'Hillsborough' - DVD Review

Region 2, "Network"/"Granada" DVD. No subtitles, no extras.
Written by Jimmy McGovern, directed by Charles McDougall.
With: T. Wilkinson, K. Knapman, M. Womack, A. Apsion, C. Eccleston, S. Walters, S. Williams, R. Davies, R. Tomlinson.

This is at least a tiny piece of justice delivered. 20 years after the tragedy, 13 years after the film was shown on TV, 'Hillsborough' has been released on the 7th September.

'Hillsborough' is exceptional in many ways. As a message - speaking for the cause and telling about people. As a great example of drama-documentary - precise and relentless it's still objective; focused, not agenda driven. As a film; brilliant cast. One of the very best performances by Mr. Eccleston.

The DVD comes with a cover that provides good background information. On the inside it is printed with a list of all people who lost their lives in the disaster - name, surname, age - a solemn reminder.

The film is still divided into seven parts, separated by title cards (see our film review) - these are the parts that can be selected via the menu. Other than that, the disc is devoid of any extra features, which is a pity, as this is definitely the occasion where no-one who'd been behind or in front of the camera would have refused to collaborate.

It's a minor complaint, though, because the most important thing is that the film is made available for everyone to watch - to think about - to remember. And 'Hillsborough' now will not disappear without trace, it will be there in the future, and, without doubt, it will never cease to be relevant.

/Alex
2009-09-17

Available from amazon.co.uk and networkdvd.net


Chris Eccleston as Trevor Hicks:

Original news post.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

If there's one piece of television drama that delivers an emotional punch to the stomach then "Hillsborough" does exactly what it says on the tin well, DVD.

Christopher gives one of his emotional and outstanding performances as the grief stricken Trevor Hicks who left home that day with a family and came back with just his wife.

As I said previously, I am a loyal Nottingham Forest fan and have been for over 30 years despite living elsewhere.

I remember at the time doing my Saturday job at a record shop when a customer comes running in and saying that the match had been abandoned because of a crowd disturbance. I didn't know at the time that it was going to be the biggest sporting disaster.

Walking down to an almost deserted city centre to catch the bus back home and seeing a small crowd of people watching television sets in an electrical store open mouthed at the pictures. Numb, shocked and some women crying at the scenes.

I was emotionally upset too seeing people being pressed up against metal fencing and apparently no-one in authority helping them to escape.

I still vent my anger over one tabloid newspaper (I won't mention it) who printed at the time time hurtful, deceitful lies by boycotting said paper.

To think that the government at the time was going to cage fans like animals in a zoo too was scandalous.

"He only went to see a football match..."

The memory still echoes for all three cities, Liverpool, Nottingham and Sheffield.