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Northern Soul - Film - 5 years on - Film4 Tue nite


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Just seen Film4 are showing Northern Soul - The Film - Wed 05 Jun, 1.40am (Tuesday Nite)

https://www.channel4.com/programmes/northern-soul

Given the showing and as it's now at the 5 years since it was released point - maybe it's a good time and place for sounding out members takes on it all

As in a sort of legacy with the benefit of hindsight, 5 years on view etc etc ?

any takers?

 

 

 

northern-soul-source-film.jpg

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I have to agree with Jet200soul above. The stage show was far better than both films combined. 

As for the films themselves, its always nigh on impossible for someone to accurately portray a period in the relatively recent past, when there are still so many people alive who experienced it. And those experiences are completely different for different people, and for different reasons. Both films got some things absolutely right, but also so many absolutely wrong. 

Elaine C's main problem, was that she wasn't there at the time, and only had hearsay and other peoples memories to go on. If she used the advice and memories of ten different people for her script, I guarantee I could find ten more people who had very different memories. Those first two years of the Casino were pretty wild for many of us. Far more "interesting" than either film portrayed. Some glaring omissions from both films, and for me, an oversimplification of what life was like in general, for a poor working class kid at the time. Oh, and a great soundtrack, albeit not 100% authentic and representative of the time. If the films period was supposed to be '74 or thereabouts, there are at least half a dozen of those tunes, possibly more, that weren't played at the time.

At the end of the day, the films were just entertainment, with a bit of nostalgia thrown in for good measure. Possibly taken seriously as a true depiction of the early seventies by some who didn't get the opportunity to experience those heady days, and viewed by some of us who were there with a degree of humour, disbelief and some raised eyebrows and knowing smiles. Whenever I think back to 1973-1974, the memories are quite different to most of those depicted in 'Northern Soul".

Saying all that, if I'm suffering from a bit of insomnia, I'll probably stay up and watch it again! 

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For me it really missed the point.

When I saw the trailers of the kids learning to dance I was genuinely excited because Soulboy which was such a disappointment but when I saw it I was just amazed at how it missed the point by as much. I was 15 years old when I first went to Wigan in late 1973 and sure there were loads of drugs and most but of us did partake BUT in the end it was all about the music and the dancing and the friendship and the atmosphere, and the exclusivity. So sorry Elaine,, you may have made few quid out of it but you are most definitely not Mrs Northern Soul and you missed a great opportunity to show the world what it was really like but instead you made a film about some lads who took loads of drugs and just happened to be into some soul music that was not meanstream.

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Well ,

I still think it was a great first Film from Elaine .

It was entertaining and I could relate to a lot of the detail in the story line although I was not there in the 70ts either.

I can only guess that when you make a film, a lot of the decision making must be made while sitting around a table and discussing  the distribution and all the finances that go with that. Meeting the viewing time  and editing a lot of material that you really wanted to be in it.

It would be great if a directors cut could be released, as I am sure there would be  a lot more material that would lift this movie to another level.

Great Movie , not easy to make and made by some one who cares about the scene.

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'Northern Soul' is a film about Transcendental Music in the 25th Century on the Planet Zurg in the alpha quadrant.... or it may as well be given it's resemblance to the Northern Soul Scene circa 2019.  Perhaps today's 'Soulies' could more relate to a Film based on an over 55's Version of TOWIE

 

 

 

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8 hours ago, Joey said:

I have to agree with Jet200soul above. The stage show was far better than both films combined. 

As for the films themselves, its always nigh on impossible for someone to accurately portray a period in the relatively recent past, when there are still so many people alive who experienced it. And those experiences are completely different for different people, and for different reasons. Both films got some things absolutely right, but also so many absolutely wrong. 

Elaine C's main problem, was that she wasn't there at the time, and only had hearsay and other peoples memories to go on. If she used the advice and memories of ten different people for her script, I guarantee I could find ten more people who had very different memories. Those first two years of the Casino were pretty wild for many of us. Far more "interesting" than either film portrayed. Some glaring omissions from both films, and for me, an oversimplification of what life was like in general, for a poor working class kid at the time. Oh, and a great soundtrack, albeit not 100% authentic and representative of the time. If the films period was supposed to be '74 or thereabouts, there are at least half a dozen of those tunes, possibly more, that weren't played at the time.

At the end of the day, the films were just entertainment, with a bit of nostalgia thrown in for good measure. Possibly taken seriously as a true depiction of the early seventies by some who didn't get the opportunity to experience those heady days, and viewed by some of us who were there with a degree of humour, disbelief and some raised eyebrows and knowing smiles. Whenever I think back to 1973-1974, the memories are quite different to most of those depicted in 'Northern Soul".

Saying all that, if I'm suffering from a bit of insomnia, I'll probably stay up and watch it again! 

2 weeks ago Mossley Am Dram(MAODS) put Once A Time...on at George Lawton Hall. The 2 girls and 2 guys were fantastic...But (just me this) it didn’t have the impact from nigh on 20 yrs early at Oxford road. And although I think Kev did the after show set...I was left feeling I was amongst civilians.

i know, it’s me, I’m just too old

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Was it really five Years ago, I really enjoyed the Northern Soul Movie it was something to see on the big screen at my local Cinema I felt lucky that someone had made the effort to make a film about music I have such a passion for. 

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11 hours ago, Stevie said:

Think a lot of people have missed the point here. 

The idea was to watch it again 5 years on and see whether opinions have changed.

yep the orignal ask  was more along those lines

on tonight, though apparently also available via netflix for those who live on demand 

if you do re-visit then let us know your 5 years on take 👍

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On 03/06/2019 at 20:14, Chalky said:

Does it matter if she was there or not?  Like you say you could have ten directors who were there making a film and nine would be wrong in the eyes of the other going by what you say.  It is nigh on impossible to make a film depicting how it actually was today.  She did a fantastic job getting the look right but it was never meant to represent any one specific year but simply an era wasn’t it?   She also had some extremely in the know consultants, movers and shakers at the time and dancers of the time, from which by all accounts she took her lead.  Obviously a bit of artistic licence was going to happen as it does on any movie.  

It is all to easy to sit and nit pick on a forum, we didn’t go through what they did to finance it, go to the extraordinary lengths to get it pretty much right and at least give the viewer an idea what it was like, many have said she managed by and large to do that.  It was never going to satisfy some and I don’t think it set out to satisfy everyone, it is at the end of the day entertainment. 

Well said mate 👍🏻

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On ‎03‎/‎06‎/‎2019 at 14:00, Okehdownsouth said:

For me it really missed the point.

When I saw the trailers of the kids learning to dance I was genuinely excited because Soulboy which was such a disappointment but when I saw it I was just amazed at how it missed the point by as much. I was 15 years old when I first went to Wigan in late 1973 and sure there were loads of drugs and most but of us did partake BUT in the end it was all about the music and the dancing and the friendship and the atmosphere, and the exclusivity. So sorry Elaine,, you may have made few quid out of it but you are most definitely not Mrs Northern Soul and you missed a great opportunity to show the world what it was really like but instead you made a film about some lads who took loads of drugs and just happened to be into some soul music that was not meanstream.

What was the point that needed to be made?

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1 hour ago, paul-s said:

Bloody hell, do people not known the difference between an original, intricate, complex professional production and an amateur dramatic re-staging? My original production took years to build and stage correctly in order to portray what I remembered and felt. The text was just an off -shoot written form weeks of improvisations by incredible professional actors like Sally Carmen. Mick Martin was never there, it was me. My production used a giant screen and original footage of Wigan Casino, edited transition shots and 52 track as a cut up narrative device........I sometimes despair at peoples lack of understanding at the mammoth effort staging something like the original 2003 -2006 'Once Upon A Time in Wigan' stage play took or Elaines film. I actually lost my flat on the second tour of Wigan because of being ripped off by so many people, producers, playwrights, or venues not promoting properly,like Blackpool Grand. Still, I donate regret it. Elaine made massive sacrifices to make the film too! The original play was Urban Expansions 'Once Upon A Time in Wigan' directed by Paul Sadot. Anything following that is an attempt at cashing in or an amateur mess around with Martin's dislocated script and Binstanley advising. Without the original director who generated the scenes through improvisation and recall, the play is always going to fall short and soul-less. best Paul-S

That’s probably why I said “it didn’t have the same impact - for me” ..etc.

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