Family Affair
Well. Monday night on More4 is become required viewing. Last week we were entertained on the Blunkett-go-round, and this week Capturing The Friedmans made an appearance.Now this is a quality documentary. Intelligent use of modern interview and contemporary home movies/videos/audio made this a gripping two hours of TV. Furthermore, it's wonderful that this is shown - prime time as-it-were on a new commercial TV station dedicated to "adult entertainment".
For those who haven't seen it, the basics are: an upper middle-class jewish family, with a penchant for recording most of their lives on super 8, video and audio tape, implode under the weight of more allegations of the sexual abuse of minors than you could shake a stick at.
Three things struck me as I watched this evening.
First: the need for the father and the three sons to document their lives to the extent that they did. The father hammed it up whilst out on bail, the youngest son - who was also accused - felt the need to dance and mug to the camera on the steps of the court whilst waiting for the verdict that he had a pretty good idea would send him down for a long time. The entire family screaming at each other as lines were drawn and a no man's land formed between the genders. All of them (father excluded - he died, according to his death certificate, of an overdose of something-or-other, although his brother or one of his kids stated he died of an unexpected heart attack earlier in the film), felt the need to be interviewed throughout the judicial process and after.
Second: I couldn't shake off the feeling that each and every person interviewed had an agenda. The polarity between prosecution and defence was understandable but, on this occasion, they were miles apart. Charges from the police of 100s of incidents of actual forced buggery of kids who attended a computer class at the accused's home. No physical evidence was produced and, for all the time the classes were running, not one kid raised a complaint. Statements from a defence lawyer that one of Friedman's sons admitted his father abused him (denied by the abused later) also felt odd. I should've believed the lawyer, but too many *hmmmmmms* were playing about my lips.
Third: Why the need for exposure? The eldest son has become a clown (errm y'know; red nose, daft clothes, entertains kids - there's one of those *hmmmmmms* again.) He stated that if anyone - in his profession - got a whiff of the scandal surrounding his father, he'd be out of business. Yeah, right, so take part in a documentary about it, given the fact you live in New York, nobody you know will be aware of it I'm sure.
Ahhh, garbled crap most of that, and I haven't even touched on the fact that Daddy Friedman used to be the leader of a mambo band in the late 40s early 50s.
Seriously though that was quality televisin, and most welcome. God bless Freeview!
Me Mam and Dad live in warden-controlled flats these days. A few months ago a temporary warden was installed while the regular holidayed. The temp got involved with all her charges and ascertaind that Mater and Pater were paying too much out each week in rent and council tax.
So she organises a clever bugger with a nose for benefits to come and interview them. The next thing you know their rent has gone from nearly £60 a week to £17. On top of that they have received a cheque for £1300 for overpaid rent, and £700 for overpayment of council tax. They've not got many Christmases left, but at least they won't be scrimping and scraping this year.
The fact remains though, that if they're entitled to all that now, they were entitled to it years ago. Why should the onus be on the poor bugger paying out week after week, year after year to get professional advice just to claim what they're entitled to?
Sort it Blair.
6 comments:
And what about the incompetents who set their rent/council tax in the first place?
What happens to them?
Fuck all, that's what.
The benefits system is designed to be incomprehensible, I am sure of it, fair play to the temp warden though, I am sure sorting out benefits isn't in her remit.
I am fed up with More 4, having looked forward to all the Sopranos repeats only to find they are putting them on in the middle of the night, we do have Curb Your Enthusiasm though, so lets give them two cheers.
Actually, let's take a cheer off, like the benefits system that loud American is nonsensical to British types and the last word is just plain embarrassing.
Got to agree about The Last Word, if I wanted Boris' Dad and self-important media pricks in my livin' room, I'd invite the cabinet. As fofr that "loud American", I've not watched him yet.
I've got to give 'em brownie points 'cos at least they're trying.
ITV4 starts in a few weeks - aimed at 25 - 40 years olds (as if they didn't have enough programming already), it'll be interesting to compare and to see which channel gets most look ins from the likes of me in the months that follow.
From the little I have read of the new ITV I think more 4 will win, hands down. Apparently the trump card for itv4 is a new series of Kojak, who has become a black person.
What kind of nonsense is that?
ITV will be showing Homicide, which is up there with the best of American cop shows, way up there. Probably in the middle of the night but there you go.
PC nonsense - they'll be showing Snow White and the 7 "Guardians of the Forest" next.
Seriously though, in a baby boomer's world, why the fuck is the media still constantly pandering to blokes born in the '70s? Because it's run by blokes born in the '70s.
Post a Comment