Product Details

• Actors: Bruce Balden, Jacqueline Bassett, Symon Basterfield, Andrew Brackfield, John Brisby
• Format: Color, DVD, NTSC
• Language: English (Unknown)
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: FIRST RUN FEATURES
• DVD Release Date: August 31, 2001
• Run Time: 134 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (23 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B00005LDCB
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #89,879 in Movies & TV (See Bestsellers in Movies & TV)
• For more information about "42 Up" visit the Internet Movie Database (IMDb)

• This is item 3 in The 28 Up Series.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com essential video
"Give me the child until he is 7, and I will give you the man" is the Jesuit maxim that was the kicking-off point for the most fascinating sociological record ever put on film. In 1964 the producers of 7 Up interviewed 14 children from varying social backgrounds, and every seven years since then film director Michael Apted (a researcher on the initial program) has checked in with them as they grew up. 42 Up, the 1998 installment, is in many ways the most contemplative and satisfying of the series, even though three of the original group have opted out of this round.

On a superficial level it's a study of an inflexible class system and the compromises, shifting values, and changing priorities of the people growing up in it. Apted (who now has seven generations of footage at his disposal) enjoys cutting between youthful dreams and aspirations and adult realities, but what was ironic effect in earlier chapters now takes on a more thoughtful and contemplative perspective. At mid-life the subjects (most of them now husbands, wives, and parents) have a mature perspective and a philosophy rooted in a life lived, while Apted, who has literally grown up with these people, brings a sensitive appreciation to their experiences.

Followers of the series will enjoy revisiting some of the more colorful and personable characters and will find a gratifying sense of hope in the turnaround of social dropout Neil, but no previous viewing is necessary to enjoy this portrait. 42 Up finds the remarkable humanity and strength of these ordinary people and their everyday lives, and that's an accomplishment few films can boast. --Sean Axmaker

Review
One of the towering achievements in the history of documentary film. Endlessly rewarding. --Philadelphia Inquirer

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

110 of 118 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A subjective point of view., December 6, 2000

By	[e-mail] (WI, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: 42 Up [VHS] (VHS Tape)

I am one of the people in this video - so I have strong feelings of various kinds about it. There's no denying it is powerful stuff - Roger Ebert lists this series among `The Great Movies' on his web site (right after `2001, a Space Odyssey' - which amazed me!)

What is good about it is that (first) the old film is like a time capsule - it's hard to believe we were ever like that; and (second) that it's like time lapse photography of a flower blooming (or something) - you see different things in people when you see their lives pass at high speed. If we saw enough people fast forwarded like this, we might really learn something. Finally, many people appreciate relating it to their own lives.

The bad part is that it is intensely humiliating to be shown answering the most personal questions I have ever seen anybody have to answer on TV. I find it really hard to watch the tapes at all. (So don't get the tape - let me sell you a book on engineering!)

(By the way - Apted did not direct the early stuff; he was involved, but it was his first job out of college.)

18 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars apted just keeps getting better, September 21, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: 42 Up [VHS] (VHS Tape)

42 up is the next installment in apted's series. he took 14 seven year old british children and interviewed them. he has returned to film and interview them every seven years and they are now 42 years old (or they were when he filmed it in 1998). the most fascinating thing about this and his other films, is to see the development of a real person's dreams, goals, and reality over a lifetime.

people who have seen the others (7up, 14up...35up) will be fascinated to see the changes in the lives of these intriguing people. neil, the man who went from a cute, confident boy to a homeless, mentally ill adult, has a pretty drastic change happen in his life (i won't break the suspense) that past viewers will be anxious to see. this film comes highly recommended by all the film critics i have read, receiving at least 3 1/2 stars or more.

get this film before they turn 49.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Before purchasing 42 UP, consider getting the whole series, November 28, 2004

By	The Rocketman (Los Angeles, CA) - See all my reviews

The whole series up to this film is finally available on DVD and is an awesome experience, much richer than this single film, as amazing as this single film is. I have discussed the reasons why one might prefer to get the entire series on DVD over on the Amazon page for the set.