Every Seven Years...
49 Up
Review by Ross Anthony

The DVD’s cover explains it: “In 1964 a group of seven year old children were interviewed for the documentary ‘Seven Up.’ They’ve been filmed every seven years since.”

Absolutely fascinating. Don’t we all know someone whose parents had photo’s of them taken every year on their birthday and then framed along the dining room wall in progression. You don’t have to even know the person to be completely intrigued by the physical growth, the change in appearance. There’s something about someone else’s growth that speaks to us about our own. Perhaps it’s because we are all bound to the same clock, bound to face similar life challenges and choices.

49 Up goes farther and deeper than just photos. It hosts candid interviews with its subjects. The first in the series certainly may have been much more interested in social change regarding a then British class system. For that reason, more or less half the kids were chosen from the upper rich class, while the other half from the poorer side of town.

Nearly everything about this documentary is interesting, but what strikes even more intriguing is that, despite their involvement, every one of the subjects reports that their involvement in the series is difficult, painful. One says, every seven years I have to swallow “the pill of pain.” Yet, save for only one, they each do appear every seven years, and they appear to be quite candid. As a viewer, I feel privileged to be able peer into their private lives perchance to learn something useful about my private life. And probably that’s what makes this documentary so important – it attempts to provide as clear, as unbiased, as uncluttered a portrait of what it is to be a human person in the snapshot of time 1964-2006. There’s a hypnotic connection with humanity here.

This review is based on screening the DVD 49 Up. I watched it an hour at a time over the course of two days. Because of its serial look at these individuals rather than dramatic build, I’d recommend splitting it like that. Included in the bonus features is a Roger Ebert interview with director Michael Apted. It’s quite interesting, though just a tad long and the audio is horrible. Some other extras are included but they are quite minimal. 49 Up is the 7th in the "Up" series which is available in a box set.

Free Ross Anthony Signed Book Contest!


  • 49 Up. Copyright © 2006.
  • Directed by Michael Apted.
  • Produced by Michael Apted & Claire Lewis released by First Run.

Grade..........................A (3.5/4)


chili4 special olympians
power5 ra hforh radiop
Copyright © 1998-2023 Ross Anthony, Author - Speaker - Solo World Circumnavigator In addition to reviewing films and interviewing celebs at HollywoodReportCard.com, traveling the world, composing great music, motivational speaking, Mr. Anthony also runs his own publishing company in the Los Angeles area. While traversing the circumference of the planet writing books and shooting documentaries, Mr. Anthony has taught, presented for, worked &/or played with locals in over 30 countries & 100 cities (Nairobi to Nagasaki). He's bungee-jumped from a bridge near Victoria Falls, wrestled with lions in Zimbabwe, crashed a Vespa off a high mountain road in Taiwan, and ridden a dirt bike across the States (Washington State to Washington DC). To get signed books ("Rodney Appleseed" to "Jinshirou") or schedule Ross to speak check out: www.RossAnthony.com or call 1-800-767-7186. Go into the world and inspire the people you meet with your love, kindness, and whatever it is you're really good at. Check out books by Ross Anthony. Rand() functions, Pho chicken soup, rollerblading, and frozen yogurt (w/ blueberries) also rock! (Btw, rand is short for random. It can also stand for "Really Awkward Nutty Dinosaurs" -- which is quite rand, isn't it?) Being alive is the miracle. Special thanks to Ken Kocanda, HAL, Jodie Keszek, Don Haderlein, Mom and Pops, my family, R. Foss, and many others by Ross Anthony. Galati-FE also deserves a shout out. And thanks to all of you for your interest and optimism. Enjoy great films, read stirring novels, grow.


Last Modified: Monday, 16-Oct-2006 11:12:02 PDT