Ken Loach - Movie Forums

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I bought these two dvd-boxes some time ago, The Ken Loach Collection - vol. 1 & 2. Great stuff, but I haven't had time to really go through all of it even though there are several films that I haven't yet seen.

But this past weekend I got around to watch "Cathy Come Home" (1966) which I believe is really a part of some BBC tv series that Loach was involved in.

In any case, this film is a gem and I am now absolutely positive that Loach is one of my favourite directors.

"Cathy Come Home" is a muddy and gritty depiction of a working class couple in a British city (Manchester, I believe) who starts out rather fine but due to housing shortage, poverty and a inhumane social welfare system they are soon heading for a desperately bleak future. The film is a hardcore realism drama - but Loach weaves in what appears to be documentary segments. And the result is fantastic.

You know when you watch a film and afterwards you have that feeling of having been witnessing a glimpse of life. Real life, authenticity..... Not "based on a true story"-real-life.

This is just one film, one example of why I love Ken Loach's films. His films are always political but he has the ability to convert politics and theory to real, honest stories about life.

His films in recent years are great stuff too.... It's a Free World (2007) and The Wind That Shakes the Barley were both amazing in their own different ways.

I really had no idea what I was going to say about Loach here in this thread, I just thought he deserved a thread of his own. Hopefully someone else is better destined than me to strike up some stringent discussions about the man.

Any Loach fans out there??

I've only seen My Name is Joe, which is class. Should really get on the case. I think it's always the 'muddy gritty' image he's got that puts me/others off a bit, but Joe was all that, and rewarding with it.

I've seen a few of his films. My name is Joe is probably my favorite, but I suspect it's mostly down to Peter Mullan's amazing charisma which carried the film. Of the others, Sweet sixteen, The wind that shakes the barely, Land and freedom and Kes were all fine but rather forgettable. I used to be impressed with the realistic "muddy grit" but then it started getting a bit repetitive. I much prefer Mike Leigh.

The only Loach film I've seen all the way through is The Wind That Shakes the Barley... and it's in my top 30... I started watching Hidden Agenda but the disk was messed up so I'm trying to run down another copy... what I did see, I liked very much though...

Kes forgettable? Wash your mouth out Adi ;)
I'll concede a teeeny bit that sometimes he gets carried away with his lefty credentials and makes cardboard cutout working class heros, but his heart's in the right place and he doesn't leave it at films he still participates in grass root political stuff.

I love Ken Loach. Didn't we post about him just recently? Anyway, all his films are worth a watch in my opinion.

Cathy Come Home had huge political ramifications at the time it was broadcast on tv, did you know that Piddz? I even remember people talking about it at the time and I would've been only about 10.

I think my problem with Kes was that I saw it after I've gotten to know his other work and during a phase where I'd just grown over (or out of)...minimal social realism? And aside from some early examples of improvisation, I couldn't really distinguish it from the dozens of other kitchen-sink dramas of the period. :\

I have a copy of Kes that I'll be watching soon. Every other film of his I've seen so far I've liked so I'm looking forward to this one.

I think Kes is great. I'd certainly recommend it, though I prefer Looking For Eric and McLibel. I'd also point any interested towards The Gamekeeper, Kathy Come Home and My Name Is Joe. Though I've not seen them, I've always heard good things about Raining Stones and Poor Cow.

Ken Loach is putting up all his films onto YouTube.

http://www.youtube.com/user/KenLoach.../5/g2WzJKAyanc

That is awesome. Will his entire production be up there?

I'm sorry about this thread, btw. I came back to respond to some of your posts but my post disappeared when I clicked "reply". Really annoying.. and I didn't have time at the moment to re-write it, and then I forgot all about it.

Looks like he aims to put it all up there.

No probs about not posting, it's just nice to hear you love his films :)

Wow! Thanks for posting that link, Christine. Kathy come home and Poor Cow have been on my to see list for years.

"Kes" is one of my favourite films of all time, a top 10 placing.

"Raining Stones" is also a great. film. Bruce Jones (Les Battersby in Coronation Street) is superb in it,. Caroline Aherne identified Ricky Tomlinson to play Jim Royle in the Royle Family, after seeing him in Raining Stones.

Omigod! Are you putting the jinx on him?

Cathy Come Home is a masterpiece. Caused an uproar when it 1st aired in the UK.