My Generation [DVD]

A documentary centered on Michael Caine about the changes to class structure his generation brought to post-WW2 England. The footage is interesting and perhaps not widely circulated previously. The montages of Caine's early films is a nice touch. It's clear class struggle has been on Caine's mind since he was quite a young man. Footage includes photographers, models, and musicians of the late 60s. Interestingly, Caine is the only actor.It's not clear how this movement translates to the US. Arguably, the baby boomers are biggest "Me" generation, certainly without question the most numerous. Following the so-called "greatest" generation and their sacrifices, it's something of a head scratcher. It's also the boomers who are the most responsible for the world's problems today, from the environment to financial instability. There's a great irony in the attitudes that Caine's parents held - dismissing the ideals of Caine and his friends - are the same attitudes the boomers now have about young people. Perhaps it's always been this way and the boomers just *think* they changed the world.Regardless, the video is worth your time to watch.

Brought back memories.

Great DVD

I guess we all really need to applaud this generation of adult's who came of age in 1959-1968. ? Because if they hadn't of challenged the ESTABLISHED ..generation of those born in 1899-1912.. Can you imagine what life for be like for all of us...Born after 1965-1999? I am totally for FREEDOM of EXPRESSION ..!! My late grandmother's generation were all about "Get Married,Have kids & Die in that Miserable Existence "? No way..Jose ! I wanna do what I please and when I want to! Then again every generation complain's about the other one ...Well....Join the club.. It's called PROGRESS...! The only way to stop it..Is die..! I love the Beatles,The Who ..just like I love Prince and Micheal Jackson.. But every generation had to kick down a wall of "CHANGE" ..and Free thinking ..to avoid the "Repressive" mind-set of the prior..!

Nice to remember the old times as I lived them in London.

This DVD is so, so good. At first I thought it was going to be one of those videos where someone haphazardly spliced together bad public domain footage to make a buck. It's the complete opposite. All of the footage here has been completely remastered and is gorgeous. There's plenty of footage that I've never seen before and I thought I had seen most everything from Swinging London. Michael Caine does an excellent job and all of the artists that are interviewed by Michael have great insight to the scene. There's a comment in one of the other reviews that says the would have liked to seen Michael's interviews with the artists in current time. They are actually played behind films and photos of the artists in the 60s even though they are current. But the more I thought about it the more I realized it was an editorial decision by the producers or director or writers and their decision is a brilliant one. They only wanted you to see the artists as they appeared in the 60s. Not now. The only artist you see now is Michael Caine and that's because he's the narrator. And he's timeless anyways. It's a great film.

As an aficionado of all things 60's, I was waiting to see this with baited breath. Mr. Caine and the documentary do not disappoint. It is wonderful to be exposed so much new footage after seeing the same archival footage again and again. It is also a treat to hear from many of the people who made the 60's what it was. I am always disappointed that Mr. Caine doesn't talk about his time rooming with Terence Stamp, although he refers to his roommate obliquely in the film. I guess there is still some discomfort about the way things ended, even all these years later. My only other complaint is that the deluxe version is not available in the U.S. We are always slighted in that department. I guess American companies figure if it doesn't have to do with America the general public won't be interested. I have to disagree. There was an entire generation of teenagers who lived and breathed the British Invasion, and I certainly think that merits more consideration than it is given. Overall, an excellent film!

This film covers the generation that grew up after WWII in devastated England. What men were left alive came home and made babies. Those babies grew up and formed the Pop Culture of the 60s. The film helps us understand how generation gaps for from one generation to the next. In a way, what is going on with younger people NOW is similar to what when on with the younger generation THEN. So the movie is both entertaining and educational.Also recommended is a book called 'Generations' that further explains the cycles every set of generations goes through.Young folks will understand themselves better. Baby boomers will be reminded of the 60s and better understand what was happening. This is a superb documentary that people of all ages will LOVE.

Great footage of the 60’s

This is definitely one of the best '60s docs that I've seen, and I've seen so many. Authentic, well put together and Michael Caine does a great job, having been there at the time and reporting 'now'. Great music and coverage of the times, the fashion, bands, anti-war demonstrations and the social revolution. Recommended!

It came within the time frame. Very pleased.

Interesting

Strange one this - I grew up as a teenager in the 60s so naturally an easy sell to make me watch this DVD but by the end I found it was just an exercise in too many famous names indulging in self promotion.This is not to belittle the ultimate contribution of many of those participating as to what happened in the '60s (I came away feeling Mary Quant and Vidal Sassoon are long overdue for a re-evaluation) but sadly a case of too much backslapping methinks!The concept of the documentary is weird from the start - comedy writers Dick Clement & Ian La Frenais scripted with documentary film maker David Batty who has done several religious films, with Michael Caine as anchor person (a la Alan Whicker format) introducing the film's plan after being endlessly filmed undergoing make up and then we are off.A mix of Caine's pretty well known '60s bio (how he got his surname, his role in Zulu etc.) and then various inter-cuttings from 60s film archives of the identified key players (Mary Quant, Vidal Sassoon, Twiggy, David Bailey, Paul McCartney, Marianne Faithfull, Roger Daltrey) which is when it gets weird. While we get plenty of 60s footage on each of the names interviewed we never with a few exceptions see them in a current time frame. Instead it is historical footage with their current reminiscences through interview by Caine being overlaid on top.To an extent it pretty much goes where you thought it would (drugs, sex (Caine's interview with Faithfull about convent girls tells you more about Caine's '60s obsessions than Faithfull's education) and rock'n'roll (with an incessant 60s soundtrack of well known UK pop standards of the period).Sadly some simply play to form - McCartney garrulous as ever; Caine over naive at moments especially when talking about how his generation told the old order "we're not going away" forgetting he was in his '30s for most of the '60s?; and, the film completely missing that the old order largely self destructed (the Profumo affair & Mary Whitehouse being examples) instead using endless cuts of older people complaining about the younger generation.An entertaining trip down memory lane but lacking in insight or analysis ultimately!