In those years around the sea-town corner

February 18, 2010 3:39 AM

Swansea Love Story [Flash video, six parts, occasional NSFW, shows drug use], a documentary in VBS’ Rule Britannia series, follows young heroin users in the South Wales city, looking at their family life, daily routines and some of the changes in the community around them. Interview with film-maker Andy Capper; something on director Leo Leigh; brief write-up here, slightly longer review here.
posted by Abiezer (7 comments total)

I still don't understand how Vice, a terrible magazine, begat VBSTV, which produces good documentaries like this one.

Though it's odd - patronising? - that they felt the need to subtitle everyone.
posted by a little headband I put around my throat at 5:36 AM on February 18, 2010

I remember the early days of Vice in Montreal; I was even supposed to review some CDs for them once, but never, er, got around to it. The magazine started with some good intentions (or at least better intentions) before it sort of turned into Maxim + Meth, and I can see how the better elements behind it could drive a project like VBSTV.

I actually prefer the all-subtitles approach rather than having somebody decide for me which accents are and are not indecipherable to somebody not from the UK; I have trouble with a lot of UK accents but always feel it's a bit mean for somebody to decide that a Welsh accent requires subtitling while a Manchester one does not.
posted by Shepherd at 5:43 AM on February 18, 2010

I did spot a typo in the subs, when Clint says 'cwtch' they spell it 'cutch' - on the other hand, despite being pretty good with a range of UK accents what with being a native, I'd not have realised that's what he was saying without the titling what with it being such a Welsh word.
I thought that review I linked was right about the bit with the Gothy dancers, but otherwise an excellent bit of film-making - saw it recommended somewhere else by a person from Swansea and was similarly surprised it was sort of associated with Vice.
posted by Abiezer at 5:53 AM on February 18, 2010

I loved this documentary. I stumbled across it last week and was really bummed when I realized parts 5 and 6 had not been released yet. After finding out part 5 would be released on Monday, and part 6 on Tuesday, the very first thing I did both days was fire up VBS and watch them.

If you like documentaries, I highly recommend this one.
posted by Benny Andajetz at 7:55 AM on February 18, 2010

Another VBS documentary about impoverished communities in the UK (but with donk music instead of love)previously mentioned here.
posted by christhelongtimelurker at 9:59 AM on February 18, 2010

Incredibly sad.
posted by Lezzles at 3:12 PM on February 21, 2010

Dreadfully sad. It's a whole different world these people inhabit. I was disappointed Clint relapsed at the end. Hope he makes it work and turns his life around. I felt desperately sorry for the blonde girl, too. Someone so young who has been through such awful things.
posted by idiomatika at 3:35 PM on February 23, 2010