Shifty

I found the first 3 or 4 episodes a bit confusing. The footage and music are interesting and there is a sense for Britain during that era of time but for me it didnt flow or feel cohesive and i found myself skipping a few scenes that seemed a bit vulgar or indulgent - like whats the point of this? Maybe I didnt get it. Although there are some really good bits too, especially around racial tensions and science with Stephen Hawking - a sense of reality "shifting" in more ways than one. Altogether it was mixed.

The final episode however was excellent. It brought things together and was much clearer and easier to follow. The footage felt more relevant to me and the story felt more deliberate and clear, and it carries you along in that surreal way that adam curtis does.

Although I got quite annoyed at the many music inserts during this series and found some parts either tedious, repetitive or just irritating, overall this series is worth watching. Lots of historical information that with hindsight is proving to be very prescient and accurate. It's pretty clear that politicians, financial institutions and those who benefit from them, and the upper class system is still thriving and becoming even more abhorrent. Today's many issues and problems can be traced back to so many events and characters and players who made headlines during the period this series covers. Not a pretty picture and certainly a warning of things to come. Well made generally but also a bit too chaotic at times.

I would give this a 7/8 marker but you are not allowed to give ranges.

Of these types of documentaries that I have seen. Ken Burn's one on Vietnam was exceptional. Likewise, Adam Curtis's Hypernormalisation.

Being born in 82, I hoped this would further my understanding of the period of when I was just a child and not interested in politics , up to when I was a young adult.

It did that on some level. Many things were hard to tolerate on an emotional level.

The ghost of greed being ever-present. (who woulda thought that nationalising industries would enable them to be honourable?).

The issue that I truly struggle with is the total lack of a positive narrative.

As a 90s teenager and young adult in the millennia... the advance in tech has been exceptional, perhaps to the point of being detrimental in the long-term.

However, despite all the disparity. There has been a lot of levelling up that could eventually be a positive world-force.

I would not be human if I just lived in despair.

Using archive material from the Thatcher years, Adam Curtis demonstrates a myth that many on the Left will be uncomfortable with; far from being an underhand experiment, Mrs. Thatcher made it clear from the start what her project was all about. The destruction of the Welfare State. The destruction of solidarity. The decimation of the right of the people to be protected from capitalism. But the Left were more interested in making speeches to each other and ideological purity. The media colluded with the Tories, and the hard earned gains of the working class were lost.

Brilliant and unsettling work from a dwindling pool of sharp and empathetic film maker.

The opening scenes are worth the license fee on their own.

We needed this.. after watching I felt lighter and more engaged in the world than I did before pressing play. This is a must watch. Thank you Adam. The music is perfectly mixed and archive footage tastefully edited and utilised to create a powerful, meaningful experience. We are lucky to have Adam's works freely available in the UK. Perhaps it's a tactic from the deeper levels of Government, security or the intelligence services. Knowledge is power and this series opens the door to so many real elements of our short human existence. I appreciate this is will be difficult for some to digest and process, but Adam has really surpassed all expectations with this work.. Bravo 👏🏼👏🏼