Privilege
A genuinely radical film... a near masterpiece." -Bright Lights Film Journal
Steven Shorter (played by Manfred Mann lead singer, Paul Jones) is a rock music phenomenon. His popularity, carefully engineered by his corporate handlers, has reached dizzying proportions. But, when artist Vanessa Ritchie (played by the original supermodel, Jean Shrimpton) is hired to paint his portrait, she discovers that he is unhappy and unstable. When matters take a devious twist, Steve rebels in a startling manner.
In the wake of the controversy surrounding his Oscar-winning anti-nuclear drama The War Game, director Peter Watkins fashioned a darkly comic vision of a totalitarian near-future. So forceful was Privilege in its criticism of the media, corporate culture and the state that it was greeted with a potent mix of praise and abuse on its first release. Its prescience and the questions it asks about manipulation and control make Watkins’ film even more relevant today.
Member Reviews
Chilling - swissguy
Peter Watkins' "Privilege" is a brilliant movie with a similar message to the BBC documentary "The Century of the Self". The message is about how corporations, media, the govt, the church and whatever other instruments of power manipulate and control the masses. In this Peter Watkins' fictional tale the tool used to manipulate is a demigod pop star named Steven Shorter. Steven is a creation of the powers that be to be used to manipulate the masses as they see fit. Peter Watkins is the same Director who made the film "Punishment Park" and both were barely aired and were panned by the establishment. Peter Watkins may exaggerate in his portrayal of how "evil" the establishment is but in this age of Corporations and super rich people owning politicians, dictating legislation or the lack of legislation as their profits warrant then Peter Watkins' near paranoia becomes visionary and the harbinger of things to come (from the vantage point of 1967 as they have now arrived). That the BBC documentary series "The Century of the Self" pretty much says the same thing Peter Watkins is saying in his film "Privilege" indicates not that he has paranoia but rather that he sees clearly, is not afraid to face reality and is a visionary. Luckily his films are being released on DVD now and so are not relegated to obscurity anymore.
The stadium scene was chilling. It was chilling on its own but even more so when I think that Harper (Cdn PM) uses sports events in sports stadiums to peddle his nationalism and how he uses militarism to bolster nationalism on top of promoting militarism for its own sake. The only thing missing is use of religion because he knows that won't wash - yet - but he does end speeches with "God bless Canada" or so I have heard.
I think that the lesson from this film is that we must be vigilant against manipulation.Extraordinary stylistic mashup - CaptainDave
Imagine a mashup of Spinal Tap, A Clockwork Orange, If, Triumph of the Will and 1984 and you're getting close to a description of this little-seen wonder from 1967.
I first saw Privilege on TV sometime back in the 1970s, and it made a huge impression on me as a teen. It may have given me my first inkling that movies could be about something more than just telling a story. I've been waiting ever since to see it again. Finally it's available on DVD.
With the DVD stuck on my finger, about to be dropped into the player, I wondered if this was going to be one of those moments where you find out that terrific movie, book or song from your impressionable youth is actually a piece of garbage. Or whether this was going to be one of those joyful moments of rediscovery.
Well, lucky strike. Privilege turns out to be an amazing, almost unclassifiable movie: part caustic social satire, part pitch-black comedy, part despairing near-future dystopia, part cautionary parable, part mockumentary. It may be dated in its presentation of a pop concert, but in every other way it hits its target dead-on and is completely relevant to today.
On a basic plot level it's the story of a young pop star who is manipulated and totally commodified by the fascist powers-that-be in order to keep the population happy and complacent. Steven Shorter has not only had his soul sold, but it's being used to sell everything from dog food to the Anglican Church. He's a like totally petulant young man who hasn't like figured out what he wants, but finally knows what he doesn't want.
Privilege could easily be updated from its quasi-1960s setting to the present day, with a rap star instead of a pop singer in the key role. And instead of being sold out by their manager, they manage their own co-optation. Yeah, I'm thinking of you Puff Daddy. You, too, Lady Gaga. And don't think you're innocent, Madonna. Feel free to add the name of your favourite pop/rap poseur here.
Member Reviews
Read All...
Chilling - swissguy
Peter Watkins' "Privilege" is a brilliant movie with a similar message to the BBC documentary "The Century of the Self". The message is about how corporations, media, the govt, the church and whatever other instruments of power manipulate and control the ...Extraordinary stylistic mashup - CaptainDave
Imagine a mashup of Spinal Tap, A Clockwork Orange, If, Triumph of the Will and 1984 and you're getting close to a description of this little-seen wonder from 1967.
I first saw Privilege on TV sometime back in the 1970s, and it made a huge impression ...