typical celebrity biography. It really doesn’t explain how Franken became the man he is today. Rather, the filmmakers show the process of what Franken does from day to day, following him around as he conducts his business. The documentary covers the development of the Air America radio network, the 2004 U.S. political party conventions and the presidential elections. One particularly amusing scene shows Franken impersonating Henry Kissinger—in front of Henry Kissinger!
Al Franken: God Spoke
(English; 85 min.)
Landmark’s E Street Cinema
4 out of 5 stars
Ky N. Nguyen is the film reviewer for The Washington Diplomat.
Repertory Notes
Please see International Film Clips for detailed listings available at press time.
‘C’est Chic: New Films from France’
“C’est Chic: New Films from France,” a debut film festival in D.C., plays Oct. 12 to 28 at the American Film Institute’s Silver Theatre and at the Embassy of France’s La Maison Française. On opening night, director Jérôme Cornuau gives a question-and-answer session after the D.C. premiere of “Les Brigades du Tigre,” followed by a belle epoque 1920s-style reception.
(202) 944-6091, www.la-maison-francaise.org/cinema.htm
(301) 495-6700, www.afi.com/Silver
Benoît Jacquot, Latin American Film Festival and ‘Viva Pedro’ at AFI
“Sentimental Educations: The Cinema of Benoît Jacquot”—put together in conjunction with La Maison Française—runs Oct. 12 to Nov. 1. The crowd-pleasing Latin American Film Festival, programmed with input by cultural representatives from the embassies, continues through Oct. 8. Many directors and actors will present their films. “Viva Pedro,” the packaged retrospective of Spanish maverick Pedro Almodovar, continues through Oct. 19.
(301) 495-6700, www.afi.com/Silver
Borderless Sounds: Swiss Documentary
The National Gallery of Art, with cooperation from the Embassy of Switzerland and Pro Helvetia (the Swiss Arts Council), brings us “Borderless Sounds: Swiss Documentary” (Oct. 7-21). The six musical documentaries focus on subjects in southwest Africa, eastern Poland, the San Francisco Bay area and around the world.
(202) 842-6799, www.nga.gov/programs/film.shtm
Reel Affirmations
D.C.’s annual gay and lesbian film festival always offers many international selections from around the world, often co-sponsored by embassies. Screenings take place at the Goethe-Institut, the Lincoln Theatre and Landmark’s E Street Cinema.
(202) 986-1119, www.reelaffirmations.org
DC Asian Pacific American (APA) Film Festival
The seventh annual DC Asian Pacific American (APA) Film Festival has come a long way from its start on the tiny screens at the now-defunct Cineplex Odeon Foundry. Venues for 2006 include the Goethe-Institut, Arlington Arts Center, the Freer Gallery of Art, the National Museum of Women in the Arts, George Washington University’s Jack Morton Auditorium and Landmark’s E Street Cinema. On Oct. 7, the festival closes at AMC Loews Wisconsin Avenue with “Eve and the Firehorse”—winner of the Writer Guild of Canada’s Best Screenplay. Vancouver-based filmmaker Julie Kwan, named one of Playback Magazine’s “Top Ten to Watch,” will discuss her debut feature.
(202) 330-5496, www.apafilm.org
— Ky N. Nguyen
