On Wednesday night I went to a preview of ‘My Generation’ co-produced by Simon Fuller and Michael Caine. This was a fascinating overview of the 60s (almost exclusively London in the 1960s), narrated by Michael Caine who also carried out interviews with Paul McCartney, David Bailey, Twiggy, Mary Quant, Roger Daltrey etc. Following the film there was a live Q&A with Michael Caine (on the evening of his 85th birthday) and the director, David Batty, simulcast to 400 cinemas across the UK. During this it emerged that the researchers spent 3 years trying to track down footage that hadn’t become too familiar over the years. Their big breakthrough was tracking down Peter Whitehead, director of ‘Tonite Let’s Make Love in London’ among other films, who is now in his 80s and living in Scotland. Amazingly, he has in his garage hours of original rushes, outtakes etc from his various 60s films which he agreed to loan, provided they were restored and properly digitised.
‘My Generation’ is well worth seeing if you are interested in the 60s or lived through them. There are apparently going to be six TV programmes which will feature the various interviews in full.
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Colin H says
Splendid. For a while, a couple of samples from Peter’s filming adventures were on YouTube – showing as a taster for anyone who wanted to license the material. There was a tremendous film of a couple of songs from Jimmy James & the Vagabonds live at te Whisky-a-go-go (as far as I could tell), above the Flamingo, circa 1965. Glad his archive is being tapped.
Vulpes Vulpes says
Will be keeping an eye open for this – looks like a motherlode has been struck!
deramdaze says
Saw it on Wednesday with the Q&A.
Firstly, it was made in the spirit of the 60s, fast and effervescent.
Secondly, and more importantly, it was unapologetic.
The question I was left with was …
“When did people, post-Beatles/Bailey/ Caine/ Shrimpton, become ugly?”
No other era comes remotely close.
Mike_H says
“When did people, post-Beatles/Bailey/ Caine/ Shrimpton, become ugly?”
I would say, with the men at any rate, it was when length of hair became more important than clothes. Lennon, McCartney and David Gilmour growing beards was a definite pointer.
Mind you, the “beautiful people” you cite above were all expensively dressed/coiffed and radiating self-confidence. The un-photographed hoi-polloi hippies were not nearly so good-looking or sure of themselves.
jazzjet says
Not to mention Marianne Faithfull. Be still my beating heart!
Baron Harkonnen says
This looks very good, looking forward to a Bluray release hopefully coupled with the 📺 series.
jazzjet says
Here’s the trailer :
Colin H says
A few seconds in, I felt sure he was going to say ‘My generation demanded… that WE BLOW DA BLAAAADHY DOORS ORF!!!!!’
Mousey says
Looks fab