Stars: Oasis, Blur, Pulp

Director: John Dower

Summary: The story of how 'Britpop' was kick-started by such bands as Oasis, Blur and Pulp in the early 1990s plus a mixture of archive footage, live performances and never-before-seen interviews.

LIVE FOREVER is an amusing documentary that takes a look back at the 1990s and the musical movement commonly known as Britpop. Pedalling a retro sound and unoriginal look, a wave of bands--Powder, Menswear, Salad, Suede, Elastica and occasionally bands with more than one word in their name--were catapulted into the limelight for their 15 minutes of fame, or in some cases even less! Fortunately there was some cream amongst the crop and this documentary concentrates on the bands of the time--Oasis, Blur, Pulp--who truly made an impact. Featuring a host of hilarious interviews with the likes of Damon Albarn, Jarvis Cocker and the Gallagher brothers, LIVE FOREVER remembers the time when it looked like British guitar music was going to conquer the world.

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It's hard to fill a music documentary with the same energy that ignited the movement, but Live Foreversucceeds in charting the rise and decline of the Britpop genre with ease. Looking back on the 1990s phenomenon, it removes the rose-tinted spectacles that are so often donned for such retrospectives and looks at the trend and hype through a refreshing political perspective hinging around the New Labour government. It's fascinating to see how the spin doctors went to work on this new youth culture to increase popularity with voters.

It was a time of political change, when, after long Conservative rule, people were looking forward to the future, and Cool Britannia filled a cultural hole. There was bizarre art from the likes of Emin and Hurst, and a vibrant music scene filled with "jolly" Blur tunes and Pulp's off-kilter takes on the working class. But it was Oasis's meteoric rise and the simultaneous "Lad" cultural stereotype they embodied that really gripped the nation's youth (both male and female). Live Foreveroffers interviews with the Gallagher brothers (who actually come across as sound geezers), Damon Albarn (who fares less well, and it becomes clear where director John Dower's commitment lay in the big Britpop battle) and the sublime Jarvis Cocker (who really should have become more of a cultural icon). Although Britpop ended after a blitz of cigarettes and alcohol, its place is sealed in music history. Just as The Filth and the Furyhas become the must-see documentary on punk, Live Forevermay well become the defining film of the 90s generation. --Nikki Disney

Aspect Ratio:	16:9 Wide Screen
Main Language:	English
Region:	Region 2
Special Features:	Unseen Interviews, Wonderwall Video Diary, Audio Commentary By John Batsek And John Dower, Trailers
Year:	2003
Release Date:	June 16, 2003
Certification:
Catalogue Number:	D 093975
Keywords:	Music, Live, Rock, Comedy, General, Forever, Pop, Roll, Performing, Arts, Popular
Genre:	Music/Performing Arts