MovieChat Forums > Privilege (1967) Discussion > Flawed but Fascinating

Flawed but Fascinating

posted 19 years ago by PanicPop
9 replies | jump to latest

Like the title says, it's a flawed movie but it still has to be one of my favourite movies.

Any more fans out there?

I saw this film on a date when it was new at the bandbox, a very hip movie house in the chestnut hill section of Philly. I loved it and told my friends about it. When it finally came to TV (pre-cable and all cut for TV) it was boring, they trimmed and toned down the best parts. I found it a very cool premise and a really great example of fighting the power. I’d love to see it again as it was first shown in the movies. I think the church helped suppress it back in the day.
i even have the soundtrack on vinyl somewhere.

So yes... I also am a fan.

[–] 18 years ago

[deleted]

[–] KMitford 18 years ago

One of those wonderful bizarre British movies. I remember seeing it years ago when I was a teenage who was totally obsessed with anything British and 1960s. I stayed up until about 3.00am to watch it, also videoed it and watched it again and again. I remember reading that David Hemmings was originally going to play the main part - maybe then it would have become a classic. Anyway I love it - hopefully DVD soon!!

[–] monsieurzy 18 years ago

I first heard about this film in the early 70's when I was an Alice Cooper fan...a magazine was listing some of the predecessors to Alice's rock theatrics, and they listed this film amongst them...
a great little film, one of Watkins better flicks, along with The War Game, Gladiators ( anyone seen a copy of this one lately??) and Edvard Munch (sorry, Punishment Park I found a little too much from the Costa Gravas school of "they are evil and we are peaceful and nice").
..nice digs at a lot of big wigs in the music industry at the time (brian epstein, alan klein, sir lew grade)....I taped a copy off of City-TV (toronto ) many years back on beta (yes, my machine still works fine)..still plays well, even if the film version was a bit soft and reddish...better than a bootleg dvd version a local rental store had on their shelf...
.and I have the soundtrack on vinyl too...the Runner Beans' "rock" version of Jerusalem was considered daring and shocking at the time, about 6 years ahead of ELP's version)

[–] tuffysmom 15 years ago

I rented this from Netflix because I thought it looked kind of interesting. Wow, much better than I expected -- totally amazing.

[–] cnicknz 12 years ago

Obviously in the minority here, but I would rather pound my thumb with a hammer than sit through this again. The lead, as we are constantly told, is loaded with magnetism and talent, hence his vast adoring following. So they cast a guy with zero charisma and minimal talent. Was that on purpose? An ironical statement? Watching an actor with bad skin look constipated for two hours is no fun in my book. It was interesting to see the mod styles of the period but otherwise, yuck.

[–] JDHOPPER66 12 years ago

They never say that Steven Shorter is talented or loaded with magnetism.
They say he's POPULAR.
His popularity, combined with his obvious misery and unconvincing star power, is indeed an ironic statement.
.
"Privilege" is an intelligent but nasty movie, with a negative, critical message about the nature of idolatry.
.
If you were expecting The Beatles' happy-joy-love, I can understand why you were disappointed. But don't say the movie was bad because it didn't give you warm fuzzies, as though it tried to do that but failed--as though every movie OWES you a good time because you spent money to see it.

[–] JamieWJackson 10 years ago

That's one of the best posts I've ever read on here. You're entirely correct; nicely put.

I didn't quite enjoy watching this movie (for the reasons you stated), and I gave it a 6. It wasn't magnificent. However, conceptually, it's rather compelling, and it's worth seeing. Also, on a slightly less intellectual note... Jean Shrimpton, yum.

[–] brefane 9 years ago

Steven Shorter(SS)is a puppet and his fans are manipulated as much as he is. They are attracted to his masochistic persona.