56 Up is Now Showing!

That's the good news. The bad news is, only in Britain, and nowhere else for the indefinite future. Which sucks big time.

I had never heard of this fascinating once-every-seven-years documentary, but a few years ago I came across it on Netflix and spent a day or two in rapt attention getting all caught up with the first seven episodes. It resonates with me because those kids - these adults - were and are about my own age. An ingenious idea, which if you've never seen the previous installments, just do it. Now. You won't be sorry.

The earlier segments are also on YouTube. Below is part 2 of the first episode: for fun, check out the two boys with their arms around each other about the 5:35 mark. One says, "I don't love her, I love him." And gives the other boy a little smooch on the cheek. Other boy says, "I don't love you, I love Christopher."

Unfortuntately, those two boys are not part of the group followed in later years. Don't you wonder, though, how they turned out, hmm?



Tip:  Don't go read the Wiki article on this series, it will spoil the lastest film for you if you do.  I took a quick look and backed out fast.