Comments on: DVD of the Week: O Lucky Man! http://cinebeats.blogsome.com/2007/10/26/dvd-of-the-week-o-lucky-man/ Tue, 29 Dec 2009 17:38:27 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=1.5.1-alpha by: cinebeats http://cinebeats.blogsome.com/2007/10/26/dvd-of-the-week-o-lucky-man/#comment-2135 Sun, 16 Nov 2008 15:55:51 +0000 http://cinebeats.blogsome.com/2007/10/26/dvd-of-the-week-o-lucky-man/#comment-2135 Thanks for sharing your smart insights about <b>O Lucky Man!</b>, Princess Amara Hassim! I enjoyed reading your comment. I don't often get such lengthy responses to my posts so yours is much appreciated and I completely agree with you assessment of the film. Thanks for sharing your smart insights about O Lucky Man!, Princess Amara Hassim! I enjoyed reading your comment. I don’t often get such lengthy responses to my posts so yours is much appreciated and I completely agree with you assessment of the film.

]]> by: Princess Amara Hassim http://cinebeats.blogsome.com/2007/10/26/dvd-of-the-week-o-lucky-man/#comment-2134 Sun, 16 Nov 2008 15:13:41 +0000 http://cinebeats.blogsome.com/2007/10/26/dvd-of-the-week-o-lucky-man/#comment-2134 Yes. First of all as a child of Britain in the 60's and 70;s - I was born in '65, I can tell you this film - which is an amazing work - really captures of the essence not only of how Britains' meltdown began in the 3-Day Week of 1973-75, but also living in the material world or 2008. Conditioned to grow up, go to work, do your best till burnout, get married, drop dead and die, it's a funny old life isn't it. No human is spared or allowed to live as a person. In this EPIC movie, Anderson gives us a full dose of one such character, Mick Travis who despite his best efforts to succeed in this crazy scnario for "life", fails dismally, simply because he forgot to read the small print - a'la "...despite the human doctrine for a "normal" life, be prepared to sit on the sidelines unless your very very lucky. OR if you dip in the cookie jar don't get caught." Well Mick does get caught, and all sorts of complications ensue. But although this film IS genuinelly funny in places its wise to bear in mind that always beneath its slick surreal veneer, is a VERY serious under-belly. Sometimes perhaps too serious. But the sad simple truth is that in this world of 2008 everyone gets caught somewhere, rightly or wrongly - and even more sadly its' often than not perhaps wrongly. The one bright note IN this movie is the fact that Anderson DOES offer hope to us all. "Smile!" he says in the final segment. And smile you must, ESPECIALLY when the chips are down. Cos when you forget to do that, then you begin to forget where you put it...just like most others nowadays, perhaps? The movie also features a standout soundtrack from ex- Animals keyboardsman, Alan Price. Check it out, this movie is a must for anyone who likes classic Brit Cinema (or good Cinema in general), or for those who are more serious-minded and would wish to goto making films in they're own right. This, if nothing else is an exercise in professional film making and was a tribute to all concerned, especially mssrs, McDowell and Anderson. Yes. First of all as a child of Britain in the 60’s and
70;s - I was born in ‘65, I can tell you this film - which
is an amazing work - really captures of the essence not
only of how Britains’ meltdown began in the 3-Day Week
of 1973-75, but also living in the material world or 2008.
Conditioned to grow up, go to work, do your best till
burnout, get married, drop dead and die, it’s a funny old
life isn’t it. No human is spared or allowed to live as
a person.
In this EPIC movie, Anderson gives us a full dose of
one such character, Mick Travis who despite his best
efforts to succeed in this crazy scnario for “life”, fails
dismally, simply because he forgot to read the small
print - a’la “…despite the human doctrine for a “normal”
life, be prepared to sit on the sidelines unless your very
very lucky. OR if you dip in the cookie jar don’t get
caught.”
Well Mick does get caught, and all sorts of complications
ensue. But although this film IS genuinelly funny in
places its wise to bear in mind that always beneath its
slick surreal veneer, is a VERY serious under-belly.
Sometimes perhaps too serious. But the sad simple truth
is that in this world of 2008 everyone gets caught
somewhere, rightly or wrongly - and even more sadly its’
often than not perhaps wrongly. The one bright note IN
this movie is the fact that Anderson DOES offer hope
to us all. “Smile!” he says in the final segment. And
smile you must, ESPECIALLY when the chips are down. Cos
when you forget to do that, then you begin to forget where
you put it…just like most others nowadays, perhaps?
The movie also features a standout soundtrack from ex-
Animals keyboardsman, Alan Price. Check it out, this movie
is a must for anyone who likes classic Brit Cinema (or
good Cinema in general), or for those who are more
serious-minded and would wish to goto making films in
they’re own right. This, if nothing else is an exercise
in professional film making and was a tribute to all
concerned, especially mssrs, McDowell and Anderson.

]]> by: cinebeats http://cinebeats.blogsome.com/2007/10/26/dvd-of-the-week-o-lucky-man/#comment-937 Sun, 28 Oct 2007 10:48:44 +0000 http://cinebeats.blogsome.com/2007/10/26/dvd-of-the-week-o-lucky-man/#comment-937 Jonathan - I think 60s-70s era British cinema in general tends to often be overlooked a lot due to the lackluster critical response so many of that countries films got during their initial release, which is a shame. Anderson is really brilliant and I'm very happy that his work is finally finding its way onto DVD this year. I'm also not surprised McDowell has been overlooked by the Academy since in the early stages of his career he tended to work in more experimental or cutting-edge films. Hopefully he'll get more interesting roles soon. I haven't seen a lot of recent films, but Tim Lucas (who I linked to above) seems to have enjoyed many of them. Keith - I hope you get a chance to see it soon now that it's available on DVD! My weekend's going great and I hope yours is too. Jonathan - I think 60s-70s era British cinema in general tends to often be overlooked a lot due to the lackluster critical response so many of that countries films got during their initial release, which is a shame. Anderson is really brilliant and I’m very happy that his work is finally finding its way onto DVD this year.

I’m also not surprised McDowell has been overlooked by the Academy since in the early stages of his career he tended to work in more experimental or cutting-edge films. Hopefully he’ll get more interesting roles soon. I haven’t seen a lot of recent films, but Tim Lucas (who I linked to above) seems to have enjoyed many of them.

Keith - I hope you get a chance to see it soon now that it’s available on DVD! My weekend’s going great and I hope yours is too.

]]> by: Keith http://cinebeats.blogsome.com/2007/10/26/dvd-of-the-week-o-lucky-man/#comment-936 Sat, 27 Oct 2007 13:36:57 +0100 http://cinebeats.blogsome.com/2007/10/26/dvd-of-the-week-o-lucky-man/#comment-936 I've never seen this one, but it sounds great. Plus I'll watch anything that Malcolm McDowell is in. I'll have to check it out. Hope you're having a good weekend. I’ve never seen this one, but it sounds great. Plus I’ll watch anything that Malcolm McDowell is in. I’ll have to check it out. Hope you’re having a good weekend.

]]> by: Jonathan Lapper http://cinebeats.blogsome.com/2007/10/26/dvd-of-the-week-o-lucky-man/#comment-935 Fri, 26 Oct 2007 21:05:49 +0100 http://cinebeats.blogsome.com/2007/10/26/dvd-of-the-week-o-lucky-man/#comment-935 What a great movie! I remember this and <b>if</b> were two "finalists" for my selections for 68 and 73 and I referred to the director as the "ever under-rated Lindsey Anderson." It's amazing to me still how many people are unaware of his work. I'd like to think this DVD will change that but I think it will be sold to it's built-in audience and not venture far past that. And it's the first movie where most of us got to know Helen Mirren, such an excellent actress. And as you and I have lamented so many times before, Malcolm McDowell is so good in this and so many other films - <b>and has never been nominated - ONCE! Not ONCE!</b> It boggles the mind! With Helen Mirren just finally winning her first Oscar I hope that Malcolm is not far behind. He is long overdue. What a great movie! I remember this and if were two “finalists” for my selections for 68 and 73 and I referred to the director as the “ever under-rated Lindsey Anderson.” It’s amazing to me still how many people are unaware of his work. I’d like to think this DVD will change that but I think it will be sold to it’s built-in audience and not venture far past that. And it’s the first movie where most of us got to know Helen Mirren, such an excellent actress.

And as you and I have lamented so many times before, Malcolm McDowell is so good in this and so many other films - and has never been nominated - ONCE! Not ONCE! It boggles the mind! With Helen Mirren just finally winning her first Oscar I hope that Malcolm is not far behind. He is long overdue.

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