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"Boys from the Blackstuff" (1982)

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11 Nutzerkommentare insgesamt

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14 out of 15 people found the following comment useful :-
If you were there, you'll understand., 11. Juni 2000

Author: unclepete von Liverpool, England

Boys from the Black Stuff is more than just a story. It's a snapshot of a special time in a special place. Liverpool in the 1980's could be a bleak and despairing place, with only the common threads of unemployment and humour keeping spirits alive. The story centres on the struggle of a ragged band of workers trying to make ends meet. On the way we see scams, subterfuge, corruption and the ongoing battle between the workers and the 'sniffers' (welfare benefit fraud investigators).

The locations are superb, painting a grisly accurate portrait of the time, with much of the filming done in Liverpool 8.

The language and dialogue also help capture the spirit of the time, with idiomatic 'scouse' used without apology.

Perhaps the best summary of the whole series is encapsulated in a line from the opening scenes in the first episode. Whilst establishing the number of dependents a claimant has, he is told that his grown up children who are 'on the dole' don't count. His response: "Nobody on the dole counts,love".

Recently released on dvd, this series is a documented history of the sharp end of 'Thatcher's Millions' - watch it if you can.

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10 out of 10 people found the following comment useful :-
I can't believe there's no hope left, 2. Oktober 2001
Author: hamactor von Kettering, UK

When Bleasdale's original one-off play "The Black Stuff" received critical acclaim in 1980, the BBC approached the writer to expand his ideas into a mini-series of five 50 minute episodes. The result was "Boys From The Blackstuff". Each episode focuses in on the life of a different character (Snowy, Tommy, Chrissy, Yosser, George) and winds even tighter knots of anguish around their desperate struggles to find work in Liverpool, 1982, as well as starkly portraying the devastating effects of unemployment on their domestic lives (and mental health). In the first episode "Jobs For The Boys", Snowy Malone, a committed socialist and workers' revolutionary activist, tells of his inner struggles to maintain his beliefs amongst his workmates, whose understandable need for money forces them to forego their principles. Snowy dies tragically whilst fleeing the pursuing DHSS officials from the dole office. (Bleasdale's portrayal of the devious tactics of the DOE was actually very close to real life, and not at all fantastic or overplayed). More DHSS v. Claimant stuff ensued in ep. 2 "Moonlighter", wher Tommy, a decent down to earth family man, is forced to take part in a robbery while working nights as a security guard on a cargo ship. The unbearable tensions of trying to keep his family together wear away at Tommy's nerves, and the episode realistically shows the awful effects of unemployment on the family. Tommy ends up crying silently, knowing that he has in fact been degraded and dehumanised by his predicament. (I forgot to tape ep.3 "Shop Thy Neighbour", which focuses on Chrissy, so I haven't seen that one, and can't comment on it). The last two episodes are by far, the real masterpieces. Nothing can prepare the viewer to witness the sheer descent to rock-bottom which faces Yosser Hughes (brilliantly played by Bernard Hill). Yosser, a weak and flawed young man, has his home and his dearly loved children mercilessly snatched from him as his finances crumble, and ends up on the streets, clinging painfully to his washed out dream of "being someone". This is very bleak viewing indeed, but the despair is counterpointed by moments of sharp, surreal, mocking black humour. This episode surely ranks as one of the finest fifty minutes you'll ever have the privelige to spend sitting in front of the box. The superb high quality and surreal sense of resignation/defeat/humour carries on into the final episode "George's Last Ride". George Malone, ex-docker, socialist/Labour activist, political icon to a generation of workers, and symbol of an earlier era fast fading, is terminally ill. Yet still the fire of hope burns bright within him, hope for a better time, a better deal for his class. We see George's body grow weaker, as his inner spirit remains strong. He reminisces about the old days at the docks, where the workers stood shoulder to shoulder, fighting for better conditions. George breathes his last, after a passionate final cry of hope....and thos e left behind seem to realise that his passing represents the death of all that he stood for. After the emotional funeral, we cut to the utterly surreal insanity of the local pub, filled with crazy characters, the victims of unemployment, trying to drink themselves into oblivion. (This pub scene is truly unforgettable). Yosser, Chrissy and (? - sorry, forgot his character name!) exit the pub and drift aimlessly down the street, as age-old factories are being demolished on either side... "Boys from the Blackstuff" remains one of the most important and enduring TV programmes ever made in Britain, and the last two episodes (at least) can rightly be called masterpieces of television drama.

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8 out of 8 people found the following comment useful :-
Brilliant, 11. März 2005

Author: phil-street von United Kingdom

As mini series go they do not come much better than this. A brilliant portrayal of what life was like for those unfortunate people who found themselves without work at the beginning of the 1980's. A depressing testament to the power wielded by political leaders and the total indifference shown by those in work to those without it. All young and sceptical people bored by the stories told them by parents who were affected by events portrayed in this series should take a look see. Then they will realise that the stories they have heard are in fact true. A lesson for all which, when once seen, must never be forgotten. Comedy, pathos, bathos you name it, it has it all. Wonderfully acted. Not a poor performance anywhere to be seen. Has great educational value.

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7 out of 7 people found the following comment useful :-
Superb, 2. Januar 2005

Author: Baz (salvador_2003) von London

This series is a brilliant insight to the devastation of Liverpool during the 80's it shows the hardship of job seekers and the many people who went through these times unemployed and deprived of their jobs and their futures where therefore destroyed by the high level of Unemployement during this period the five episodes are all written with a hilarious wit and a brilliant raw expression of life during this time that will make you laugh cry and feel for the characters and their situations the most touching story is Yossers Story it is brilliant and well written with a sense of comedy throughout although the results are upsetting. Yosser Hughes the Liverpool lad with his three Children alone living in a squalor he is desperate for a companion and finds himself alone when his wife tells social services of her torment suffered at the hands of Yosser (This a complete lie Yosser would not hurt his children or his wife) so they take his children and evict him he is beaten by the brutal Police who feel no remorse after they beat him to a pulp in his bare living room then he is left alone in the house desperate for work he tries to find a job at various areas of work but is never successful and in the end he is arrested and tries to drown himself to escape the life he has bean given. The brilliance within the series is the ability to upset you and make you laugh at the same time and finally realise the severity of unemployment during this period the whole series is absolutely brilliant and should be viewed by all because it is an outstanding look at life the history of a time in which Liverpool suffered the most and is an outstanding portrait of life a ten out of ten experience you will never forget

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7 out of 7 people found the following comment useful :-
Perfect TV Drama, 8. Juli 2003
Author: scott25keates von Newcastle, England

TV executives could do with watching this masterpiece, in the hope that they remember that not all British TV dramas have to be set in a hospital or a police station......And they don't have to be sh*t either. Boys... had top scripts, top acting and even the BBC weather forecast camerawork gives it an unparralelled sense of authenticity. Pure quality.

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7 out of 7 people found the following comment useful :-
Great series, 7. Februar 2001
Author: (henrijpherbert) von England

This series is a wonderfully realistic portrayal of life for the unemployed in the 1980s. It also manages to focus on characters, with all the cast giving magnificent performances, especially Bernard Hill as the deeply troubled Yosser Hughes. A masterpiece from start to end, this is one series that definitely should be repeated on TV. Another great thing is that you can watch and fully understand each episode without having to have seen any of the others.

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6 out of 6 people found the following comment useful :-
Brilliance!, 10. Juni 2000

Author: A J North (a.north@totalise.co.uk) von Leicester, England

This series is being reshown on T.V. at the moment and it reminds one on how drama should be made. True the subject matter about poverty and unemployment in 80's Britain was a strong one for the writer,producer,director& actors to rise to. But they do it with the peak of professionalism,realism & creativity, seldom seen in more recent T.V. ( or Film for that matter ) output.

All the episodes which make up the series really move the watcher even today and it sends echoes out to everyone living in 90's Britain towards the turn of the century where some similar themes as explored in this piece are still more than ever relevant today.

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6 out of 6 people found the following comment useful :-
If you regard yourself as a social commentator, watch this., 15. Oktober 1998

Author: Matthew Young (matthew.young@mjryoung.demon.co.uk) von London, England

Alan Bleasdale's defining production. Almost unbearably tragic characters, yet Bleasdale manages to find the opportunity for rare wit in his dialogue. As good a T.V. series as there has ever been. Truly the work of a genius.

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5 out of 5 people found the following comment useful :-
Lets See it again!!, 25. Mai 2006

Author: plutus1947 von Devon, England

Boys from the Blackstuff was first screened by the BBC in 1982.

It is in my opinion the finest drama series the BBC have ever produced. Poignant and emotive. There are not enough superlatives to describe this drama.

The script was second to none and Bleasdale's use of dialogue was excellent. Although the dialogue and setting was very disquieting for the most part, there were some lighter sides.

I have had the opportunity of seeing this series again recently, almost a quarter of a century since its first airing and to me it has lost nothing. I also feel that the latest generation of TV viewers would thoroughly enjoy watching this tremendous series.

Perhaps the BBC would consider re-screening Boys from the Blackstuff in 2007 in celebration of its 25th anniversary. I would not mind betting it would be in line for more awards.

Plutus

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4 out of 4 people found the following comment useful :-
It's really good., 17. Januar 2003

Author: Victoria von San Francisco, USA

If you are interested in what it was like to live in Thatcher's Britain in the eighties then look no futher. You need a strong stomach - especially for Yosser's Story. Memories of Cathy Come Home from the sixties spring to mind. It's good, it's real and it hurts to watch it - that's WHY it should be seen. Thanks Alan Bleasdale- for seeing and telling it like it is.

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