The History Boys

[Daisy]

Raves and reviews .

 

I can't recommend this film enough! Watched it for the first time tonight. It's just brilliant, and can't say I understood all of it, I'm not well read enough . It's really funny! And very human. Sad too. Not to mention very clever. It's english - so for non-brits it may make it harder to grasp. But give it a go .

 

I really hope some of you have seen this.

 

I can't seem to find an online copy for you - it's worth buying anyway

Edited September 12, 2010 by Celes

[Hamen Cheese]

Is this the one where...

 

 

the professor dies through a motorcycle accident?

 

 

Cause if so, I've watched bits of it before and while I was in Europe too!

[Daisy]

Is this the one where...

 

 

the professor dies through a motorcycle accident?

 

 

Cause if so, I've watched bits of it before and while I was in Europe too!

 

yeah that one. I didn't want to give any spoilers either. But I suppose a synopsis couldn't hurt .

 

It's about a secondary school class in the 80's in Sheffield (sort of northern england) - about 8 boys I think and they are the top of their year and either being pushed into or really want to go to Oxbridge. So the head hires an extra teacher, a guy who has not long graduated from Oxford, to help them prepare for the entry exam and interviews. The story focuses on the boys and their particular set of teachers, their lessons and different styles, but all the relationships and friendships between them. It's spectacular .

[Daisy]

If you can access this, then it's free on the BBC website.

http://www.bbc.co.uk...rammes/b008l310

 

I can say I will definitely be watching it in play as soon as I can too if it's ever on .

Edited September 12, 2010 by Celes

[Daisy]

this is a good neat synopsis, without giving too much away.

 

In Alan Bennett's The History Boys, what it means to teach and to be taught are explored to the backdrop of a 1980s grammar school as a group of intelligent, brash and boisterous sixth-formers are prepared for their Oxbridge exams, exposing staff-room rivalries, sexual politics and questions about the move from innocence to experience in the greater context of life.

 

[Bumblebee]

i just rented it out..... so im going to watch it tomorow after work!!!

[Daisy]

That's good to hear .

 

I think I certainly connect to it because I've just gone through the whole academic thing , and I get all the different arguments about education -- the different ways of thinking . and experiences. I certainly got seduced by a certain way of thinking in my third year .

 

I went to Durham one of the 'red bricks' and mentioned in the story. I was also a Cambridge reject . I completely messed up my interview (probably trying to convince one of the guys he didn't understand a social/political issue wasn't the best way to go) - but I'm glad I never got in - I'd applied for the wrong course and would have been miserable - medicine. I did wonder whether I would have got accepted for geography though. Doesn't matter - Durham had the best department - and - as we all at Durham said , we were quite glad not to be in the stuffiness and well, the hard work expected of being there .

 

I just love all the silliness of it too . And how everything is connected, it's just brilliant.

Edited September 12, 2010 by Celes

[clumber]

I watched it the last time it showed on the BBC and I agree that it is an awesome film.

 

The exploration of the re;ationships between the characters is great to see and, like a lot of british drama's, it has quite a few brilliant comedy moments which really draw me in, as well as helping to break it up between the more dramatic scenes.

 

 

I highly reccomend it to anybody who gets a chance to watch it.

 

 

Martin

[Kev de Cauchery]

I love love the movie. And the songs are nice too.

 

Hits home when you love someone that doesn't reciprocate the feeling.

 

And one of the boys came to act in Mamma Mia, so that's good to see too.

 

 

[Daisy]

I love love the movie. And the songs are nice too.

 

Hits home when you love someone that doesn't reciprocate the feeling.

 

And one of the boys came to act in Mamma Mia, so that's good to see too.

 

 

 

Oh, yeah, I hadn't made the connection before! But the actor for Dakin was the girl's boyfriend, of course. I didn't think his acting in that was any good, but then I put it down to the movie being ridiculous sort of on purpose. The others have done well as well, by far the biggest is the (oh, well, eek), fat one - forget his character name - he's a big comedian in the UK now. Has a comedy/drama show called Gavin & Stacey - and this world cup he was in the 'official' song as comic relief . I recognise the others too, but I can't quite place what they've been in.

 

 

The songs - I loved them as well. It's part of what makes the whole thing.