Review: Kes
Blu-ray: Kes (1969)
Little Billy Casper; poor, working class and always in trouble with the police, finds a Kestral and trains it. Bullied by the lads at school, tortured by the PE teacher, abused by his older brother and his mum (well she doesn’t give a shit about him) Billy knows his future is down the pit and a miserable subsistence for the rest of his life. His only spark of sunshine is Kes, his bird.
Ken Loach makes films about my life. I went to a school like that, and although our accents were different, my life and thousands of other working class kids born in the 60’s were similar. God this is a powerful and heartbreaking film. Perhaps the only problem with it is Kes (a Kestral for a Knave book) is on our school circulum, the very fact that you HAVE to study it, would make a lot of people shy away from watching the film. What a great shame that is, because this is one of the best films ever made, and can make you laugh and cry in one breath.
It is true and sublimely beautiful. The natural acting, the language, the story itself is a slice of real life which perhaps touches my heart more than most having had a father who was a miner. David Bradley’s performance as Billy is wonderful, there is no acting, he IS this lad. ALL the actors give wonderful performances, with stand outs being Colin Welland and Brain Glover (with blonde hair!).
Bradley’s scenes with the kestrel lift you up with him. Oh yes and cry, the end of the film…is sudden and wrenching.
I want to say this is a life affirming film, but it isn’t, it holds a mirror up to how fucking shit working class life is, how poor people have no hope and anything good in your life gets taken away from you. All sounds full of gloom and doom? Yep, and that’s why you should buy it, stick your ungrateful kids in front of the telly and force them to watch it.
It’s beautiful. Truly inspiring and wonderful, as is Ken Loach. One of THE best films ever made and another amazing release from Eureka Masters of Cinema.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
- Brand new digital restoration of the film, supervised and approved by director Ken Loach
- Alternate release soundtrack, with post-dubbed dialogue
- English subtitles for the deaf and hard-of-hearing
- Exclusive new video interviews with actor David Bradley and producer Tony Garnett
- Excerpts from the 2006 Kes reunion panel at the Bradford Film Festival featuring Ken Loach
- Extensive 1992 on-stage interview at the NFT with Ken Loach, interviewed by Derek Malcolm
- Original theatrical trailer
- A booklet featuring new writing on the film and archival material
Review by Tina (co-host of 60 Minutes With) from a disc kindly supplied by Eureka.