Seven Up!
- TV Short
- 19641964
- 40m
IMDb RATING
7.9/10
3.9K
YOUR RATING
A group of British children aged 7 from widely ranging backgrounds are interviewed about a range of subjects.A group of British children aged 7 from widely ranging backgrounds are interviewed about a range of subjects.A group of British children aged 7 from widely ranging backgrounds are interviewed about a range of subjects.
IMDb RATING
7.9/10
3.9K
YOUR RATING
- Director
- Stars
- Awards
- 1 nomination
Bruce Balden
- Selfas Self
- (as Bruce)
Jacqueline Bassett
- Selfas Self
- (as Jackie)
Symon Basterfield
- Selfas Self
- (as Simon)
Andrew Brackfield
- Selfas Self
- (as Andrew)
John Brisby
- Selfas Self
- (as John)
Suzanne Dewey
- Selfas Self
- (as Suzy)
Charles Furneaux
- Selfas Self
- (as Charles)
Nicholas Hitchon
- Selfas Self
- (as Nicholas)
Neil Hughes
- Selfas Self
- (as Neil)
Lynn Johnson
- Selfas Self
- (as Lindsay)
Paul Kligerman
- Selfas Self
- (as Paul)
Michelle Murphy
- Selfas Self
- (as Michelle)
Susan Sullivan
- Selfas Self
- (as Susan)
Tony Walker
- Selfas Self
- (as Tony)
Derek Cooper
- Narratoras Narrator
- (voice)
- (uncredited)
Peter Davies
- Selfas Self
- (uncredited)
Wilfrid Thomas
- Narratoras Narrator
- (voice)
- (uncredited)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaOnly 4 of the 14 children were girls - while the programme aimed to show children from different class backgrounds, equal gender representation was not particularly considered in 1964. Michael Apted has stated that one of his regrets about this series is that he not take feminism into account, and consequently included fewer girls and did not select them on the basis of any possible careers they might choose.
- Quotes
Susan Sullivan: What would you do if you had lots of money, about, um, two pound?
- Crazy creditsVoice-over during final credits: "If you want to see what happens to these children, look in at Granada Television on Tuesday, May the second ... in the year 2000."
- ConnectionsEdited from World in Action (1963)
Top review
Groundbreaking ongoing one of a kind documentary about life as it happens
In 1964 Michael Apted filmed a documentary on a couple of seven year olds for a British television studio from various backgrounds. The idea was to see what the generation heading into the next millennium looked like at that early age, what their hopes were, their dreams, their aspirations. It was an interesting snap-shot for sure back in these days, but then again, who knew what would really become of those kids? Well, someone clever got the idea to revisit them at age 14 - and thus made another documentary. Seven years later they did it again, and more and more things began to shape and what at this time could be seen as an experiment became really extraordinarily interesting.
So it went on, a documentary on the lives of people like you and me. Today, a couple of dozen years later, we've got several more installments and have gained insight on what has really become of those children of the sixties. The series as a whole is simply the most outstanding and longest running reality documentary ever filmed, it's all about life as close as it can get, and due to its unique circumstances the feat is impossible to copy. There are twists and turns in the lives that we are allowed to follow, sometimes of course also influenced by the fact that they are shown on screen, in a positive or a negative way. However, in general we get a good portion of real life experience handed out via the Seven Up! series in a way we never would be able to experience otherwise, apart from our own lives. Groundbreaking indeed, must see. Should be compulsory viewing for anyone in the process of growing up...
Additional notes: The Seven Up! series has sparked various imitators all over the world, ranging from similar approaches made in the USSR, Germany, Australia and South Africa, thus honoring the original. All these attempts put together provide a kaleidoscope of developing lives around the planet in different times and places. They have their own merits, but owe much to Apted's pioneering spirit. Even Robert Linklater's "Boyhood" (2014), where a young actor is being followed playing a fictional character over twelve years while he's growing up, apparently was heavily inspired by the "Seven Up!" series. Linklater's hybrid film that tries to merge fiction and documentary however ultimately falls somewhat flat, as it is neither the one nor the other. Better stick with the real thing, and it all started here.
So it went on, a documentary on the lives of people like you and me. Today, a couple of dozen years later, we've got several more installments and have gained insight on what has really become of those children of the sixties. The series as a whole is simply the most outstanding and longest running reality documentary ever filmed, it's all about life as close as it can get, and due to its unique circumstances the feat is impossible to copy. There are twists and turns in the lives that we are allowed to follow, sometimes of course also influenced by the fact that they are shown on screen, in a positive or a negative way. However, in general we get a good portion of real life experience handed out via the Seven Up! series in a way we never would be able to experience otherwise, apart from our own lives. Groundbreaking indeed, must see. Should be compulsory viewing for anyone in the process of growing up...
Additional notes: The Seven Up! series has sparked various imitators all over the world, ranging from similar approaches made in the USSR, Germany, Australia and South Africa, thus honoring the original. All these attempts put together provide a kaleidoscope of developing lives around the planet in different times and places. They have their own merits, but owe much to Apted's pioneering spirit. Even Robert Linklater's "Boyhood" (2014), where a young actor is being followed playing a fictional character over twelve years while he's growing up, apparently was heavily inspired by the "Seven Up!" series. Linklater's hybrid film that tries to merge fiction and documentary however ultimately falls somewhat flat, as it is neither the one nor the other. Better stick with the real thing, and it all started here.
helpful•52
- Artimidor
- Dec 24, 2011
Details
- Runtime40 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.33 : 1
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