For anyone who enjoys ‘people watching’ the movie below is a treat. It’s called ‘Lift’ by British documentary film maker, Marc Isaacs. The strangely charming film is shot entirely within the confines of an elevator inside a block of flats in the East End of London.
I’m sure we’ve all stood in an elevator and wondered about the story of the person we’re anonymously riding with. Back in 2001 Isaacs spent two months riding up and down the elevator with the residents of the London flats, and gradually the metal box became a kind of confessional in which people cautiously opened their hearts.
In an interview Isaacs said of the film. “It’s an awkward thing to stand there; people are naked if you like: there’s nowhere to hide, and whatever they do is revealing. That’s probably true anyway, but it’s magnified because it’s their face against a metallic background and they can’t really ignore the camera, so even if people don’t say very much it’s still quite interesting.”
Isaacs has won numerous awards for his short films, including several for ‘Lift.’ His most recent film called ‘Men of the City‘ was featured on BBC TV’s Storyville series last year.
‘Lift’ is twenty five minutes long so I appreciate many of you won’t have the time to sit and watch this. However, I really think this is a quite fascinating short film so I hope you will be able to find the time to watch it at some point, maybe over the weekend? I certainly would like to hear what you thought of the film if you do watch it.
Wrote the following comment on Sep 3, 2010 at 4:13 am
You Brits are a strange breed. ;)
Wrote the following comment on Sep 6, 2010 at 4:37 pm
The funny thing about this post is that I know probably everyone who reads my blog has not watched this or only watched a part of it. The reasons will be the same… “Not enough time.”
Funny that we are all so time poor yet we all complain about the time we waste too.
Wrote the following comment on Sep 6, 2010 at 8:12 pm
well, i’ve got a lot of time to waste so i watched it…
a few funny characters, i like the man who is offering food a few times and the woman who is always smiling (mark asks her if she’s ever been in love)
the thing about an elevator is, that time is short & always limited and a conversation is ended abruptly when one reaches where they wanted to get.
a few people actually turn around when they see him and wait for the other elevator :-D
Wrote the following comment on Sep 7, 2010 at 1:22 am
I watched it.
Wrote the following comment on Sep 7, 2010 at 8:26 am
We are indeed strange Braden, though I think East Londoners have a special kind of ‘strangeness’ that I’ve never encountered anywhere else in the capital, or indeed the rest of the country.
The film reminded me of my days working in Wapping; catching the number 15 bus from Liverpool Street station round to Watney Street Market and walking down to Wapping from there. I’d meet some real characters on my travels – I swear the old lady from the film (Lilly) stopped me once or twice to engage me in a bizarre conversation or two – though it seems unlikely as it was over twenty years ago.
Back end of last year I helped my friend Kim move from one part of Hackney to another. It all felt very familiar – grey, damp, gritty – in need of a bloody good clean – slightly foreboding, like the diverse mix of cultures (Indian, Turkish, Greek, West Indian, Chav..) might kick off at any moment – and yet at the same time wonderfully optimistic, exciting, reassuring, and at times, beautiful.
Wrote the following comment on Sep 8, 2010 at 1:53 am
I didn’t watch it…elevators creep me out.
Wrote the following comment on Sep 8, 2010 at 9:24 pm
I like this film. I think PJ describes it best when he called it “gritty.” It’s rather how I remember the few weeks I spent in London back in the mid 90’s. I liked the underground, riding it each day back to the place I was staying made me feel like a ‘Londoner.’ Hmm … I can still smell the fish and chips.
“the diverse mix of cultures (Indian, Turkish, Greek, West Indian, Chav..)” – Chav???
Wrote the following comment on Sep 9, 2010 at 7:17 am
Thanks JP. I appreciate the vote of confidence.
You didn’t meet any Chavs on your travels? Lucky you. I tend to stay out of their way. If you’re not familiar with the chav-sub culture here in the UK you can probably find plenty of information with a simple google.
Someone once told me chav was short for “council house and violent” which I can well believe.
Wrote the following comment on Sep 9, 2010 at 11:04 am
From Wikipedia : “Chav is a derogatory term used to describe certain young people in the United Kingdom. The term is often used to describe aggressive teenagers, of white working class background, who repeatedly engage in anti-social behaviour such as street drinking, drug abuse and rowdiness, or other forms of juvenile delinquency.”
I should say though Jean-Pierre, you WERE a Londoner when you lived there. A true Londoner in todays Britain is a person of foreign origins who speaks in a strong and often hard to understand accent. ;-)
A few moths ago I went to a Tesco in Finchley to use their foreign currency service and I found it so hard to understand the girl behind the counter that we communicated by writing stuff down and holding it against the glass much to our mutual amusement.
Wrote the following comment on Sep 9, 2010 at 2:57 pm
Ah, in French we say “racaille.” Though I don’t really see these people where I live.
It was an interesting experience living in London as opposed to other places I lived across Europe. I hope you won’t mind me saying that while I very much enjoyed the UK I found British people to be among the most disagreeable and aggressive I have come across,often quick to offer their opinion but never quick to offer offer a hand.
Having said that, I traveled across the country while I was based there and many times I was just awe struck at the beauty and history of the land.
Wrote the following comment on Sep 9, 2010 at 6:12 pm
Jean-Pierre I don’t think you can judge a country by one city. London is, as Simon says, full of foreign types. I would suggest that it was these people who you found to be disagreeable and unhelpful. British people are renowned the world over as friendly, polite, and helpful people.
Yes, there is a very small minority of undesirables, referred to these days as “chavs,” but as you point out, even your beloved Canada have their racailles.
Our country is called Great Britain and not without good reason.
Wrote the following comment on Sep 9, 2010 at 8:58 pm
“British people are renowned the world over as friendly, polite, and helpful people.” LOL!
Wrote the following comment on Sep 11, 2010 at 11:32 pm
I took the time to watch this; I figured anyone who could spend that many hours in an elevator to capture that much raw reality deserved 24odd minutes of my time. I enjoyed it too. A bit like a day in my Social Work life. Never quite know the conversations I’ll have; or the answers I’ll hear, but always looking for where the flow will take us. thanks for sharing.
Wrote the following comment on Sep 12, 2010 at 6:13 pm
Jean-Pierre, sorry you found British people so objectionable. I guess you could liken Londoners to Parisians, and just as Parissians aren’t representative of the French, Londoners are not representative of the British.
Wrote the following comment on Sep 12, 2010 at 6:22 pm
So I have a question then Will (Wilvo?). If Londoners are not representative of the British, who is?