Imprint | 2017 | 86 min | Not rated | No Release Date
My Generation
(2017)
My Generation Blu-ray delivers truly amazing video and audio in this exceptional Blu-ray release
British film icon Michael Caine narrates and stars in MY GENERATION, the vivid and inspiring story of his personal journey through 1960s London. Based on personal accounts and stunning archive footage, this feature-length documentary film sees Caine travel back in time to talk to The Beatles, Twiggy, David Bailey, Mary Quant, The Rolling Stones, David Hockney and other star names.
For more about My Generation and the My Generation Blu-ray release, see My Generation Blu-ray Review published by Dr. Svet Atanasov on June 7, 2021 where this Blu-ray release scored 4.5 out of 5.
Director: David Batty
Writers: Dick Clement, Ian La Frenais
Starring: Michael Caine, David Bailey, Roger Daltrey, Joan Collins, Marianne Faithfull, Lulu
Narrator: Michael Caine
Producers: Michael Caine, Dick Clement, Ian La Frenais, Simon Fuller, Fodhla Cronin O’Reilly, James Clayton
» See full cast & crew
My Generation Blu-ray Review
Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov, June 7, 2021
David Batty’s “My Generation” (2018) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Via Vision Entertainment. The supplemental features on the release include exclusive new program with the director; vintage program with Michael Caine; and original theatrical trailer. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-Free.
At least in the beginning what united them was their desire to enjoy life in ways that their parents could not. Their country was recovering from the war, but it was also restoring an old order that they did not feel was right for them. They wanted more colors and better music, more laughs and better sex, and the new place that was emerging from the ashes did not have any of these things. So they started changing it.
Maurice Joseph Micklewhite, who today uses the much simpler name Michael Caine, witnessed the transformation and David Batty’s documentary My Generation gathers many of his recollections about it. Some of the artists and musicians that he admired occasionally help him fill in the gaps, but the documentary is essentially one big personal journey back to the ’60s. In other words, in it there are a lot more feelings and emotions than serious historical analysis of key events and trends.
The casual manner in which Caine delivers his descriptions makes many of his recollections sound like extracts from a conversation between old pals who have been through a lot over the years and are trying to refresh their memories. Plenty of them begin and end quite abruptly, but the light humor that the actor routinely adds up binds them really well. The only time the documentary visibly stutters a bit is when the likes of Paul McCartney, Roger Daltrey, and Lulu make a random comment from somewhere behind the camera that confirms what the actor has already made clear.
The best material is the one where Caine describes some of his greatest struggles to fit in. For example, very early in his acting career his cockney accent was apparently considered a serious weakness but he stuck with it, never walked away from an audition, and eventually got his big break. (The entire segment where he describes the most important audition in his career and how the simpler and more attractive Michael Caine name came to exist is beyond hilarious). The actor also confesses that there were a few times when he was unsure about his place on the London scene, but with the invention of the mini skirt all of his doubts instantly disappeared and he permanently fell in love with it.
Quite a few clips from some of Caine’s biggest films are included to highlight the different changes that he made as he became more popular and the same changes are then used to highlight some of the big socio-cultural trends that were occurring at the time. It is very straightforward material. The commentary that Caine offers basically quickly rehashes a few well-known facts and then shifts back to his feelings and current appreciation of the “good times”.
Ultimately, My Generation should resonate best with folks that experienced what Caine did. It is not an eye-opener, just a good nostalgia fix — it is authentic, very straightforward and extremely easy to digest. Nothing wrong with this, though. It just needs to be approached with the right set of expectations, and for optimal enjoyment perhaps viewed with a glass of aged whiskey.
My Generation Blu-ray, Video Quality
Presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.85:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, My Generation arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Via Vision Entertainment.
In 2018, we reviewed this Limited Edition of My Generation that Lionsgate Films UK produced. Predictably, this release is sourced from the exact same master that was used to produce the British release.
I think that the documentary looks terrific in high-definition. However, because it utilizes original and archival content, you should expect to see some variations in the visual quality. This is how documentaries look when they are finalized, and this is what the Blu-ray release reproduces — the native quality of the documentary. The new footage with Michael Caine discussing his career and the films that defined obviously looks really good because it was shot with modern equipment, but there is plenty of film footage that looks great as well. There are no transfer-specific anomalies to report in our review. (Note: This is a Region-Free Blu-ray release. Therefore, you will be able to play it on your player regardless of your geographical location).
My Generation Blu-ray, Audio Quality
There are two standard audio tracks on this Blu-ray release: English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and English LPCM 2.0. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided for the main feature.
Michael Caine’s narration is very clear. For obvious reasons, during exchanges that come from archival content sometimes there are minor fluctuations, but it is always very easy to understand what is being said. The exact same thing can be said about the use of music. There is plenty and from time to time some dynamic unevenness is present, but these native limitations. There are no technical anomalies to report in our review.
My Generation Blu-ray, Overall Score and Recommendation
My Generation offers a great trip down memory lane, with a terrific commentary by Michael Caine. It is included in Via Vision Entertainment’s Limited Edition release of Alfie and has its own selection of bonus features, one of which is a very good exclusive new program with director David Batty. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
Blu-ray Bundles/Box Sets with My Generation (1 bundle)
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My Generation Blu-ray, News and Updates
• My Generation Limited Edition Blu-ray – April 4, 2018
Lionsgate Home Entertainment UK will release on Blu-ray director David Batty’s documentary My Generation (2017). The release will be available for May 28.
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