Hi, all, slowly getting the hang of this review writing, and enjoying reading many of them.
Hi, all, slowly getting the hang of this review writing, and enjoying reading many of them.
Member since:15.11.2005
Reviews:186
Members who trust:26
Boys from the Black stuff, Written by Alan Bleasdale, Directed by Philip Saville
This black comedy drama, first hit our screens in the late seventies, I had a few lasting memories of it, so when I saw it for hire from my on line hire company I soon sent for them, three Discs produced by the BBC showing all five episodes.
It's a tale of working class people, struggling to make ends meet in the 80's, the days of strikes, and high unemployment. And Margret Thatcher.
The main characters, are Dixie Deans (the foreman) Pigeon mad Chrissie Todd, Loggo, if it isn't tied down he'll steal it, George Malone the old man of the gang, and who can forget the crazy Gizza job Yosser Hughes, All make up a gang of tarmac laying rogues from Liverpool.
All though they all work for a contractor McKenna, they decide to do a bit of moonlighting to make a few extra pounds, this soon spells the beginning of the end for the lads, stitched up by a Gypsy then caught out by the Boss, the boys are left to lick their wounds and a life on the dole.
The story of what happens next to them breaks down into individual stories,
Jobs for the Boys They take a job on a building site whilst still claiming unemployment benefit. But soon attract the attention of the authorities, and the boys have to duck and dive their way out of trouble.
Moonlighter, Following Dixie Dean in his new job as a security guard at Liverpool docks, who becomes involved in dodgy dealings , and accepting bribes.
Shop Thy Neighbour . Whilst claiming unemployment benefit Chrissie and his wife attract the attentions of the benefit fraud officers .
Yosser's story, Yosser, really struggles with being unemployed, both through lack of money and mentally, with the worry of losing his kids, Yosser sets out looking for work, but as his mental health disintegrates, he has a most unorthodox method of asking, coining a much used phrase at the time, Gizza Job I can do that. This episode, includes a cameo role played by Liverpool football legend Graeme Souness.
George's Last Ride, As George nears death, and helped by Chrissie, he reminisces of younger days, as an active communist, and his look at how he thought life should be, and how he had to adapt, to the changing times.
Although comical at times, the Boys from the Black Stuff, shows the social history of plights and struggles of the working man, during a time of political unrest and high unemployment, some quite graphic violence, and bad language make this 15+ rated.
306 minutes of some superb viewing and great acting, the likes of we probably will never see again, and I highly recommend this collection of DVD's.
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
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The only thing that confused me was that if it is abaout 80's life how it was shown in the 1970's?. I remember it from whan it first came out with brilliant acting by Bernard Hill and Muchael Angelis in particular. Yossers story in particular was a great piece of writing.
roverrider 09.03.2007 02:24
I remember Yosser and company very well, great review.
Alan Bleasdale'sBoys from the Blackstuffgripped television audiences in 1982 with its ... more
bleak, fiercely funny exploration of the effect of the UK's economic depression on a group of Merseyside characters, originally introduced in his 1978 play,The Blacks...
Postage & Packaging: £1.21 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
Alan Bleasdale'sBoys from the Blackstuffgripped television audiences in 1982 with its ... more
bleak, fiercely funny exploration of the effect of the UK's economic depression on a group of Merseyside characters, originally introduced in his 1978 play,The Blacks...
Postage & Packaging: free Super Saver Delivery Availability: Usually dispatched within 24 hours...
Yosser Hughes, systematically stripped of job, pride and ultimately, his family, was to ... more
become one of the 80's great characters in TV's most articulate response to the Thatcher era.Includes the original Play for Today as well as the complete BBC TV ser...
Jobs For The Boys: Chrissie assembles an unofficial building gang but their moonlighting ... more
is being watched by the Department of Employment's investigators. A raid by the fraud squad leads to tragedy... Moonlighter: Dixie father of four and once the pr...
Postage & Packaging: £0.00 Availability: 3-5 working days
![Boys from the Blackstuff [DVD] [1989]](http://picnica.ciao.com/uk/78520094.jpg "Boys from the Blackstuff [DVD] [1989]")
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