Ken Loach

[gallinello]

Saw K.L's new film this week, 'Looking for Eric'.

Usual Loach elements: grimy depiction of contemporary working-class (Salford) life, familiar cast of characters and 'types', solidaristic sentiments of communities in struggle, etc. But funny, seriously funny; with the footballing world's own, true philosopher-king, Cantona!

Should be screening all over London; if you see only one film this year, blah, blah, blah....

[????]

Ken Loach, like Tony Benn, thinks all working class people are wonderful, which is:

a) Wrong

b) Patronising

c) So middle-class marxist

[matthew123]

Well I hope Cantona is more impressive than he was in his first outing as the bumbling French ambassader in Elizabeth - personally the only football related movie I've ever taken to was 'Escape to Victory'.. and of course 'The Miracle of Bern'

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

Escape to Victory is brill. But how could you forget The Arsenal Stadium Mystery and Fever Pitch?

[matthew123]

Yes I stand corrected, The Arsenal Stadium Mystery is great...

[SimonM]

>>Ken Loach, like Tony Benn, thinks all working class people are wonderful, which is:<<

No he doesn't. He portrays them warts and all.

[bon3yard]

>>Ken Loach, like Tony Benn, thinks all working class people are wonderful, which is:<<

Mike Leighs equally guilty of this. I spent most of the 2 hours watching the unremittingly bleak All or Nothing wondering if it was a parody of his earlier work.

[SimonM]

Yep...the characters in "Naked" were all wonderful, salt-of-the-earth types who made you proud to be a member of the human race! :))

[bon3yard]

Hmm, ok.

[languagelounger]

No he doesn't. Are you sure you aren't thinking of Mike Leigh, who makes gruesome patronising films.

Ken Loach not. Didn't you see Kes, even?

???? Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Ken Loach, like Tony Benn, thinks all working

> class people are wonderful, which is:

>

> a) Wrong

> b) Patronising

> c) So middle-class marxist

[blah]

I admire what KL does, but I cant sit through it as much as I want to.I have tried.

[????]

ooops, I did mean Mike Leigh....I withdraw my comments on Ken Loach...Kes does get on my tits though, even the football bit

[Tony.London Suburbs]

Is this thread about Mike Loach or Ken Leigh?

[Mick Mac]

My fav Ken Loach film is "My name is Joe" anyone like that one?

(avoided the temptation to go all political by choosing Wind that Shakes the Barley...)

[JetSetWilly]

The wind that shakes the barley was the biggest load of crap. Think of every Irish sterotype and chuck it in and hey presto. How it ever won the Palme d, or is beyond me

[Mick Mac]

::o

[*Bob*]

Good film or bad film.. the one thing you can always rely on is that by the end of any film Ken makes you'll be absolutely bloody miserable.

So here's to you, Ken, you miserable sod.

[mockney piers]

Tierra y Libertad was a great film, though the seventeen hour debate on the nuances of collectivism does try even the most hardcore loach fan's patience.

[*Bob*]

Yeah, that was one of the better ones.

I saw Barley for the first time last week and (likewise) found the award of the PDor a bit of a headscratcher.

[gallinello]

Bob, trust me on this one, you will not be miserable after this.

Has anybody else in ED seen this yet; I need some back-up here?!

[mockney piers]

I have to say barley left me cold. I found it impossible to engage emotionally with the characters, they all felt symbolic rather than real which was tierra's great strength.

Gallinello, I'll be watching this film next week, looking forward to it ad it goes.

[bon3yard]

Barley balls indeed. Fair to middling gets it about right. Did enyjoy 'My Name is Joe' though. Although you could put Peter Mullan in an ad for spot removal cream and get an oscarworthy performance from him.