Privilege

Prescient in certain ways, but in other ways it expresses an analysis stuck far too much in its time (too much Orwell, not enough Huxley). The decision to make the protagonist such an insipid empty vessel is in a certain way understandable, but tends to make the viewer's experience something of a chore, not helped by the fact that, while Miss Shrimpton may well be a very beautiful choice of female lead, for some reason she gives a performance that can only be described as highly somnambulistic.

Prescient about the government usurping pop culture to promote the status quo, but not a very good movie in any other sense. The sometimes-documentary structure doesn't work and the entire cast is too low-key to leave any impression.

"Can you call this a documentary?" "No." http://illusionpodcast.blogspot.com/2014/05/episode-12.html

One of the few failures within Peter Watkins' career, where attempting to sow together Watkins' pseudodocumentary style with a story creates an awkwardly put'together film. Its also one of the few times Watkins' ideas miss the mark; some of the ideas of how music can be used to control people are strong but it becomes too obvious to be realistic. Even if there are blatant examples of pushing conservative ideas onto youths in reality, the example shown in the film dangerously veers into kitsch.

"While not primarily intended as prophecy, Watkins's tale of Shorter's reign and fall has resonances of celebrity activism from Bob Geldof to globe-hopping lobbyist Bono." - Bill Weber

Vintage hysteria.

Surprisingly not engaging

Fascinating and atmospheric, without ever veering into mere camp, PRIVILEGE remains undated and surprisingly prescient at predicting the rise of the pop star as icon.