Free Cinema details

Format: Ex DVD
Directors: Karel Reisz, Lorenza Mazzetti, Tony Richardson, Lorenza Mazzetti /
Genre: Drama - General
Studio: BFI VIDEO
Name Discs
Free Cinema - Disc 1
Ex Disc 1
Free Cinema - Disc 2
Ex Disc 2
Free Cinema - Disc 3
Ex Disc 3

DVD Information

Run time: 7 hours 55 minutes
Rental release: 13 Mar 2006
Main languages: English
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Most helpful review Free Cinema

  • An immensely valuable collection

    Rated - 4.0 stars  
    By Savage (632 reviews) from London, England , 30 Jun 2006

    [Highly rated reviewer]

    The blurb at the top explains what Free Cinema was better than I could, but what it fails to convey is the sheer, wondrous poetry of the pictures. The early work is the very best, from Lindsay Anderson's scathingly satirical 'O Dreamland', taking aim bourgeois entertainment in early fifties Margate (the animals sequences are particularly upsetting), to Lorenza Mazzetti's beautiful, touching 'Together', a portrait of a pair of deaf-mute friends in an often hostile East End (somewhat marred by the unnecessary melodrama of the ending).

    My personal favourite is Goretta and Tanner's 'Nice work', a lovely, unpatronising little snapshot of one evening in the Piccadilly area of London. The poetry, democracy and verve on display here are well worth celebrating: in almost any other country these people (Anderson, Tony Richardson, Karel Reisz, et al) would be hailed as artistic heroes, revolutionising a previously pretty moribund form. Perhaps this excellent set will be the first step to that happening.
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All reviews

(5)
  • gems

    Rated - 4.0 stars  
    By blabla (68 reviews) from Sandy , 06 Dec 2007
    Disc 1 (O Dreamland, Nice Work, Together) was terrific, but Disc 2 (Lambeth Boys, Enginemen, Food for a Blush) was a pile of guff.
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  • Nostalgia

    Rated - 3.0 stars  
    By a customer from UK , 08 Nov 2007
    A great resource for old B&W social documentary. Stuff from the 40s-60s.

    Makes one think of Saturday Night, Sunday Morning
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  • windows to life in the 50's

    Rated - 3.0 stars  
    By itstinks (681 reviews) from North of Reading , 14 Jun 2007
    Interesting look at aspects of daily life during the 50's and a chance to see some early work by Lindsay Anderson. These can also be seen on computers in the NFT as part of a massive collection of shorts free to view. Good viewing for what it is but obviously not too everyones taste.
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  • Nostalgic joy

    Rated - 5.0 stars  
    By Brian Faulkner from Bridgwater, England , 12 Jan 2007
    Like many others I'm sure, I viewed this collection to return to my youth. O Dreamland was such an eye opener. Everyone looked so...miserable. Was it really like that? What a joy though.
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  • An immensely valuable collection

    Rated - 4.0 stars  
    By Savage (632 reviews) from London, England , 30 Jun 2006

    [Highly rated reviewer]

    The blurb at the top explains what Free Cinema was better than I could, but what it fails to convey is the sheer, wondrous poetry of the pictures. The early work is the very best, from Lindsay Anderson's scathingly satirical 'O Dreamland', taking aim bourgeois entertainment in early fifties Margate (the animals sequences are particularly upsetting), to Lorenza Mazzetti's beautiful, touching 'Together', a portrait of a pair of deaf-mute friends in an often hostile East End (somewhat marred by the unnecessary melodrama of the ending).

    My personal favourite is Goretta and Tanner's 'Nice work', a lovely, unpatronising little snapshot of one evening in the Piccadilly area of London. The poetry, democracy and verve on display here are well worth celebrating: in almost any other country these people (Anderson, Tony Richardson, Karel Reisz, et al) would be hailed as artistic heroes, revolutionising a previously pretty moribund form. Perhaps this excellent set will be the first step to that happening.
    • Was this review helpful to you?
    • (5) Yes |
    •  No (0)
 

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