Ken Loache's film, I Daniel Blake, (Film about uk benefit regime) wins Palme d'Or.

[Pickman's model]

Well, maybe a mass march

change the bloody record

 

[treelover]

 

[existentialist]

change the bloody record

More likely to be a mass sulk.

However, news from the division. I've gone online to see when it's on at Swansea Odeon and it does not appear. I am beginning to suspect a false flag approach. Or it may be that they don't accept bookings for Fridays before the previous Tuesday. So I shall have to wait until tomorrow to allay my suspicions. I am going to post their phone number on here so that treelover can harangue them if suspicions remain unallayed.

 

[pengaleng]

I think I cant watch this film without being sick.

 

[existentialist]

I think I cant watch this film without being sick.

I am not anticipating it being a pleasant watch, and I have not had to experience the viciousness of the system at first hand. I can't imagine what it will be like for people who are being subjected to that. I can only hope that it opens some eyes and starts a debate about the iniquities of the system.

 

[pengaleng]

I am not anticipating it being a pleasant watch, and I have not had to experience the viciousness of the system at first hand. I can't imagine what it will be like for people who are being subjected to that. I can only hope that it opens some eyes and starts a debate about the iniquities of the system.

I have. Fuck the DWP.

 

[Nanker Phelge]

I have. Fuck the DWP.

Me too. Recently. The film made me angry and made me cry. The patronising pricks at the DWP can fuck off and the cunts at Lambeth banging my door down to pay a service charge can too, and the fucking bank who's only answer to my 'I can't pay you, I need some time' was 'That will affect your credit rating and that may affect your chance of securing a loan or mortgage...blah blah blah'....

'I'm just doing my job' excuse is a bullshit. Some twat congratulating me cos I can sign my own name. Fuck off!!!!

 

[friedaweed]

Off to see it at FACT in Liverpool Thursday night.

 

[Mr.Bishie]

A few people have been doing a lot, including posters on here, some including the unreconstructed left(SWP, etc) and the 'radical youth' not so much;.

This Gov needs an RPG up the arse.

 

[Gramsci]

I am not anticipating it being a pleasant watch, and I have not had to experience the viciousness of the system at first hand. I can't imagine what it will be like for people who are being subjected to that. I can only hope that it opens some eyes and starts a debate about the iniquities of the system.

Its not a pleasant watch.

After seeing it you might want to see Loach film Looking For Eric

Another Loach film I was not that keen on seeing. My Walthamstow Labour party friend ( again) wanted to see it. Both liked it. It has a more positive ending. Its about solidarity but uses humour to get the point across.

 

[Gramsci]

Was thinking of Reno post.

I find Loach is a director I feel I ought to see rather than as a pleasure. But when I do see his films , when he is on form, it surprises me how good they are.

Agree with Reno about the issue of a wider audience. Loach has had a long career. Starting off in TV then moving to cinema. But back then cinema was a lot cheaper. Me and many of my cinephile friends do not go to real cinema much now. Its DVD or filesharing. Its imo a real issue that there is increasing cultural divide.

I have not seen his early work which made him well known. Read today a recent interview he gave

Its a good summary of his work and how he makes films.

He is sanguine about the impact that his latest film will make. Compares it to the impact that "Cathy Come Home made." Worth quoting what he says:

In many ways, I, Daniel Blake can be seen as a companion piece to Cathy Come Home, Loach’s seminal 1966 film about a young family’s descent into homelessness, which resulted in a parliamentary debate and raised public awareness of homelessness. But while Cathy led to real social change, Loach predicts people will not be outraged by Daniel: they will accept it as normal that a man should be cheated out of benefits by the state, or a young single mother has to move from London to Newcastle to find herself a scrap of a home.

Whose world would he rather share: Cathy’s or Daniel’s? “That’s a complicated question. In the world of Cathy, we still had the main elements of the welfare state in place, even though they were being eroded. People were still employed directly by the health service. We still owned the gas, the electric, the water, the railways. As a world to live in, Cathy’s was more congenial, with a stronger sense of social responsibility. When she was shown as homeless, people were angry about it. Now society is nowhere near as cohesive. The consequences of Thatcher and Blair have eroded the sense that we are responsible for each other, that we are our brothers’ and sisters’ keeper. So in that sense I prefer the days of Cathy.”

So he puts the reception of his earlier film in context of the political and social climate of the time. Its not that a film will suddenly change peoples attitudes overnight. Film is part of the cultural/ political landscape in which it operates. A film may have an effect politically but it also depends on pushing on an open door so to speak.

The other difference is that back in 60s and 70s the "Bolshevik Broadcasting Corporation" did have a place for lefty writers and directors. Loach was not the only one. Totally different political period from now. Loach himself found in 80s that it became increasingly difficult to get work shown.

Thinking about I Daniel Blake and the character Daniel is like someone from the past. Unconsciously Loach/ Laverty have put someone representing all the values that Loach saw and liked in 60s / 70s (pre Thatcher) into our present. There is a feeling that Daniel is a man out his time and place ( cannot use internet for example). My issue with "realist" film making is that it can have slightly surreal edge to it. Not a criticism. Just that the idea of realist film is a fiction.

 

[friedaweed]

To be fair you don't go to a Ken Loache fillum looking for a 'Digby the biggest dog' in the world sort of experience

 

[Sue]

I think this would be far better as a TV movie than as a cinema release. At the cinema it will only preach to the choir, on TV it would reach a far wider and more diverse audience and it would be more likely to become a talking point. I doubt Cathy Come Home would have had that big an impact, had it not been a TV movie. Good for Loach that he keeps plugging on, I haven't been much of a fan of his recent films, they are basically propaganda and while they are in tune with my politics, I don't find propaganda very interesting. I want to see this one, because its subject matter is close to me, but I'll wait till I can watch it at home.

I will probably agree with much of the Standard review, which isn't a pan it's just not a rave. What I doubt is that the French particularely love Loach. They've never been huge fans of British social realist cinema and their version of Loach, the Dardenne brothers, make better films than Loach does these days.

I feel this really. I think I should probably go and see it (I've seen most of Loach's films) but just the thought of it depresses me. Maybe it should, given the subject matter, but not sure that's the best way of encouraging people to see it.

I would disagree about the French/Loach thing. I remember being really surprised when I lived in Paris that Loach was seen as a great auteur -- they had a retrospective of his films at my local art house cinema to celebrate the release of his latest, for example. At that point -- early 2000s -- the French seemed more into him than the British. That was a while ago though admittedly.

I do agree that the films of the (Belgian ) Dardenne brothers are better/more interesting though, probably because they feel more like actual films rather than just a device to hammer home a message.

 

[Wilf]

To be fair you don't go to a Ken Loache fillum looking for a 'Digby the biggest dog' in the world sort of experience

What, there's a film about the world's biggest dog? When is it out???

 

[Reno]

To be fair you don't go to a Ken Loache fillum looking for a 'Digby the biggest dog' in the world sort of experience

Despite the thread title, his surname is Loach

I like depressing films, the problem I have especially with his later work is that his characters lack nuance and his emotional manipulation can be blunt. It often becomes heroes and villain stuff.

 

[Gramsci]

Its when people like her start attacking Loach films that I feel I really should see them.

 

[Gramsci]

I would disagree about the French/Loach thing. I remember being really surprised when I lived in Paris that Loach was seen as a great auteur -- they had a retrospective of his films at my local art house cinema to celebrate the release of his latest, for example. At that point -- early 2000s -- the French seemed more into him than the British. That was a while ago though admittedly.

My Spanish flatmate was asking me about this film. She knows about Loach because of his film on the Spanish Civil War. I also know someone from Italy who knows his work.

Perhaps things are changing but here his (far) left politics do not go down well here and can be ridiculed. ( see times review) Not so in some other countries. Talking to my Spanish friend and political life there is more divided. She grew up in working class area near Madrid called the "Red Zone".

 

[friedaweed]

Despite the thread title, his surname is Loach

I like depressing films, the problem I have especially with his later work is that his characters lack nuance and his emotional manipulation can be blunt. It often becomes heroes and villain stuff.

You mean he's not french? How the fuck did Ken Loaché win a Palme d'Or then and why did he make a fillum about that famous french philosopher Eric?

I think you have this all very wrong monsignor

Mange toot Rodney, mange toot

 

[friedaweed]

My Spanish flatmate was asking me about this film. She knows about Loach because of his film on the Spanish Civil War. I also know someone from Italy who knows his work.

Perhaps things are changing but here his (far) left politics do not go down well here and can be ridiculed. ( see times review) Not so in some other countries. Talking to my Spanish friend and political life there is more divided. She grew up in working class area near Madrid called the "Red Zone".

He's clearly not British then

 

[redsquirrel]

I do agree that the films of the (Belgian ) Dardenne brothers are better/more interesting though, probably because they feel more like actual films rather than just a device to hammer home a message.

I agree that in terms of their recent work the films of the Dardenne brothers are superior to Loach's but at his best he was just as good, Kes is absolutely brilliant as is Sweet Sixteen (although I've never been able to bring myself to rewatch it)

 

[treelover]

Didn't know Camilla Long was related to aristocracy.

 

[Sue]

I agree that in terms of their recent work the films of the Dardenne brothers are superior to Loach's but at his best he was just as good, Kes is absolutely brilliant as is Sweet Sixteen (although I've never been able to bring myself to rewatch it)

Yes, should've said his more recent films.

 

[treelover]

we have extended the release over the next 2 weeks where we are adding a further 80 cinemas from Friday and another 70 cinemas from 4th Nov. Hope this helps

Taking off, lots of people(not usual suspects) talking about it, more ticket sales, more impact, more visibility, more chance of being bought by the streaming networks, more impact, win, win.

Then it is available to hire for everyone to screen.

 

[treelover]

Apparently its Kens biggest ever opening box office for his films, and its only 4 days in, way to go Ken!

 

[treelover]

 

[Gramsci]

To be fair you don't go to a Ken Loache fillum looking for a 'Digby the biggest dog' in the world sort of experience

But you do get a three legged dog:

Palm Dog

 

[treelover]

Huge congrats to @KenLoachSixteen and all of @idanielblake. Our biggest ever opening film @HOME_mcr.


John Bishop Verified account ‏@JohnBishop100
John Bishop Retweeted Ken Loach

I, Daniel Blake is a film I can not recommend enough. Acted, directed and written superbly it has a message every politician should see.

 

[pengaleng]

shooking powerfull

 

[treelover]

spelling may be no good, but he or she would make a great copy writer!


gjamesphotography
Interesting blog piece here

 

[Gramsci]

Apparently its Kens biggest ever opening box office for his films, and its only 4 days in, way to go Ken!

Just checked that and yes he has:

The emotional drama, which lifts the lid on the real-life struggles of those attempting to navigate the painful bureaucracy of Britain's benefit system, took home $540,000 including previews on 93 screens, up from the $475,000 earned by Loach's The Wind That Shakes the Barley in 2006. Distributor eOne says it will increase the screen count to 150 for its second week.

When I saw it in Walthamstow on Saturday it was almost sold out. Which surprised me. And as my friend said it went down well with the audience. Hopefully this will be one of Kens films that has respectable run at cinema.

It is to be shown on BBC later in year btw.