Of Time and the City (2008)

At times Terence Davies provides a really quite entertaining and insightful commentary here as he takes us through his reminiscences of growing up in the English city of Liverpool. Famed around the world for "The Beatles" it was also the home to many a famous bard, poet, songster, thespian and soap manufacturer. Using a plethora of archive material it illustrates just how this city was affected after the devastation of WWII followed by decades of stagnant, socialist-leaning, civic administration that presided over the relentless decline of a city that is populated by sparky and stoic individuals determined to keep a sense of humour, proportion and purpose even if their surroundings inspired little by way of hope. Many elements of this could just as easily apply to other industrial British cities like Glasgow or Sheffield, and the imagery of the ghastly urban architecture that saw a surfeit of grey and concrete monstrosities clutter up the landscape could probably be transplanted to any number of cities where buildings that were unfit for habitation were replaced by those that were ugly as sin but at least had water running where it was supposed to. The use of some rousing classical music can seem a little incongruous at times, and some of his narrative does rather stereotype the population and his perception of their views, priorities and attitudes but it's an interesting and engaging look at a city where optimism is only now starting to make it's presence felt.