classics

i have always had an interest in gritty, english films from the 60's so i thought while i still have a few months left in london i would try to find as many of of these films i have read about on dvd (re-released dvd's in london are on the whole pretty cheap).

'poor cow' by nell dunn is about a young girl who is married to an incarcerated thief and longs to be with another thief, she has a small child and as circumstances play out she begins to rely on male strangers for money and nice clothes. you never see a way out for her and the film ends, well with no end; life will continue on this path with no way out, in fact she never has dreams of escaping the life she has fallen prey to; her only dream is to have money and a man to take care of her.

'billy liar' by keith waterhouse is in contrast about a young man who wants to escape from his working-class life, living with his parents and dodging his 2 fiancees he escapes into a fantasy world.

i have yet to find 'taste of honey' by shelagh delaney or 'a kind of loving' by stan barstow but my collection is slowly growing and i will be thoroughly depressed by the time i have finished them all - but loving it.

other dvd's i've aquired recently along the same lines:

'whatever happened to baby jane'

'get carter'

'alfie' the original!

'brief encounter'

'vivre sa vie'