British Comedy Guide

I've just seen... Page 374

Looking for a clip from "Life is Sweet", decided to watch the whole thing.
(It's on YouTube in 10-parts)
It is a truly astonishing piece of work.
One of Mike Leigh's best IMHO.

Quote: Lazzard @ September 5 2013, 6:34 PM BST

Looking for a clip from "Life is Sweet", decided to watch the whole thing.
(It's on YouTube in 10-parts)
It is a truly astonishing piece of work.
One of Mike Leigh's best IMHO.

Yes. I love 'Nuts in May' and like 'Abigail's Party'. 'Naked' has a lot of impact. To my mind, Leigh and Loach, even Doyle and Forsyth, are in the traditions of great writers like Barstow, Sillitoe and more recently Kelman.

I've never understood the love for Mike Leigh films, I find them utterly depressing.

There's a scene towards the end where the mother confronts her bulimic daughter that is absolutely heart-wrenching.
Made all the better by sandwiching it between a bit of laugh-out-loud slapstick from jim Broadbent.
It is truly sublime.

Quote: Nil Putters @ September 5 2013, 6:46 PM BST

I've never understood the love for Mike Leigh films, I find them utterly depressing.

But it is funny as well as miserable. There are many jokes now that focus on the most downbeat subjects and revel in a kind of nihilism. I find those more depressing than films/books in which solutions are implied.

Instinctively, I identified with Leigh and the above mentioned writers in my youth. It was the grammar school breed who had been permitted to "infiltrate" the establishment. They were impressive because they stayed close to their roots in their themes. No selling out. They represented those who had no voice.

In this century, the establishment has colonised every aspect of ordinary culture from music to football. Ordinary people do succeed but only at the expense of any real connection. Additionally, we have a lot of David Frosts these days. People who smash things up while feathering their own nests. That ain't radical!

After every one of his films, I've seen, I've just wanted to kill myself at the end. I appreciate he has fans, but he's not for me, I'll pass.

Quote: Horseradish @ September 5 2013, 6:44 PM BST

'Naked' has a lot of impact.

I've got this on DVD and need to give it another viewing. It seemed quite a difficult film to watch, but something about it stuck in my mind. I've not seen much of Mike Leigh's work, but I remember Meantime being a film which captured the boredom of unemployment very well.

I saw this lot last friday.

http://www.noechoes.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/brk/video%20page.htm

Blue Rhythm Kings who play 1920s, 1930s jazz,

Great stuff and I love to see musicians who enjoy what they do.

Never been to a gig where a souzaphone was playing the basslines before.

Only about 50 people there. So good me and my lady had to dance at the back of the hall. The band leader noticed and commented it's the first time someone had danced to their stuff at this venue.

Quote: Ben @ September 5 2013, 8:14 PM BST

I've got this on DVD and need to give it another viewing. It seemed quite a difficult film to watch, but something about it stuck in my mind. I've not seen much of Mike Leigh's work, but I remember Meantime being a film which captured the boredom of unemployment very well.

Ha! I just bought Meantime on amazon today!

Quote: lofthouse @ September 9 2013, 11:23 PM BST

Ha! I just bought Meantime on amazon today!

Ants.

Eh?

Saw tinmker tailor soldier spy

I was wrong its awesome

Not as good as the BBC series imo.

Hell. Pretty decent German post-apocalyptic thriller set on an Earth roasted dry by too much sunshine.

chiiip! F's got to be film, right? Wadda I win, wadda I win?

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