Pride (movie) - when Welsh miners and gay activists teamed up to fight Thatcher

[Nancy_Winks]

15

Oh I'll show it to them at home then. Damn.

 

[Wilf]

What rating is it? Can I take the kids?

15. Not sure why really, there's predictable sexual references but no actual sex. There's also a bit of violence but you only see the results of it.

 

[Nancy_Winks]

15. Not sure why really, there's predictable sexual references but no actual sex. There's also a bit of violence but you only see the results of it.

15 sounds daft then, I'll ignore.

 

[Wilf]

15 sounds daft then, I'll ignore.

If they can put up with the sight of a pink dildo and a few uses of the word fuck, they'll be fine!

 

[Fozzie Bear]

Saw this last night at the Lexi in Harlesden.

There was a great intro to the film by one of the original LGSM members (the one who is hospitalised in the film whose name eludes me).

He was saying they will be launching an LGSM website soon. He's been raising money recently for the widows of Turkish miners who were killed in an mining disaster earlier in the year.

I loved the film, obviously.

 

[Guineveretoo]

Saw this last night at the Lexi in Harlesden.

There was a great intro to the film by one of the original LGSM members (the one who is hospitalised in the film whose name eludes me).

He was saying they will be launching an LGSM website soon. He's been raising money recently for the widows of Turkish miners who were killed in an mining disaster earlier in the year.

I loved the film, obviously.

The one who is hospitalised in the film was called Gethin, but he was fictional, in that Jonathan's long term partner was not Welsh and was called Nigel, according to this article - http://www.theguardian.com/film/2014/sep/18/pride-film-gay-miners-strike-campaign-reel-history

 

[Fozzie Bear]

The one who is hospitalised in the film was called Gethin, but he was fictional, in that Jonathan's long term partner was not Welsh and was called Nigel, according to this article - http://www.theguardian.com/film/2014/sep/18/pride-film-gay-miners-strike-campaign-reel-history

Probably Nigel, then. He did say the character was based on his story but wasn't an exact fit. Ta.

 

[Guineveretoo]

This movie, which is about 20 minutes long, was made a few years ago, and is about the original people involved. I am guessing that it was used in the making of the film, in fact, since it shows how accurate some of the portrayals are.

 

[butchersapron]

There used to be another poster here (pcanning) who was in this group and was part of the delegations to Wales.

 

[belboid]

Good interview with Ray Goodspeed, who was one of the original group:

http://rs21.org.uk/2014/09/21/dear-...mbering-lesbians-and-gays-support-the-miners/

 

[brixtonscot]

I am looking for details of that showing at Peckham, but can't find them. Do you have a link, brixtonscot ?

Pride film folowed by QnA ,Tomorrow Tues 23rd 6pm - Peckham Multiplex
http://www.peckhamplex.com/films/pride-film118170.html

 

[Belushi]

Good interview with Ray Goodspeed, who was one of the original group:

http://rs21.org.uk/2014/09/21/dear-love-of-comrades-remembering-lesbians-and-gays-support-the-miners/

Really good interview

We went round for a year saying “if the miners lose, we all lose”. None of us knew how true that was. We’ve been destroyed in the last thirty years. We’re having to pick up the pieces now. It feels like the 1880s, we’re back to William Morris and Keir Hardie now, we’re just starting again. We’re having to go back to basic lessons about trade unions and solidarity – I hope the film plays some part in that.

 

[youngian]

With trepidation I went to see Pride as I was concerned about this important period in my own political development would be treated lightly in a whimsical Britsh comedy with Bill Nighy.

Yes it did have light touches but I enjoyed it very much and it didn't treat the subject matter lightly. Terrific performances such as Andrew Scott, some young actors I vaguely recognised, Paddy Consindine and the old hands like Nighy and Imelda Staunton.

We know this ends badly with the miners crushed and the Aids crisis looming but the ending was remarkably upbeat. And not in a contrived way. Give it a whirl and you'll see why you'll come out feeling good. See also the marvellous way they turn the Sun's 'Perverts support the miners' story to their advantage.

There is an opening scene in which the central character is asked on a gay pride march why he should put some money in his bucket for the miners; "Thatcher hates them, the police hate them, the tabloids hate them and Mary Whitehouse isn't keen." Strangely that was how I first decided I should be backing the gay rights movements.

 

[Gramsci]

It's a BBC job. It's definitely got money behind it. I predict a blockbuster response, they know exactly what they are doing with the freeview previews Good marketing IMO.

Also BFI

The film is produced by David Livingstone for Calamity and executive produced by Pathé’s Cameron McCracken and BBC Films’ Christine Langan. Natascha Wharton is lead executive for the BFI Film Fund.

The film was developed by Pathé and Calamity Films and is being co-financed by Pathé, Proud Films, BBC Films and the BFI.

It was number 3 at box office. Which is good for a political film.

 

[Guineveretoo]

This movie, which is about 20 minutes long, was made a few years ago, and is about the original people involved. I am guessing that it was used in the making of the film, in fact, since it shows how accurate some of the portrayals are.

I have now managed to watch it all, and it wasn't made a few years ago, it was made in 1986 by the group who set up Lesbians and Gays Support the Miners. I thought it was a compilation including some original footage, but it is the original film.

It is fascinating, particularly having seen the film, but even without that.

 

[JimW]

Mate I've not talked about this to yet went to see it tonight, which I know because he texted me the minute they came out to say if I see one film this year at the cinema it should be this.

 

[Belushi]

Finally got a chance to see it this afternoon, really enjoyed it. When I heard they were making the film I was a bit concerned that we were going to be portrayed as yokels, but having seen it I think it's a very fair depiction of the people of Cwm Dulais at that time.

Obviously it's a movie rather than a documentary so artistic licence has been taken for the sake of the story, but it captures the truth of what happened. For some reason the street scenes were filmed in the neighbouring village of Banwen (where the Comic Strip's 'Strike' was also shot) rather than Onllwyn, but it captures the bleakness of the Upper Dulais Valley, though it's more rural today than it was thirty years ago; now the colliery and the coal tips have been flattened.

The non-welsh actors didn't quite capture the accent for me but that's probably only noticeable if you're from the Valleys, the cast all give good performances. The minibus is spot on, exactly as I remember it

It's strange to see people you knew portrayed on film. Hefina ran the Post Office in Onllwyn when I was a little boy and I was at school with her daughter, Imelda Staunton really captures her formidable spirit. Cliff was someone I knew quite well as a boy, a friend of my grandfathers, and though I remember him as being more physically robust than he's portrayed here, Bill Nighy really captures his air of sadness.

There's a moment I found really emotional, when he's telling the visitors about the great seam of anthracite that runs beneath the Atlantic from South Wales to Pennsylvania; that's such a Cliff moment, exactly the kind of thing he'd tell us about as kids. He was a good man, a kind man, I never knew about his brother - I'll have to ask my Dad about it.

Spoiler

I was surprised by the scene when he tells Hefina he's gay, it was something everyone guessed but was never spoken about in the village. I dont think he ever came out in public, I would never have said anything if it wasn't in the film.]

It's a great story I'm very glad they made a decent film about it, and as always I remain proud to be a son of the valleys

 

[ddraig]

hope to see it next week

 

[youngian]

There's a moment I found really emotional, when he's telling the visitors about the great seam of anthracite that runs beneath the Atlantic from South Wales to Pennsylvania

I'd heard that fact before from a fascinating interview Dick Cavett did with a late period Richard Burton. Mining is not a common discussion subject for US chat shows but Cavett was not a typical smarmy late night host and let guests run with subjects that were close to them.

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

Finally got a chance to see it this afternoon, really enjoyed it. When I heard they were making the film I was a bit concerned that we were going to be portrayed as yokels, but having seen it I think it's a very fair depiction of the people of Cwm Dulais at that time.

Obviously it's a movie rather than a documentary so artistic licence has been taken for the sake of the story, but it captures the truth of what happened. For some reason the street scenes were filmed in the neighbouring village of Banwen (where the Comic Strip's 'Strike' was also shot) rather than Onllwyn, but it captures the bleakness of the Upper Dulais Valley, though it's more rural today than it was thirty years ago; now the colliery and the coal tips have been flattened.

The non-welsh actors didn't quite capture the accent for me but that's probably only noticeable if you're from the Valleys, the cast all give good performances. The minibus is spot on, exactly as I remember it

It's strange to see people you knew portrayed on film. Hefina ran the Post Office in Onllwyn when I was a little boy and I was at school with her daughter, Imelda Staunton really captures her formidable spirit. Cliff was someone I knew quite well as a boy, a friend of my grandfathers, and though I remember him as being more physically robust than he's portrayed here, Bill Nighy really captures his air of sadness.

There's a moment I found really emotional, when he's telling the visitors about the great seam of anthracite that runs beneath the Atlantic from South Wales to Pennsylvania; that's such a Cliff moment, exactly the kind of thing he'd tell us about as kids. He was a good man, a kind man, I never knew about his brother - I'll have to ask my Dad about it.

Spoiler

I was surprised by the scene when he tells Hefina he's gay, it was something everyone guessed but was never spoken about in the village. I dont think he ever came out in public, I would never have said anything if it wasn't in the film.]

It's a great story I'm very glad they made a decent film about it, and as always I remain proud to be a son of the valleys

I think you need to correct this US critic

http://www.slantmagazine.com/film/review/pride-2014

 

[Belushi]

Looks like it's already been corrected in the comments

 

[belboid]

I think you need to correct this US critic

http://www.slantmagazine.com/film/review/pride-2014

what else would anyone expect from the up their own arse wankers on Slant? Posing tossers the lot of them.

 

[belboid]

A bit late notice, but the previously mentioned Ray Goodspeed is speaking tonight at A Bite of Heaven Cafe on Pride - the politics behind the picture - from 7.30. More details at:

https://www.facebook.com/events/882469355098477/permalink/882774435067969/

 

[articul8]

Saw this last night at the Lexi in Harlesden.

The Lexi isn't in Harlesden it's in Kensal Green?

 

[Fozzie Bear]

The Lexi isn't in Harlesden it's in Kensal Green?

Whatever, granddad. It's all west London when you get past Camden afaik.

 

[articul8]

Whatever, granddad. It's all west London when you get past Camden afaik.

bit of a difference in property prices...

 

[Fozzie Bear]

bit of a difference in property prices...

I will make a note of that, in case I am ever forced to live there.

 

[Belushi]

15. Not sure why really, there's predictable sexual references but no actual sex. There's also a bit of violence but you only see the results of it.

Some outrageous scenes of Socialism though, absolutely nothing left to the imagination

 

[Fozzie Bear]

Some outrageous scenes of Socialism though, absolutely nothing left to the imagination

HARDCORE WORKER ON WORKER SOLIDARITY.

 

[DotCommunist]