ABSTRACT
Arguably the most enthralling documentary series of all time is ITV’s Up films, which began in 1964 with Seven Up, an account of the lives of fourteen British seven-year-olds from a range of socio-economic backgrounds. That film was fascinating in itself, but what turns it into pure gold is the director Michael Apted’s return to the group every seven years to make an update. Each time he has persuaded a significant number of the originals to take part. At the time of writing the latest is 49 Up, screened in 2005. The next, 56 Up will be out in late 2011 or early 2012.
