Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		5.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		4.0
Overall		4.5

My Generation Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov June 7, 2021

David Batty's "My Generation" (2018) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Via Vision Entertainment. The supplemental features on the release include exclusive new program with the director; vintage program with Michael Caine; and original theatrical trailer. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-Free.

At least in the beginning what united them was their desire to enjoy life in ways that their parents could not. Their country was recovering from the war, but it was also restoring an old order that they did not feel was right for them. They wanted more colors and better music, more laughs and better sex, and the new place that was emerging from the ashes did not have any of these things. So they started changing it.

Maurice Joseph Micklewhite, who today uses the much simpler name Michael Caine, witnessed the transformation and David Batty’s documentary My Generation gathers many of his recollections about it. Some of the artists and musicians that he admired occasionally help him fill in the gaps, but the documentary is essentially one big personal journey back to the ‘60s. In other words, in it there are a lot more feelings and emotions than serious historical analysis of key events and trends.

The casual manner in which Caine delivers his descriptions makes many of his recollections sound like extracts from a conversation between old pals who have been through a lot over the years and are trying to refresh their memories. Plenty of them begin and end quite abruptly, but the light humor that the actor routinely adds up binds them really well. The only time the documentary visibly stutters a bit is when the likes of Paul McCartney, Roger Daltrey, and Lulu make a random comment from somewhere behind the camera that confirms what the actor has already made clear.

The best material is the one where Caine describes some of his greatest struggles to fit in. For example, very early in his acting career his cockney accent was apparently considered a serious weakness but he stuck with it, never walked away from an audition, and eventually got his big break. (The entire segment where he describes the most important audition in his career and how the simpler and more attractive Michael Caine name came to exist is beyond hilarious). The actor also confesses that there were a few times when he was unsure about his place on the London scene, but with the invention of the mini skirt all of his doubts instantly disappeared and he permanently fell in love with it.

Quite a few clips from some of Caine’s biggest films are included to highlight the different changes that he made as he became more popular and the same changes are then used to highlight some of the big socio-cultural trends that were occurring at the time. It is very straightforward material. The commentary that Caine offers basically quickly rehashes a few well-known facts and then shifts back to his feelings and current appreciation of the “good times”.

Ultimately, My Generation should resonate best with folks that experienced what Caine did. It is not an eye-opener, just a good nostalgia fix -- it is authentic, very straightforward and extremely easy to digest. Nothing wrong with this, though. It just needs to be approached with the right set of expectations, and for optimal enjoyment perhaps viewed with a glass of aged whiskey.

My Generation Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.85:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, My Generation arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Via Vision Entertainment.

In 2018, we reviewed this Limited Edition of My Generation that Lionsgate Films UK produced. Predictably, this release is sourced from the exact same master that was used to produce the British release.

I think that the documentary looks terrific in high-definition. However, because it utilizes original and archival content, you should expect to see some variations in the visual quality. This is how documentaries look when they are finalized, and this is what the Blu-ray release reproduces -- the native quality of the documentary. The new footage with Michael Caine discussing his career and the films that defined obviously looks really good because it was shot with modern equipment, but there is plenty of film footage that looks great as well. There are no transfer-specific anomalies to report in our review. (Note: This is a Region-Free Blu-ray release. Therefore, you will be able to play it on your player regardless of your geographical location).

My Generation Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There are two standard audio tracks on this Blu-ray release: English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and English LPCM 2.0. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided for the main feature.

Michael Caine's narration is very clear. For obvious reasons, during exchanges that come from archival content sometimes there are minor fluctuations, but it is always very easy to understand what is being said. The exact same thing can be said about the use of music. There is plenty and from time to time some dynamic unevenness is present, but these native limitations. There are no technical anomalies to report in our review.

My Generation Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Trailer - original theatrical trailer for My Generation. In English, not subtitles. (2 min).

• Interview with Director David Batty (2021) - in this exclusive new program, David Batty explains how he was offered the opportunity to direct My Generation, how the 'right people' were identified and interviewed for the film, how the film's soundtrack was put together, and how the rare archival footage was located. There are also very interesting comments about Batty's relationships with Michael Caine as well as the enormity of the '60s. In English, not subtitles. (47 min).

• Michael Caine: Breaking the Mold (1994) - in this archival program, Michael Caine discusses his life and career, his acting philosophy, the films and roles that had a profound impact on him and his image, and the socio-cultural environment in Britain during the '60s. A small section of the program is dedicated to Alfie. Included in the program are clips from interviews with director Lewis Gilbert (Alfie), Roger Moore, Julie Walters, Bob Hoskins, Dennis Selinger (Caine's agent), director Sidney J. Furie (The Ipcress File), and Angie Dickinson, amongst others. In English, not subtitles. (58 min).

My Generation Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

My Generation offers a great trip down memory lane, with a terrific commentary by Michael Caine. It is included in Via Vision Entertainment's Limited Edition release of Alfie and has its own selection of bonus features, one of which is a very good exclusive new program with director David Batty. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.