Dissent & Disruption: Alan Clarke at the BBC

[Big Ben]

Top notch reviews all around. Pleased to see the stand alone releases getting such high marks. If this is an indication of the fill box set we're all in for a treat.

I'm quite curious about Elephant myself. However from what I've read it appears to be more of "watch later" sort of thing due to it's apparent difficulty. Interesting to see them include the "Open Air: Elephant Discussion" however. I'll be interested in seeing what people have to say about it even if it was negative.

[MichaelB]

I posted that review because it was simply a review. I'm quite excited for this set to come out you see.

Haha! I suspect Clarke's great sense of humour will be lost on that reviewer.

This isn't something I've seen posted about a lot given the occasional dourness of the source material. Is it common?

Clarke's films are often very funny indeed, although admittedly often in a gallows-humour vein (for instance, in The Firm there's that scene with the police interrogating a hooligan who's had his face slashed and who insists that his name is Michael Jackson, to which they respond "You're going to need some more plastic surgery, Michael"), and the man himself was reportedly an absolute riot - sometimes literally when he'd got a few beers down him. I'd love to have seen Rita, Sue and Bob Too in its intended environment - a packed cinema somewhere in the north of England.

Clarke's politics were pretty unambiguously left-wing, but he had little time for dogma-driven ideologues. Mainly because he was far too interested in people as people, as opposed to helpless pawns in the eternal battle between the evil capitalist hegemony and the noble forces of socialism - which is why he read The Sun instead of The Guardian, on the grounds that you always knew exactly what the latter was going to say about any given subject, but The Sun was far less predictable. In fact, I suspect he and Kelvin MacKenzie (the Sun editor throughout Clarke's last decade) would have got on like the proverbial house on fire socially, even if such an alliance would be deemed absolutely horrific in most other respects.

[Big Ben]

I must confess to quite a bit of this being lost on me because I'm an American and relatively young (I apologize if I appear so unaware at times). I'm quite interested in seeing the set myself because so much of what I've heard and read have been very politicized. ( One of the men in the BBC podcast refers to Thatcher's Britain as "Fascist Britain"). Certain things like The Troubles and Thatcher are really new to me as concepts. My only real knowledge of the former comes from McQueen's Hunger and the latter through what is said about her now from filmmakers and artists from her era (None of which is good.)

From what you've said Michael and what I've gleamed from reading about Clarke is that he was most interested in showing the people hit hardest by society and that really is what interests me about him.

[Alan Clarke]

I feel like the user Alan Clarke is that guy who asks to see the manager at Wendy's because his salad doesn't look like the picture on the menu board

Why don't you be quiet and stop trying to be antagonistic? I've been an Alan Clarke fan since day 1 and i'm excited. So shoot me! I'm paying x amount of money for this set, money I can't really afford, but i'm making it work, therefore I get to ask whatever questions I want...when I want...comprehende? That's right.

[Alan Clarke]

I must confess to quite a bit of this being lost on me because I'm an American and relatively young (I apologize if I appear so unaware at times). I'm quite interested in seeing the set myself because so much of what I've heard and read have been very politicized. ( One of the men in the BBC podcast refers to Thatcher's Britain as "Fascist Britain"). Certain things like The Troubles and Thatcher are really new to me as concepts. My only real knowledge of the former comes from McQueen's Hunger and the latter through what is said about her now from filmmakers and artists from her era (None of which is good.)

From what you've said Michael and what I've gleamed from reading about Clarke is that he was most interested in showing the people hit hardest by society and that really is what interests me about him.

Well said my friend. Clarke's protagonists are outsiders, undesirables if you will and he shined a light on them but in a way that wasn't 'poor me' but more realistic and raw. Beautiful filmmaker, i'm very excited.

[MichaelB]

Why don't you be quiet and stop trying to be antagonistic? I've been an Alan Clarke fan since day 1 and i'm excited.

"Day 1" was some time in 1967, so you're way ahead of me - I've only been a Clarke fan since 1983.

[Werewolf by Night]

I feel like the user Alan Clarke is that guy who asks to see the manager at Wendy's because his salad doesn't look like the picture on the menu board

Why don't you be quiet and stop trying to be antagonistic? I've been an Alan Clarke fan since day 1 and i'm excited. So shoot me! I'm paying x amount of money for this set, money I can't really afford, but i'm making it work, therefore I get to ask whatever questions I want...when I want...comprehende? That's right.

Why do you get to ask whatever questions you want when you want but domino has to be quiet? Everyone in this thread is paying x amount of money for this set but no one else is being quite as obstreperous as you are. Nobody here nor at the BFI owes you a single thing, so why don't you just calm down a little? Come back when you've received the set and post your thoughts about it, but in the meantime stop harassing people who don't have anything to do with the release of it.

[Alphonse Tram]

Why don't you be quiet and stop trying to be antagonistic? I've been an Alan Clarke fan since day 1 and i'm excited. So shoot me! I'm paying x amount of money for this set, money I can't really afford, but i'm making it work, therefore I get to ask whatever questions I want...when I want...comprehende? That's right.

Since day one of what? Your posts on this forum suggest someone who has just recently discovered Alan Clarke as a filmmaker. There's certainly no shame in recently discovering Clarke as a director.

[Alphonse Tram]

Why don't you be quiet and stop trying to be antagonistic? I've been an Alan Clarke fan since day 1 and i'm excited.

"Day 1" was some time in 1967, so you're way ahead of me - I've only been a Clarke fan since 1983.

1987 here (Seeing Christine on TV is still the powerful TV experience I've had) but I suspect I'm a few years younger than Michael! And clearly many years younger than our namesake

[Alan Clarke]

Why don't you be quiet and stop trying to be antagonistic? I've been an Alan Clarke fan since day 1 and i'm excited.

"Day 1" was some time in 1967, so you're way ahead of me - I've only been a Clarke fan since 1983.

I have been a fan for a VERY long time, Michael.

[Alan Clarke]

I feel like the user Alan Clarke is that guy who asks to see the manager at Wendy's because his salad doesn't look like the picture on the menu board

Why don't you be quiet and stop trying to be antagonistic? I've been an Alan Clarke fan since day 1 and i'm excited. So shoot me! I'm paying x amount of money for this set, money I can't really afford, but i'm making it work, therefore I get to ask whatever questions I want...when I want...comprehende? That's right.

Why do you get to ask whatever questions you want when you want but domino has to be quiet? Everyone in this thread is paying x amount of money for this set but no one else is being quite as obstreperous as you are. Nobody here nor at the BFI owes you a single thing, so why don't you just calm down a little? Come back when you've received the set and post your thoughts about it, but in the meantime stop harassing people who don't have anything to do with the release of it.

Domino Harvey started it. It's not like I sought him/her out. I've been harassing nobody. Anyways, lets end this because I do not want any aggro.

Since day one of what? Your posts on this forum suggest someone who has just recently discovered Alan Clarke as a filmmaker. There's certainly no shame in recently discovering Clarke as a director.

Erm, I haven't just discovered him, i've seen Scum and Made In Britain many times.

[Gregory]

I have been a fan for a VERY long time, Michael.

Me too. I recall seeing him in the late 1930s and saying, "That kid's going to do great things on television someday," and everyone was all, "'Television'? What's that?"

Re "He started it!" and the rest: I called this, six pages back, but then got wishy-washy and deleted my comment about impatience over the bumped release date lest it seem too confrontational.

[Manny Karp]

I'm quite curious about Elephant myself. However from what I've read it appears to be more of "watch later" sort of thing due to it's apparent difficulty.

It's only really difficult in terms of content. Otherwise it's short and hypnotic, and almost certainly made with the most assured and daring style of his career. I might argue it's too easy to watch, but maybe that was one of his intentions. I'm most interested in seeing his films chronologically, to see if Elephant is as apocalyptic a conclusion as it is even on its own, out of context.

I'll also suggest that perhaps the strongest aspect of his films is the acting. Not to discount the formal qualities or choice of content, but the acting in these films (the half dozen I've seen) is extraordinary,, like Cassavetes-level good, or better. In that regard, Elephant is a little unusual, because while there is acting in the film, it's more of a terrifying aesthetic concept than a conventional narrative. I would be very interested in reading or watching something about the history of "first-person shooter" video games and their influence on films. This film predates the majority or popularization of those games, from what I understand, but seems uncannily prescient about our consumption or manipulation of violence since then.

[MichaelB]

Why don't you be quiet and stop trying to be antagonistic? I've been an Alan Clarke fan since day 1 and i'm excited.

"Day 1" was some time in 1967, so you're way ahead of me - I've only been a Clarke fan since 1983.

I have been a fan for a VERY long time, Michael.

You said. Mid-1967. Day one.

[Big Ben]

It's only really difficult in terms of content. Otherwise it's short and hypnotic, and almost certainly made with the most assured and daring style of his career. I might argue it's too easy to watch, but maybe that was one of his intentions. I'm most interested in seeing his films chronologically, to see if Elephant is as apocalyptic a conclusion as it is even on its own, out of context.

I'll also suggest that perhaps the strongest aspect of his films is the acting. Not to discount the formal qualities or choice of content, but the acting in these films (the half dozen I've seen) is extraordinary,, like Cassavetes-level good, or better. In that regard, Elephant is a little unusual, because while there is acting in the film, it's more of a terrifying aesthetic concept than a conventional narrative. I would be very interested in reading or watching something about the history of "first-person shooter" video games and their influence on films. This film predates the majority or popularization of those games, from what I understand, but seems uncannily prescient about our consumption or manipulation of violence since then.

Interesting post.

I read here that it might not be the best place to start because it's such a different kind of work. I like experiments and love love love long takes and I'm in no way put off by the content (I'm sure Clarke handled it with the greatest of care.). I would however like to become more familiar with Clarke and his style before I take this on. More of a personal preference sort of thing. Elephant sounds like the culmination of skill from a great director and his last masterpiece he gave the world before he passed away. I plan on treating it as such.

As such I have gone with a suggestion by MichaelB to begin with Road and then move onto the Director's Cut of The Firm (This version is, as Michael stated, the version Clarke wanted to show.) I was then thinking about Penda's Fen, Made in Britain and Scum at some point in the near future.

Really great discussion here guys. I'm very thankful to you all for what I'm learning.

[Alan Clarke]

Well I started with Scum and that seems like the obvious choice to start with. I'd then go onto either The Firm or Made In Britain, can't go wrong with any of them imo.

Btw MichaelB, what's the closest Clarke has come to directing a horror film in your opinion?

[Big Ben]

Another review for The Firm disc that was released independently. This time from the AVForums. Short and sweet. It does contain some very brief wording about the difference between the Director's Cut and Broadcast Version.

[manicsounds]

Review of DISC 13 of the set, exclusive to the big boxset.

[Big Ben]

Looks like we're lucky to be having these come out at all. I'm quite pleased that the BFI has gone to such lengths as to find those that still exist.

This should be highlighted as well:

Due to the massive amount of the content, the set will be covered in 13 separate reviews, which later will be combined into a singular review after the completion of all 13 reviews.

[Alan Clarke]

Looks like we're lucky to be having these come out at all. I'm quite pleased that the BFI has gone to such lengths as to find those that still exist.

Yeah I appreciate the likes of MichaelB and his friends at the BFI. This will be an early birthday present to myself. I'm incredibly pleased. Makes me think that all types of stuff has a chance of being released in high def. So can't wait. 8 more days, and then it's over! [-o<

[tenia]

This should be highlighted as well:

Due to the massive amount of the content, the set will be covered in 13 separate reviews, which later will be combined into a singular review after the completion of all 13 reviews.

All the people able to thoroughly and properly review all the content of all thos big-ass boxsets being released truly have all my respect. I'm already drowning in individual releases, I can't even think of trying to review these without facing weeks of delays on the individual titles I have to review (I'm already waaaaay too late for my review of Three Brothers).

[Thornycroft]

First review of the entire box set is up courtesy of Mondo Digital.

[Big Ben]

Here is a review of the Half Hour Stories from Digital Fix.

I'm not too familiar with BFI workings but this looks like one of the biggest efforts they've made to preserve just one man's piece of work. Any info Michael?

[MichaelB]

I can't think of anything bigger. And, as I said many pages ago, this is exactly the sort of thing that the BFI should be doing - it could hardly be more in line with their core remit.

[What A Disgrace]

What they've done for the British documentary is much bigger than the Clarke box, but most of those are DVD only and spread across some dozens of individual releases, regarding dozens of film makers, numerous schools of film making and across several decades, and its almost certainly not part of a single project. I can't think of a single film-maker's home video rediscovery being anywhere near as monumentally packaged as this one for Clarke.