So says Simon Rattle and the whole hest of the eighties contingent.
Central TV, the council, GKN (remember them?), and Horizon Travel PLC give you 11 minutes on why Birmingham isn’t as black as it’s painted and life is okay for a displaced executive as long as King Edwards School and the Priory Tennis Club are available.
Less than two hours to fucking Brussels, and theatre where you can park, Birmingham is the ideal place for international jewellery dealers dicing with death car-phoning Françoise while only a lunch away from the centre of Europe. And back again for tea in somewhere that looks suspiciously like no-ones’ home.
There is a Brighter Way – and Birmingham is not as shit as you think.
If this was released today there would be riots.
There Is A Better Lifestyle from bounder on Vimeo.
B'ham Women's Aid and friends squatted the massive Victorian pile that was pulled down by the Priory Hosp developers. More than a year, iirc. So, yes there were riots. ;)
A video about Birmingham without one local accent or anyone who's not white or upper middle class. Ain't it bustin'?
I love the defensive arms-folded body language of the Londoners looking to relocate. Harborne or bust!
Great that he describes his son as “a typical number two” – a complete shit then!
My favourite bit is where 9 year-old boy is in bed in hospital reading the Financial Times. Yep. And then the nurse comes in with a pineapple..
My favourites included the woman from the Priory Hospital reassuring peotential migrants that there is health care available around the clock, just in case they're worried that the NHS doesn't operate in Birmingham. But there are just too many good things about this piece to mention them all. And not a Kojak in sight. Immaculate work.
And, there seems to be some sort of book or magazine, catalogue, about the city that the film is animating, like Dr Seuss. I want a copy of this.
There is a Where Are They Now? feature crying out to be made too. My money's on Richmond.
excellent stuff, although my autobiographical version of this would be more like “withnail and i” than the “robin's nest” vision we have here!
Well, he is a typical “number two”. Thank god Brum has some private
healthcare, you wouldn't want to have to take your chances with the
commoners and the NHS.