percy toboggan
08-Mar-08, 00:44
First in the 'White' series of progs on BBC 2?
An anachronistic 'working mens club' on the edge of Bradford struggling for survival.
Old men, defeated men.....bodies racked by hard work...minds wrecked by fast paced change.
An outsider (American) sent to film and analyse..he warmed to them, was sympathetic and I think, liked them a lot.
Then the editing suite stepped in. Some cutaway shots from people bemoaning their poverty whilst lighting the dog end of a Castella. Tatoo's and bull-terriers...the Middle Class's worst nightmare...surely sympathy from middle Britain would fly out the window. Perhaps it did.Maybe I'm more centrally placed than I thought.
This was a good insight into a marginalised culture. Some of the examples chosen were total stereotypes and that served the BBC ill. However, when was the last time we saw this section of society covered on telly - apart from being lampooned on 'Little Britain' or other alleged comedy progs?
Paul, the twenty something scaffolder -who 'hates Asians' and 'hates Bradford'...just wants to get out...listen up Paul..it's high time you were out of Dad's (absent) hair anyway...there's work for scaffolders in London...try your luck there.
The deluded gadge who insisted he 'was not working class' 'not middle class' quite what that leaves beyond the aristocracy I'm not sure. He had rotten teeth, but an ageing Merc on the drive...and a mortgage...he's working class to his boots....like me. Only difference is I can vent my anger, my frustration a little more inteliigently sometimes.
The programme gave an impression of a culture in retreat. A tide of alien invaders about to encroach , either that or the brewery might call in it's loan and shut the place down. I felt like hugging those old men...many of whom reminded me of my auld Dad, although I'm not much younger than they are, now.
These were the kind of men you'd want next to you in a trench, or on a troop ship. Solid. Dependable,humorous in adversity...even when scared.
Those circumstances have thankfully passed us by....for now. The future? Who knows.
All that these fellows get now is ignored.
Until this weekend. This is a promising start....an important change in BBC policy.
Rivers of Blood tomorrow - lets hope a few myths are exploded......let's see if the much maligned Enoch really was nutter...or had something of a point. I'm up for it...are you?
An anachronistic 'working mens club' on the edge of Bradford struggling for survival.
Old men, defeated men.....bodies racked by hard work...minds wrecked by fast paced change.
An outsider (American) sent to film and analyse..he warmed to them, was sympathetic and I think, liked them a lot.
Then the editing suite stepped in. Some cutaway shots from people bemoaning their poverty whilst lighting the dog end of a Castella. Tatoo's and bull-terriers...the Middle Class's worst nightmare...surely sympathy from middle Britain would fly out the window. Perhaps it did.Maybe I'm more centrally placed than I thought.
This was a good insight into a marginalised culture. Some of the examples chosen were total stereotypes and that served the BBC ill. However, when was the last time we saw this section of society covered on telly - apart from being lampooned on 'Little Britain' or other alleged comedy progs?
Paul, the twenty something scaffolder -who 'hates Asians' and 'hates Bradford'...just wants to get out...listen up Paul..it's high time you were out of Dad's (absent) hair anyway...there's work for scaffolders in London...try your luck there.
The deluded gadge who insisted he 'was not working class' 'not middle class' quite what that leaves beyond the aristocracy I'm not sure. He had rotten teeth, but an ageing Merc on the drive...and a mortgage...he's working class to his boots....like me. Only difference is I can vent my anger, my frustration a little more inteliigently sometimes.
The programme gave an impression of a culture in retreat. A tide of alien invaders about to encroach , either that or the brewery might call in it's loan and shut the place down. I felt like hugging those old men...many of whom reminded me of my auld Dad, although I'm not much younger than they are, now.
These were the kind of men you'd want next to you in a trench, or on a troop ship. Solid. Dependable,humorous in adversity...even when scared.
Those circumstances have thankfully passed us by....for now. The future? Who knows.
All that these fellows get now is ignored.
Until this weekend. This is a promising start....an important change in BBC policy.
Rivers of Blood tomorrow - lets hope a few myths are exploded......let's see if the much maligned Enoch really was nutter...or had something of a point. I'm up for it...are you?