Small Axe

[Death's Head]

Just great stuff. A couple of things to note:

 

As a mixed-race West Londoner it was great to see the west London I grew up in, mixed and diverse, not the tedious “leafy west London” nonsense journalists trot out. Even now around Notting Hill and Grove the old communities are still there, you just never get to hear from them. It’s great that this story is being told. 

 

The other thing to note is how accurately it portrayed the horror of the police’s attitude to anyone not white. It was a stark reminder of how you’re seen by authority in this country if you’re not white. Little has changed even now; the same people are still in charge.

 

Also, as a nerd I loved the period detail of it. It was great seeing the Westway being built  and the accurate tube stock. And the clothes and the music, man. Brilliant.

[Death's Head]

And I completely forgot, Frank Crichlow, the owner of the Mangrove, was the dad of my old friend Leah (short for Leanora) who I trained with as an actor and who you’ve probably seen in lots of things like Sugar Rush and Being Human because she’s rightfully done very well for herself.

[Ravern]

This is good. Watch it.

[Camel]

The performance (and look!) of the actor playing Darcus Howe is just wow. Uncanny.

[pledge]

Not much to add but replying to keep this thread going. I doubt it will get the audience it deserves. It was really horrible to watch in parts. Looking forward to the other 4.

[Death's Head]

Yeah, it’s worth mentioning how amazing the guy playing the copper was - what a face on him. It’s a thankless sort of role but he put himself into it 100%. Real nasty. 

 

Looking forward to Lovers Rock tomorrow. Guaranteed to be another excellent soundtrack.

[cassidy]

This is really good so far but utterly horrible to see the lovely racism of the 1970 writ large. With the understanding this mindset still exists 50 years later.  

 

Only 25 mins in and think this is just gonna make me more and more angry. 

[ckny]

I bloody loved Lovers Rock. What an incredibly immersive experience for the first hour.

[Death's Head]

Haven't caught up on it yet, think I'll do that tonight with a bottle red.

[Death's Head]

Yeah that was amazing. Like a dub Wong Kar Wai.  That Silly Games scene was just extraordinary. 

[superfunk]

On 15/11/2020 at 23:40, Death's Head said:

Also, as a nerd I loved the period detail of it. It was great seeing the Westway being built  and the accurate tube stock. And the clothes and the music, man. Brilliant.

Yeah - I loved this too. I lived in Portnall Road and Ladbroke Grove in the late 80s and early 90s so I enjoyed seeing all that stuff. This is an interesting BBC article, especially the 'then and now' pictures.

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/extra/jGD9WJrVXf/the-mangrove-nine-black-lives-matter

[Death's Head]

Thanks for that, that's a great article.  I've been doing a lot of walking round there lately, and found myself the other day by the spot where Kelso Cochrane was murdered the prior decade, triggering racial violence.  Reading into it, I had no idea that Enoch Powell and the BUF had such a stranglehold in the area in the late 50s.

[Death's Head]

Another great film this week. Its amazing to see these stories told with such skill, care and love. 

[cassidy]

Yeah can't disagree was really good again.